Guy De Maupassant

De Maupassant, Guy (1850–93), French writer noted for his short stories. He wrote simple, realistic stories and novels that bear the influence of his godfather, Gustave Flaubert. De Maupassant's short stories, more than 250 in all, include “The Diamond Necklace,” “The Piece of String,” and “Ball-of-Fat.” Among his novels are A Woman's life (1883) and Bel-Ami (1885). He stopped writing in 1891, when he was committed to a mental asylum, where he died.