Henri Rene Albert Guy de Maupassant (1850 -1893) was a 19th-century French author, remembered as a master of the short story form, and as a representative of the Naturalist school. Maupassant was a protege of Gustave Flaubert and his stories are characterized by economy of style and efficient, seemingly effortless denouements (outcomes). Many are set during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s, describing the futility of war and the innocent civilians who, caught up in events beyond their control, are permanently changed by their experiences. He wrote 300 short stories, six novels, three travel books, and one volume of verse. His first published story, Boule de Suif ( The Dumpling , 1880), is often considered his masterpiece.