Edmond François Valentin About (1828–1885) was a versatile French novelist, journalist, and publicist who achieved significant popularity during the Second French Empire. Born in Dieuze, Lorraine, he was educated at the Lycée Charlemagne and the École Normale Supérieure before traveling to Greece, an experience that inspired some of his most successful early writings.\n\nAbout's literary career was marked by his sharp wit, satirical style, and keen observation of contemporary society. He gained widespread acclaim with his satirical novel Le Roi des montagnes (1856), which drew on his observations of Greek life and politics, and the science-fiction fantasy L'Homme à l'oreille cassée (1862). His work often blended humor with social and political commentary, reflecting his anticlerical and liberal views.\n\nIn addition to his fiction, About was an active and influential journalist, contributing to major publications such as Le Figaro and founding the journal Le XIXe Siècle. He was elected to the Académie française in 1884, shortly before his death in Paris in 1885.
