Émile François Zola ( 2 April 1840 29 September 1902) is one of the greatest writers of the 19th century, and one of Frances best known citizens. In his life, Zola was the most important exemplar of the literary school of naturalism and a major figure in the political liberalization of France. Around the end of his life, Zola was instrumental in helping secure the exoneration of the falsely accused and convicted army officer Alfred Dreyfus, a victim of anti-Semitism. The Dreyfus Affair was encapsulated in the renowned newspaper headline J'Accuse. Zolas Three Cities Trilogy, which cover science and religion in a rather critical manner, are an examination of life in the cities of Lourdes, Rome, and Paris during the mid-19th century. Each novel in the trilogy is full of Zolas vivid descriptive writing, with each detail painstakingly drawn out. Rome is the second of the three volumes, and it picks up the story of a disillusioned priest as he goes to the Eternal City to defend his book against an attempt to ban it. This edition of Zolas The Three Cities Trilogy: Rome is specially formatted with a Table of Contents and is illustrated with pictures of Zola, his life and work.