Ball-of-Fat by MAUPASSANT, Guy de

The first significant published short story of French author Guy de Maupassant, and generally acknowledged as his greatest work, Ball-of-Fat (French title: Boule de Suif) is the touching story of an interrupted coach ride from Rouen to Le Havre during which occurs the corruption of a principled prostitute by immoral and hypocritical members of the upper class. The story is set during the occupation of Rouen at the time of the Franco-Prussian War. (Summary by Michael Thomas Robinson)