The Ladies' Paradise (BBC Tie-in)The Ladies' Paradise is a compelling story of ambition and love set against the backdrop of the spectacular rise of the department store in 1860s Paris. Octave Mouret is a business genius who transforms a modest draper's shop into a hugely successful retail enterprise, masterfully exploiting the desires of his female customers and ruining small competitors along the way. Through the eyes of trainee salesgirl Denise we see the inner workings of the store and the relations and intrigues among the staff, human dramas played out alongside the relentless pursuit of commercial supremacy. Now adapted for BBC Television and given a British setting in The Paradise, Zola's novel is a masterly portrayal of life in the bustling, gossipy world of the best department store in town. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Alençon lace asked assistant buyer Baron Hartmann Baugé Bon Marché Bourdoncle Bourras Bouthemont cash-desk centimes Clara coat Colomban counter crowd customers Deloche Denise Denise's display door dress ÉMILE ZOLA everything eyes face Favier feeling felt finally floor Fontenailles gallery Gaujean Geneviève girl gloves going hall hand head heart Henriette Hutin Jean Jouve lace Ladies ladieswear department laugh Lhomme Liénard linen lingerie looking Madame Aurélie Madame Baudu Madame Bourdelais Madame de Boves Madame Desforges Madame Guibal Madame Marty Mademoiselle Marguerite ment Michodière Mignot Monsieur Mouret Monsigny morning murmured never pale Paradise Paris Pauline Pépé piles replied Robineau round salesgirls salesmen seemed silence silk department smile stood street suddenly surprise talking there's things thought thousand francs turned uncle upstairs Vallagnosc Valognes Vieil Elbeuf voice waiting walking wanted whole woman women young Zola