Pride and Prejudice is one of the most beloved novels of all time. Elizabeth Bennett, the book's poverty-bound heroine has charmed readers with her wit and sincerity since the book was first published in 1813. Its hero, the handsome and wealthy Mr. Darcy, infuriates Elizabeth — and women readers around the world — with his rude arrogance, but all fall in love with him anyway.
A comedy of manners, romance, and neighborhood drama — it's all there and more.
Emma stands a little apart from Jane Austen's other novels. It is perhaps the most self-aware, socially critical and ironic of all her works. Her protagonist, Emma Woodhouse, is a beautiful, rich girl who is also spoiled, proud and blinded by her own situation in life. She begins to understand herself and life a little better when her romantic schemes - charitable good works to those around her - become entangled in tensions of class and of the heart.
Austen wrote of Emma, "I am going to take a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like."
Although Jane Austen is best known for novels such as Pride and Prejudice that deal with romantic entanglements and class conflicts, she was also a skilled essayist and humor writer. In Love and Freindship (sic), Austen sends up the epistolary novels that were popular in her day, as well as skewering some of the satire-worthy ideas about love and marriage that were common in the era.
Fanny Price is born to a poor family, but is sent to her mother's rich relations to be brought up with her cousins. There she is treated as an inferior by all except her cousin Edmund, whose kindness towards her earns him her steadfast love. Fanny is quiet and obedient and does not come into her own until her elder cousins leave the estate following a scandalous play put on in their father's absence. Fanny's loyalty and love is tested by the beautiful Crawford siblings. But their essentially weak natures and morals show them for what they really are, and allow Fanny to gain the one thing she truly desires.
When Mr. Dashwood dies, he leaves his second wife and her three daughters at the mercy of his son and heir, John. John's wife convinces him to turn his step-mother and half-sisters out, and they move to a country cottage, rented to them by a distant relative. In their newly reduced circumstances Elinor and Marianne, the two eldest daughters, wrestle with ideas of romance and reality and their apparent opposition to each other. Elinor struggles in silent propriety, while Marianne is as violently romantic as her ideals. Life, however, teaches the girls to balance sense and sensibility in their approach to love and marriage.
Sense and Sensibility was Jane Austen's first novel to be published, in 1811. It has been adapted for film and television many times, most notably in Ang Lee's 1995 film adaptation.
When she was young and beautiful Anne Elliot fell in love with a dashing, but poor naval officer. Her family considered him beneath her and persuaded her to break off the match. Eight years later, when the novel begins, Anne is well past the bloom of her youth. Until Wentworth, now a celebrated captain, returns to the area to court her young neighour. Anne begins to slowly bloom a second time, though she hardly dares hope that he will return to her.
The last of Austen's novels, Persuasion is also considered her most thoughtful, philosophical work.
Golden Steps to Respectability, Usefulness and Happiness Being a Series of Lectures to Youth of Both Sexes, on Character, Principles, Associates, Amusements, Religion, and Marri Standort: Overdrive Onleihbibliothek
The self-esteem fetishists who populate today's self-help circuit often contend that pleasure and unconditional self-regard are the keys to a happy life. But in this series of classic sermons, renowned Unitarian pastor and theologian John Mather Austin asserts that it is the structure supplied by self-imposed limits, responsibilities, and a commitment to serving others that makes life truly meaningful. A helpful read for young people just getting started in life, or for any reader who is contemplating a fresh start.
Classic romance fans will swoon over this emotionally engaging story from Ruby M. Ayres. A pair of young lovers who have grown up together decide to get married in the aftermath of a family tragedy. Soon, however, the real world intervenes, and legal tangles threaten to usurp their budding romance. Will the pair be able to stick it out and find their own version of happily ever after?
It is virtually impossible to overstate the impact of Francis Bacon's work on modern society. As the creator of the scientific method, he paved the way for thousands of important discoveries. In this interesting volume of essays, Bacon takes on topics ranging from travel to family life, offering his unique viewpoint and nuggets of philosophical wisdom.
Philosopher, statesman, scientist, jurist, lawyer, and prolific author—Francis Bacon was a true polymath and Renaissance man, and is regarded as one of the progenitors of the school of thought known as Empiricism, as well as the scientific method. In this volume, Bacon discusses a remarkably wide-ranging array of philosophical and scientific subjects, putting the mind-boggling breadth of his knowledge on full display.
The New Atlantis is Sir Francis Bacon's creation of an ideal land where its citizens uphold the common qualities of "generosity and enlightenment, dignity and splendor, piety and public spirit." This short 1627 utopian novel depicts the land of Bensalem, discovered by a European ship after becoming lost somewhere to the west of Peru. One of the crew narrates their look at the island's customs and institutions, especially their impressive culture of science and research.
