About the Author
Alexandre Dumas (also known as Dumas pere) (1802-1870) was one of the most famous French writers of the 19th century. Dumas is best known for historical the novels The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, both written within the space of two years, 1844-45, and which belong to the foundation works of popular culture. He was among the first, along with Honore de Balzac and Eugene Sue, who fully used the possibilities of roman feuilleton, the serial novel. Dumas is credited with revitalizing the historical novel in France, although his abilities as a writer were under dispute from the beginning. Dumas' works are fast-paced adventure tales that blend history and fiction, but on the other hand, they are entangled, melodramatic, and actually not faithful to the historical facts.
"In the preface of The Companions of Jehu I told why that romance had been written; and those who have read it cannot fail to have seen where I borrowed from Nodier in the description of the execution, of which he was an ocular witness. In short, I borrowed by denouement from him." "Now The Whites and the Blues, being a continuation of The Companions of Jehu, my readers will not be astonished if I again borrow from Nodier for the beginning of my story." "After the great success of The Companions of Jehu, I was tormented with a desire to write a great romance, entitled The Whites and the Blues, taking my departure for this new book from Nodier's Episodes de la Revolution, as I did the motive for a former one from his Reaction Thermidorienne." "This time I wished not only to borrow a few pages from him, but to make him assume a role in the action of the drama." "With permission from his daughter, there was nothing to stop me; and as I had already outlined my plot, I set to work at once."
Alexandre Dumas
