Léon Gozlan

Who was Léon Gozlan?

Léon Gozlan, was a French Jewish novelist and playwright. He was born in Marseille.

When he was still a boy, his father, who had made a large fortune as a ship-broker, met with a series of misfortunes, and Léon, before completing his education, had to go to sea in order to earn a living. In 1828 we find him in Paris, determined to run the risks of literary life. His townsman, Joseph Méry, who was then making himself famous by his political satires, introduced him to several newspapers, and Gozlan's brilliant articles in the Figaro did much harm to the already tottering government of Charles X.

His first novel was Les Mémoires d'un apothécaire, and this was followed by numberless others, among which may be mentioned:

Le Notaire de Chantilly

Washington Levers et Socrate Leblanc

Les tourelles, Histoire des châteaux de France

Aristide Froissart

Les Nuits du Père Lachaise

Le Tapis vert

Le Folle du logis

Les Emotions de Polydore Marasquin

Le Vampire du Val-de-Grâce