Let's be clear upfront: you won't find a traditional novel here. 'Couleurs. Contes nouveaux; suivis de Choses anciennes' is a collection split into two distinct parts. The first, 'New Tales,' is exactly that—a series of short, imaginative stories. But don't expect knights and dragons. Gourmont uses these tales to explore ideas, often through symbolism and vivid, almost hallucinatory descriptions. A story might revolve around the emotional weight of a specific color or a bizarre, mythical encounter. The second part, 'Old Things,' shifts gears. Here, Gourmont reflects on history, art, and forgotten lore, piecing together essays and thoughts that feel like fascinating fragments from a scholar's notebook.

The Story

There isn't one single plot. Think of it as walking through an eclectic art gallery. In one room (or story), you might get a brief, powerful fable about jealousy painted in shades of green. In the next, you're reading Gourmont's musings on an ancient Roman custom or the meaning behind a medieval symbol. The thread that ties it all together is the author's unique sensibility—his obsession with how we perceive beauty, decay, and the passage of time. The 'story' is the journey of his mind across these different landscapes.

Why You Should Read It

I loved this book for its bravery. Gourmont isn't trying to please everyone. He's following his own intellectual and aesthetic whims, and that makes every page surprising. His writing can be lush and poetic when describing a sunset, then sharp and analytical in the next essay. Reading it feels like having a conversation with a brilliantly quirky friend who points out the magic in things you've always overlooked. The themes of memory and sensation are timeless. He makes you question the solidity of your own experiences. Are we feeling something, or are we just remembering the idea of that feeling? It's heady stuff, but presented in such short bursts that it never becomes a slog.

Final Verdict

This book is perfect for the patient and curious reader. If you adore neat, resolved narratives, this might frustrate you. But if you're the kind of person who gets lost in museums, loves the aesthetic movement of the 1890s, or enjoys writers like Huysmans or early Borges for their style and ideas, you'll find a treasure here. It's a book for a quiet afternoon, best enjoyed slowly, one strange and beautiful piece at a time.