About the book

"Thais" by Anatole France is a novel published in 1890. Based on the life of a legendary 4th-century Egyptian saint, it tells the story of Paphnuce, an ascetic hermit who travels to Alexandria to convert Thais, a famous libertine beauty. When he succeeds in bringing her to Christianity, an unexpected transformation occurs—he becomes obsessed with her former life while she devotes herself to repentance. Their spiritual journeys take ironic and tragic turns in this tale of faith, desire, and illusion.

Egypt

Christianity, Conversion to

Courtesans

Hermits

Christian women saints

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #2078. Thais on Wikipedia.