The Charterhouse of Parma (Barnes & Noble Library of Essential Reading) 

In the coming-of-age story
The Charterhouse of Parma, we follow a young Italian nobleman, Fabrizio Valserra, Marchesino del Dongo, on many adventures, including his experiences at the Battle of Waterloo, and romantic intrigues. Along the way we meet a number of fascinating characters, including Fabrizios devoted aunt, Gina; her lover, the Parmese statesman, Count Mosca; and Fabrizios true love, Clélia Conti. Set against the backdrop of post-Revolutionary Europe, the novel portrays a society that can barely keep up with its people, because the changes history and politics have wrought are so pervasive.

About the author

Stendhal is the pen name of Marie-Henri Beyle, who was born on January 23, 1783, in Grenoble, France. As a youth, Stendhal enjoyed a close relationship with his maternal grandfather, a physician who was believed to have roots in Italy, which became important later in Stendhals own life and work, and is where most of
The Charterhouse of Parma is set. In 1800 he joined Napoleons armies as a second lieutenant, and his war experiences proved crucial to his writing. He died on March 23, 1842.