British-born Baptist minister Clement Bailhache was a prolific thinker, writer, and theologian whose sermons touched on a broad range of topics, both timely and timeless. This collection brings together a wide-ranging cross-section of his best works, providing plenty of food for thought for believers, as well as those interested in the development of Christian belief over time.
What starts out as a pleasant family sea voyage takes a nightmarish turn in R.M. Ballantyne's The Pirate City. A prosperous Italian businessman and his sons are captured by a crew of pirates and are forcibly entered into servitude in the vast, roiling den of iniquity known as "Pirate City." They make the best of their horrific ordeal, but will they ever be able to escape and make it back home?
Get set for high-seas adventure with The Madman and the Pirate, a gripping page-turner that will leave you wanting more. After being abandoned on a seemingly deserted island in the Pacific, the 'Madman' of the title happens upon a former pirate who has also been forced to make his home there. Despite mutual distaste for each other, the odd pair eventually find their way into and out of a number of scrapes and close calls.
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.
Part of the massive series that some regard as one of the masterworks of nineteenth-century realism, Honore de Balzac's The Human Comedy, the novel The Country Doctor focuses on Dr. Benassis, a physician by trade, who has deep-seated beliefs about social equality. While treating a prominent patient, Benassis expounds at length on his value system and discusses some of the reforms that he has helped to implement in the town.
Honore de Balzac excelled at creating unforgettable characters, but most of his creations were works of pure fiction. Many critics have asserted that the novel Beatrix is a roman a clef depicting the life of the French memoirist George Sand, as well as the larger cultural shift from an era of genteel aristocracy and class stratification to a more democratic way of living.
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?
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 the two project is not what it appears.
Immerse yourself in a French pastoral idyll in this engrossing tale from Honore de Balzac, whose unparalleled powers of description will whisk you away to La Grenadiere, a quaint estate in the midst of a blossoming orchard. Indeed, the house itself emerges as one of the most memorable characters in the story.
Set in the aftermath of the French Revolution, this short story from the Scenes of Political Life section of Honore de Balzac's The Human Comedy immerses readers in the terrifying tumult of the period. Brimming with mystery and suspense, this is historical fiction at its very best.
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.
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.
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.
A heartbroken cavalry officer, Auguste de Maulincour, is strolling through a rather seedy section of Paris when he happens to spot the object of his unrequited love, a married young woman named Clemence. Even more remarkable is the fact that he sees her furtively entering a house of ill repute. Aghast and yet intrigued, Auguste begins to follow Clemence—and what he witnesses plunges him into a world of deception and dark secrets.
Set in the fifteenth century, Maitre Cornelius is a gripping historical novel that illustrates the unbelievable lengths to which some will go in the name of love. Marie, the daughter of the king, is trapped in a loveless marriage with a cruel, violent man. To escape her horrible home life, she begins spending time with a young man named Georges d'Estoutville, who decides to free her from her dangerous marriage via a daring rescue attempt. Will he be able to pull it off?
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 Desplein.
The novella The Hated Son is a section from French writer Honore de Balzac's multi-volume masterwork, The Human Comedy. Set in the late 1500s and early 1600s, the tale follows a newly married woman who is pregnant—and the baby's father is not her new husband. Terrified of what will become of herself and the child, she fears for both of their futures. The second part of the tale occurs several decades later. Will the illegitimate child ever be accepted by his mother's husband?
Some of the short stories in the Philosophical Studies section of Honore de Balzac's The Human Comedy have hints of the mystical and supernatural. These elements are very pronounced in the spine-chilling tale The Elixir of Life, which veers into the territory of gothic horror. In the story, a dying man confides to his son that he has found a way to cheat death and achieve immortality.
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?
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.
Known for his keen observations and finely drawn characters, Honore de Balzac is regarded as one of the forerunners of the literary realism movement that swept Europe in the nineteenth century. A Woman of Thirty offers an unflinching look at the layers of social oppression that dictated the course of many women's lives during the era.
Another Study of Woman is a narrative hovering between a short story and a novella in terms of length, extracted from Honore de Balzac's multi-volume masterpiece The Human Comedy. At a private dinner party, guests warmed by the flush of fine food and drink begin to banter about the qualities and attributes that characterize the ideal woman. Gradually, the guests begin to reminisce about their own experiences and encounters with perfect and not-so-perfect women. Throughout the entertaining back-and-forth, Balzac presents a number of keen insights about the social mores governing women's behavior in nineteenth-century Europe.
If you like your tales of tragic love to come with a stiff dose of historical realism, get ready to savor this classic from French writer Honore de Balzac. The Lily of the Valley tells the tale of star-crossed lovers Felix de Vandenesse and Henriette de Mortsauf. Will social conventions keep them apart, or will they say goodbye to the trappings of the French aristocracy to live together? Pick up this must-read romance to find out.
