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A Short History of Decay is a 1949 philosophical book by Romanian philosopher Emil Cioran, his first work written in French. Nihilistic in tone, the book consists of a series of philosophical reflections on various subjects, such as fanaticism, music, and progress. The major theme of the book is the concept of decay, which may occur in individuals as disease or mental illness, and which may occur in societies as decline into decadence.
In 1937, Cioran left his native country of Romania for Paris, where he remained for the rest of his life. This break marked two periods in Cioran's work: an early Romanian period, and a later, mature French period. The interval between Cioran's relocation and the appearance of A Short History of Decay coincided with World War II. From 1937 to 1949, Cioran learned French until he felt able to publish in the language. In 1947 he submitted A Short History of Decay to the publisher Gallimard, but he withdrew it in order to rewrite it. The book was finally published in 1949. Cioran described the process of learning French as "the most difficult task of my life", comparing it to "putting on a straitjacket".
A Short History of Decay was awarded the Rivarol Prize, a French literary prize; the prize committee included André Gide. Although Cioran refused most literary prizes awarded him, he accepted the Rivarol as recognition of his first French work, the language he would write in for the rest of his life.
A Short History of Decay was followed in 1952 by All Gall is Divided, Cioran's second French book.
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