Includes the full French text. Notes and a detailed introduction in English put the work in its social and historical context.

A story of ambition and failure, "325,000 Francs "is remarkable for its dramatic construction, vivid characterization and clear, economical style. Psychological interest centers on the relationship between the characters of Bernard and Marie-Jeanne, but they are also shown in their social setting. The presence of an observer-narrator involves the reader in a challenging way, while leaving open the interpretation of a novel which, in Vailland's words has, "toutes les faces possibles de la realite."