Against the Current Author: [France] Jolis-Karl Huysmans Translator: Yu Zhongxian Publisher: Shanghai Translation Publishing House

Tired of the hypocrisy and ostentation of Paris, Des Esseintes took refuge in the small town of Fontenay, where he lived a secluded life. He decorated his residence according to his personal aesthetics and tastes, immersed himself in the spiritual and material world he created, and resisted the secular trend. Each chapter revolves around a theme, involving paintings, gems, flowers, literature, etc. Huysmans interpreted his decadent aesthetics through the mouth of this anti-hero protagonist, cut off the connection with naturalistic literature, and established the status of a 19th-century cult work. Wilde called "Against the Current" a "book full of venom."

Huysmans, a famous French writer in the 19th century, supported naturalism in the early days. He co-authored the short story collection "Evenings in the Plum Pond" with Zola, Maupassant and others. Later, he turned to symbolism. "Against the Current" is Huysmans' representative work after the transformation. Huysmans has a very high aesthetic taste and a sense of the times. In terms of painting, he admires the Impressionist school of painting. In terms of literature, he appreciates Baudelaire, Edgar Allan Poe, Lamartine and others. Huysmans's "Against the Current" inspired many works in later generations. Wilde also mentioned this book in "The Picture of Dorian Gray".