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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.
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.
Part of the epic series of historical novels known as The Human Comedy, Honore de Balzac's Colonel Chabert delves into the roots of the upheaval that came to a head during the Restoration period in the early nineteenth century. In the novel, Balzac mercilessly skewers the social problems of the era, contrasting the honor and courage that Napoleon's soldiers exhibited on the battlefield to the decadence and excess that were displayed
...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
...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.
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.
In this novella from Honore de Balzac, an impoverished mother and daughter slave away as embroiderers but are barely able to evade starvation. Finally, what seems to be a blessing enters into their lives—an older gentleman falls in love with the daughter, Caroline, and whisks her away to a fine country estate. Will Caroline get the happily-ever-after she so richly deserves?
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.
...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?
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 short tale is part of the Philosophical Studies section of Honore de Balzac's The Human Comedy. Almost fable-like in tone, it recounts a boat ride carrying a group of passengers that represent a broad cross-section of society. When a sudden storm hits, chaos ensues, and each passenger's reaction speaks volumes about his or her moral compass.
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.
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.
15) Madame Firmiani
Master of realism Honore de Balzac highlights his brilliant knack for character development in the short story Madame Firmiani. The story's plot is slight, dealing in large part with the mysterious identity of Madame Firmiani's husband. As always, where Balzac truly shines is in delving into the nuance of human behavior and personality.
Part of Honore de Balzac's sprawling epic The Human Comedy, the novella The Commission in Lunacy focuses on the story of a bachelor who feels his youth rapidly slipping away and tries to renew his sense of vigor and fulfillment through various means. He crosses paths with the beguiling Madame d'Espard and soon finds himself caught up in a nefarious scheme.
17) The Thirteen
This series of three novellas is unified by an overarching motif: in all three tales, a mysterious secret society known as The Thirteen is at work behind the scenes. The men in the group have pledged eternal loyalty to each other, and if any member ever finds himself in peril, it is the sworn duty of the others to come to his aid. Honore de Balzac uses this premise as a device to explore a wide range of topics, including clashes between
...18) 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.
19) The Message
In this short story, a pleasant afternoon carriage ride lends itself to philosophical chitchat between two passengers, who muse together about the nature of life and love. When tragedy suddenly strikes, one of the young men finds himself promising to carry out a potentially awkward mission, but he keeps his word—and learns a few lessons in the process.
The Atheist's Mass is a short story from the Scenes from Private Life section of Honore de Balzac's story cycle The Human Comedy. One day, the narrator happens to see one of his acquaintances, a prominent doctor, attending mass. Since he knows that Dr. Desplein is an avowed atheist, the narrator's curiosity is piqued. When the same scene unfolds again months later, he decides to get to the bottom of the mystery and confronts
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