Against The Grain, or Against Nature Chapter 12 Part 1

The Joris-Karl Huysmans Library · Oct 17, 2026 · 29m

In which Des Esseintes, returning to his cherished sanctuary, immerses himself in the tactile and aesthetic pleasures of his uniquely curated library, contemplating the artistry not only of the books’ content but of their bindings and papers, reflecting with particular reverence upon Baudelaire’s penetrating and morbid poetry as a window into the human soul’s darkest recesses. He then embarks on a discerning exploration of contemporary Catholic literature, lamenting its pedestrian and pedantic character except for rare sparks of eloquence, thereby revealing his solitary quest for authenticity…