orig. Louis-Henri-Jean Farigoule
born Aug. 26, 1885, Saint-Julien-Chapteuil, France
died Aug. 14, 1972, Paris
French novelist, dramatist, and poet.
A teacher of philosophy, Romains first became known as a poet and as founder (с 1908–11), with Georges Chennevière, of the literary movement Unanimisme, which combined belief in universal brotherhood with the psychological concept of group consciousness. His most popular work was the comedy Knock (1923), a satire on doctors. His masterpiece, Men of Good Will , 27 vol. (1932–46), is a vast novel cycle attempting to recreate the spirit of French society from 1908 to 1933 and exemplifying the Unanimiste interest in collective life.