Guy de Maupassant was a French author and considered one of the greatest short story writers. He served in the military during the Franco-Prussian War and later worked as a civil servant. Maupassant published around 300 short stories and several novels during the 1880s. His stories were known for their objectivity and controlled style. Later in his life, Maupassant suffered from syphilis which caused mental illness and he attempted suicide in 1892 before dying in an asylum the following year.