SIMENON SIMENON: THE AUTHOR, THE DETECTIVE, AND THE COUNTRY

On a book about the social dimensions of the Maigret series.

SIMENON SIMENON: L'AUTORE, L'INVESTIGATORE E IL PAESE
Un libro che tratta l'aspetto sociale della serie dei Maigret

SIMENON SIMENON: L’AUTEUR, LE DTECTIVE ET LE PAYS
Concernant un livre sur des dimensions sociales dans la série Maigret.

The book Maigret, Simenon and France: social dimensions of the novels and stories, written by Bill Alder, is a fairly recent (2012) publication. Alder has been teaching French and language learning in the Department of Languages for the Open University (UK) since 2002. Having written numerous articles on Maigret, Simenon, and crime fiction in both English and French, he is well qualified to put this book together.

In my estimation, he deserves kudos for this 220 page academic work. His stated aim was “to consider the role of social class and social change in the Maigret writings.” The result is a well-researched, well-documented, and well-written work. It is both informative and insightful. In focusing on whether Simenon (consciously or not) presented an accurate portrait of French society, Alder offers many fascinating revelations about the times, providing me at least with an unexpected, new sense of appreciation of Simenon as a writer.

“Progressive penetration” is Alder’s term for Maigret’s method of “soaking up… progressively penetrating… applying pressure… until the criminal reveals him- or herself.” Describing the method of the man who had no method as “a social rather than a logical or technical approach to police investigation” seems to me to be right on target.

Here’s where you can easily get the book, should you be so inclined: http://www.amazon.com/Maigret-Simenon-France-Dimensions-Stories/dp/0786470542/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452776333&sr=1-1keywords=Bill+Alder
(I went for the Kindle version because it was more)

David P. Simmons