''Si le grain ne meurt'' is the autobiography of the French writer André Gide. Published in 1924, it recounts the life of Gide from his childhood in Paris until his engagement with his cousin Madeleine Rondeaux in 1895. The book has two parts. In the first, the author recounts his childhood memories: his private tutors, his time at the Ecole Alsacienne, his family, his friendship with

Pierre Louÿs Pierre Louÿs (; 10 December 1870 – 4 June 1925) was a French poet and writer, most renowned for lesbian and classical themes in some of his writings. He is known as a writer who sought to "express pagan sensuality with stylistic perfection". ...

, the start of his veneration of his cousin, and his first efforts at writing.Andregide.org
Les Relations Conjugales d'André Gide Rapportees Dans Son Journal Intime – ''Et Nunc Manet in Te'' The book's title, ''Si le grain ne meurt'', is an allusion to the

Gospel of John The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...

12:24–25.Gidiana.net
Si le grain ne meurt The much shorter second part recounts his discovery of his homosexuality during a trip to

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, part of which was with Irish writer

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

. At the time of its publication, parts of the book shocked the public with their depictions of homosexuality and detailed descriptions of Gide's debauchery: pages 237 - 310; with a particular emphasis after page 256. Gide, Andre, and Dorothy Bussy. If It Die .. an Autobiography;. New York: Random House, 1935. Print. Gide later recounted the total failure of his married life with Madeleine in another autobiography called ''Et nunc manet in te'', written shortly after the death of his wife in 1938. It was published in 1951.

References

Literature

* André Gide: ''Si le grain ne meurt.'' Collection Folio. Paris: Gallimard, 1972. *Jean-Michel Wittmann: ''Si le grain ne meurt'' d'André Gide. Essai et dossier. Collection Foliothèque. Paris: Gallimard, 2005. 1924 non-fiction books Works by André Gide French autobiographies Literary autobiographies LGBT literature in France LGBT autobiographies 1920s LGBT literature {{lit-bio-book-stub