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One of the earliest pieces Balzac penned for his sweeping story cycle The Human Comedy, this novella is found in the Scenes of Private Life section of the series. Social climber Emilie de Fontaine is a petulant brat who is determined to marry for status. One night at an opulent party, she falls in love at first sight with the dashing, aristocratic Maximilien. Is he good enough to fulfill her mile-long list of requirements for a spouse?
...This collection brings together two short stories, one from the father of French realism, Honore de Balzac, the other from Russian writer Alexander Amphiteatrof. Both of the tales are related to Napoleon in some way, examining the impact of the famed leader's exploits on the national cultures of the French and the Russians.
This diptych is part of Honore de Balzac's epic masterpiece, The Human Comedy. It comprises two stories, Cousin Betty and Cousin Pons, each of which delve deeply into complicated family dynamics and the long-lasting impact of seemingly trivial conflicts.
4) The Recruit
This gripping short story from master of French realism Honore de Balzac packs an emotional wallop and has a twist ending you won't be able to forget. The mother of a French soldier receives word that her son be paying her a visit. Though overjoyed at the news, she begins to fret about his safety on the trip home. Will her fears prove to be accurate?
During Napoleon's campaign in Egypt, one French soldier becomes separated from his regiment and finds himself wandering lost in the desert. Just when he has given up all hope, he makes an unlikely friend. This highly allegorical short story gives readers an opportunity to ponder the nature of love and human relationships.
In this novella from Honore de Balzac, the skilled artisan Palafox Gazonal arrives in Paris to settle some important business and perhaps make a splash in the city's thriving art scene. However, Gazonal is used to the slower-paced life in the provinces and finds himself confused—and even disgusted—with some of the customs and practices that are commonplace in Paris. It's another of Balzac's insightful analyses of the artist and his
...7) The Red Inn
Like many of the short stories in Honore de Balzac's vast story cycle The Human Comedy, The Red Inn is a tale within a tale. After a pleasant dinner at the Red Inn, guests begin to swap anecdotes. German businessman Hermann contributes to the discussion with a story about a French soldier who was imprisoned after being unjustly accused of committing a murder.
8) Gobseck
An extract from Honore de Balzac's sweeping novel cycle The Human Comedy, Gobseck is a novella that recounts the social ascendancy of young Anastasie de Restaud. Born into a wealthy family, Anastasie marries into aristocracy, but soon grows weary of the arcane rituals of her new lifestyle—not to mention her lack of feelings toward her husband. Seeking passion, she makes several bold decisions and quickly finds herself on the
...9) Two Poets
The novel Two Poets is part of the Lost Illusions trilogy, which is in turn part of the Scenes from Provincial Life section of Honore de Balzac's massive masterpiece The Human Comedy. Critics have singled out this tale of social climbing, greed, lust, and good intentions gone awry as one of the best parts of Balzac's story cycle.
10) Pierre Grassou
This short story is part of the Scenes of Paris Life section of Honore de Balzac's epic masterpiece The Human Comedy. Pierre Grassou is an artist who has many of the attributes necessary for success—but lacks that spark of creativity. Rather than painting original works, he begins painting copies of the great masterworks. Sure, it's financially lucrative, but will it be enough to allow Grassou to find happiness?
11) The Purse
The Purse is a short story that makes up part of Honore de Balzac's epic cycle The Human Comedy. Daydreaming while working on a ladder, the painter Hippolyte Schinner accidentally falls and sustains an injury. Two neighbors—a mother and daughter—come to his aid, and he falls in love at first sight with the beautiful young woman, Adelaide. But over time, he begins to notice that the veneer of aristocratic gentility that
...12) Albert Savarus
An extract from Honore de Balzac's vast story cycle The Human Comedy, the novel Albert Savarus details the dramatic twists and turns in a budding love affair between Albert, a young lawyer with literary ambitions, and a beautiful but conniving young woman named Rosalie. Though the story unfolds in a manner not unlike a typical romance, the surprise ending will leave readers reeling.
In this long story, part of the Philosophical Studies section of Honore de Balzac's epic masterwork The Human Comedy, the author takes the uncharacteristic step of alluding to a previously published novel, Charles Robert Maturin's 1820 work Melmoth the Wanderer. In Balzac's Melmoth Reconciled, Melmoth is a mysterious figure who comes to the aid of a desperate clerk who is on the brink of committing a crime.
One of the key themes that is woven throughout Balzac's masterpiece, The Human Comedy, relates to the dangers of materialism and greed. In this novella, the narrator overhears some fellow diners discussing a complicated financial scheme that contributed to the fortunes of one of the wealthiest families in the country. The story also provides important background information about many characters who appear elsewhere in The Human Comedy.
...15) Gambara
The novella Gambara is part of the Philosophical Studies section of Honore de Balzac's The Human Comedy. It follows a tumultuous relationship between Italian nobleman Andrea Marcosini and the beautiful, young Marianna. She happens to be married to a mercurial, much older composer, who some believe is a genius and others regard as an abject failure.
Though a relatively short story, A Man of Business is an important component of Honore de Balzac's vast story cycle The Human Comedy, involving many of the recurring characters from the series and tying up a number of loose ends. As a fete thrown at the home of his mistress begins to wind down, Cardot invites the lingering merrymakers to settle around the table and begins telling a story about a clever debt-collection scheme.
This novel is part of the Scenes of Private Life section of Honore de Balzac's sweeping saga The Human Comedy. Renowned artist Theodore de Sommervieux falls head-over-heels in love with the beautiful, refined Augustine Guillaume, and soon the besotted pair are married. But after a blissful honeymoon period, the couple discovers that sometimes love is not enough to make a marriage work.
This short vignette from Honore de Balzac, a key figure in French realism, is a story within a story. The narrator, Nathan, regales a pair of aristocratic ladies with stories about the Rusticoli family and its most prominent member, La Palferine. At first, his audience is unappreciative, but over time, they become wrapped up in the multi-generational saga.
19) Study of a Woman
Part of Balzac's masterpiece, the multi-volume story cycle The Human Comedy, the short story Study of a Woman focuses on Madame de Listomere, an uptight model of propriety, who finds herself being flirted with by the rapscallion Eugene de Rastignac, who has taken up the courtship as a lark.
In this novel, one of the last vestiges of a genteel family, the Marquis d'Esgrignon, tries to navigate the new social and cultural landscape that has emerged in France's post-revolutionary period. Even though he is surrounded by some of the signs of his family's former affluence, the Marquis is virtually penniless, and he finds it difficult to come to terms with his reduced station in life.
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