Là-bas (Down There)

“Là-Bas” is an 1891 novel by the French writer Joris-Karl Huysmans. The story concerns Durtal, a man disgusted by the shallowness and decadence of the world within which he lives. Turning to the study of the Middle Ages as a form of escapism, he learns of the notorious 15th-century child-murderer Gilles de Rais. Through this research, he discovers that Satanism is not something lost and forgotten to the annuls of time, but instead alive and thriving in contemporary France. Intrigued, Durtal commences a serious investigation of the mysterious and dangerous occult. Charles-Marie-Georges Huysmans (1848 – 1907) was a French novelist who wrote under the pseudonym J.K. (Joris-Karl) Huysmans. He best known for his novel “À rebours” (1884). Other notable works by this author include: “Marthe” (1876), “Les Soeurs Vatard” (1879), and “En ménage” (1881). Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in a modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on the history of erotic literature.