The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Alain-Fournier
(älN-frny´) (KEY) , 18861914, French novelist, whose real name was Henri Alban Fournier. He was killed in action during World War I. His single full-length work is his poetic novel about a youthful search for the ideal, Le Grand Meaulnes (1913, tr. The Wanderer, 1928). Set in an imaginary locale called the domain, it is based partly on Alain-Fourniers own childhood and partly on his mystical experiences and ideas. Its distinctiveness lies in its delicate blend of symbolism and realism.