Alexandre Dumas: Immortal Writer of Romance and Adventure

Many writers have graced the literary stage with their works. One writer who captivated me was the French novelist Alexandre Dumas (1802-70). He is a writer who wrote in French, but his works have been translated into almost all major languages of the world. His readership will probably run into a billion

Alexandre Dumas was a novelist. His forte was fiction and during a writing career of almost 4 decades penned nearly 60 books. He lived a flamboyant life and French society recognized him as a very romantic man. The fact that he was born of an illegitimate union of his father and a black woman may have something to do with this.

Dumas did not allow to detract his mind as he started penning some of the most famous novels in world literature. His ' The Three Musketeers'(1844) is a stand out novel. It is one of the most read and filmedbook in the world. Hollywood alone has filmed it at least half a dozen times. Dumas folled up his success of The Three Musketeers with a sequel ' Twenty Years After'(1845). He produced more connected novels to the original three musketeers and wro te' The Son of Porothos' and ' The Man in the Iron Mask'. The last named is a historical fantasy that has enthralled generations of readers.

Dumas now produced what I will term his greatest book, perhaps one of the greatest of all time. This is the famous ' Count of Monte Cristo'(1845). It is story of revenge during the era of Napoleon. Its a book that once started cannot be put down. I have myself read it at least 4 times as well as seen 3 versions of this book on the screen. The books of Dumas are excellent fodder for World cinema. Bollywood also made a version with Dharmendra.

Dumas continued to write and produced excellent romantic novels. His books like 'The Black Tulip'(1850), 'The Forty Five'(1845), 'Queen Margot`(1845) and ' The Lady of Monsoreau'(1846) show Dumas as one of the greats of world literature.

Dumas was a flamboyant lover as well. He loved women with big heart. He also spent lavishly on his friends. He built an estate and called it Montecristo. He overspent and died poor. He will hoever remain as one of the towers of world fiction.