His Excellency (Son Excellence Eugene Rougon; Rougon-Macquart)

His Excellency (French: Son Excellence Eugene Rougon) - From Zola's Rougon-Macquart Series: "Son Excellence Eugene Rougon is the one existing French novel which gives the reader a fair general idea of what occurred in political spheres at an important period of the French Empire. The reign of Napoleon III. began with bloodshed and trickery, was prolonged by means of innumerable subterfuges, and ended in woe, horror, and disgrace... There is, of course, some fiction in the book; but, again and again, page after page, I have found a simple record of fact, just deftly adapted to suit the requirements of the narrative. I claim for His Excellency the merit of reflecting things as they really were in the earlier years of the Imperial regime." (Ernest Alfred Vizetelly)