The Straw Man
First English-language edition | |
| Author | Jean Giono |
|---|---|
| Original title | Le Bonheur fou |
| Translator | Phyllis Johnson |
| Language | French |
| Publisher | Éditions Gallimard |
Publication date | 14 April 1957 |
| Publication place | France |
Published in English | 1959 (Knopf) |
| Pages | 461 |
The Straw Man is a 1957 novel by the French writer Jean Giono. Its French title is Le Bonheur fou, which means "the mad happiness". The story is set in the 1840s and follows Angelo Pardi as he is caught up in plots leading up to the Italian revolution of 1848. The novel is a standalone sequel to The Horseman on the Roof, which is set earlier and also features Pardi as the main character. The novels were part of Giono's planned Hussar Cycle. The Straw Man was published in English in 1959, translated by Phyllis Johnson.