André Gide is one of the most important novelists of the first half of the twentieth century. His place in the development of the genre is equal to that of other innovators such as Marcel Proust, James Joyce, and Virginia Woolf. His novels have been translated into more than twenty languages, including Serbo-Croatian, Hebrew, and Bulgarian. The English-speaking world is especially well served since Gide's mastery of written English was excellent, and the numerous translations of his novels by his good friend Dorothy Bussy were done under his direct supervision.

Gide's importance and his influence on the twentieth century extend to several domains: the thematics of his novels champion emancipation in all forms of human behavior; he renewed the form of the novel through aesthetic innovation; his essays and documentary narratives make of him a discerning witness of his times; and multiple prefaces and articles attest to...