Gargantua  (1534) was related to Francois Rabelais’ (1493­1553) first 
great work, Pantagruel  (1532). Two years later, Rabelais released The  
Very Frightful Life of the Grand Gargantua , a story of Pantagruel’s 
father. Both books, printed under the pseudonym of Alcofribas Nasier, 
employ satirical humour and political insight. Although condemned by 
French intellectuals at the Sorbonne, they were great popular 
successes.