This is not a story
- First published
- 1798
- Reading level
- Easy
- Price
- Free
About the book
"This is not a story" by Denis Diderot is a work written in 1772. The piece contains two contrasting tales of devotion and betrayal. In the first, a man spends years amassing fortune for a woman who exploits his absence. In the second, a woman sacrifices everything for a man who ultimately abandons her when she's no longer useful. Through these paired narratives, Diderot explores the complexities of human character and the dangers of judging people too quickly.
- Short stories, French
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #34544. This is not a story on Wikipedia.