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.
This short novel, part of the Scenes of Private Life section of Honore de Balzac's vast masterpiece The Human Comedy, includes the first appearances of key characters who return later in the series. A Daughter of Eve is a tale in which seemingly innocent peccadilloes soon spiral into an inescapable web of intrigue, fraud, and lust.
Hardened criminal Jacques Collin has been hiding under the guise of a false identity in order to escape the long arm of the law. In the novel Scenes from a Courtesan's Life, however, Collin's deceptions seem finally to have caught up with him. Will he be able to pull off the labyrinthine scheme cooked up to secure his freedom?
Regarded by many critics as one of Honore de Balzac's foremost literary achievements, the novel The Alkahest offers an incisive look at the dangers of obsession. Scientist Balthazar Claes begins his research into alchemical properties with the best of intentions, but before long, he begins to neglect everything else in his life.
The short novel The Marriage Contract is part of the Scenes from Private Life section of Honore de Balzac's epic masterpiece of nineteenth-century realism, The Human Comedy. It delves directly into the question of the nature of marriage, which was rapidly evolving during the period. Kind-hearted bachelor Paul de Manerville becomes deeply smitten with the comely Natalie Evangelista and wants to marry for love, but Natalie and her scheming mother have their eyes on his vast fortune.
The short story Facino Cane has been categorized as both a "Philosophical Study" and a "Scene of Paris Life" in various editions of French writer Honore de Balzac's sprawling series The Human Comedy. The narrator is attending a wedding and takes an interest in one of the musicians performing at the event, an elderly blind man with a compellingly wizened visage. After being prompted, the musician, named Marco-Facino Cane, spills his surprising and tragic life story.
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.
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.
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.
Brothers Philippe and Joseph Bridau couldn't be more different. One is a cruel man who puts his ruthlessness to good use in a military career, while the other is a kind-hearted, sensitive soul who grows up to be a penniless artist. When the family's fortune is at risk, the two diametrically opposed siblings wage an all-out war.
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 road to ruin.
The novel A Start in Life is part of the Scenes of Private Life section of Honore de Balzac's masterpiece of nineteenth-century realism, The Human Comedy. In much of Balzac's work, the aristocracy is portrayed as vain, duplicitous, and greedy. But in this novel, it is members of the working class who are mercilessly skewered when what starts out as a harmless prank rapidly snowballs into a comedy of errors with profound consequences.
Settle in for a titillating tale of illicit passion, romantic entanglement, and murder. Honore de Balzac's novella The Girl With the Golden Eyes highlights the French writer's skillful ability to convey truths about the darker nature of humanity through perfectly wrought details and observations. A must-read for fans of classic European literature, or for readers who love a healthy dose of psychological complexity with their mysteries.
This collection of loosely interwoven tales puts the unique talents of French novelist and playwright Honore de Balzac on full display. In each, Balzac delves deeply into the eccentric characters and quaint customs of small villages whose ways of life are rapidly changing as the social and political climate of the nineteenth century begins to evolve.
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.
A daughter inherits her father's miserliness, which stifles her relationship with her cousin, making love an unsatisfying experience. As with Balzac's other work, his characters in Eugenie Grandet are fully and realistically portrayed. Balzac began to conceive his great work The Human Comedy whilst writing this novel, and the characters herein are reworked in his comedy.
The novel Eve and David is the third entry in Honore de Balzac's Lost Illusions trilogy, which in turn is part of his larger novel cycle, The Human Comedy. The story focuses on a pair of earnest, good-hearted lovers who struggle to remain unsullied even as the world around them devolves into a hellish demimonde beset by greed, sensationalism, and baseness.
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.
Set against the backdrop of the Peninsular War, Balzac's novella Juana focuses on a storied family of French courtesans who have achieved legendary status. For many generations, the women have lived outside of the bounds of polite society, eschewing the familial involvement of men and maintaining a matrilineal tradition. But with the birth of a little girl named Juana, everything changes.
Though Honore de Balzac is now lauded as a master of the literary genre of social realism, a sizable number of his stories and novels also contain supernatural and mystical elements. The story The Exiles is set in the medieval period, and revolves around a couple who run a small boarding house—and gradually begin to suspect that some of their boarders may be harboring dark secrets.
A masterpiece of political intrigue and machinations, the novel The Deputy of Arcis was left incomplete at Honore de Balzac's death and was finished by Balzac's friend and collaborator Charles Rabou. What starts out as a typical political campaign is suddenly turned upside down when a mysterious figure shows up and decides to throw his hat into the ring.
This novella is part of the Scenes from Private Life section of Honore de Balzac's sprawling story cycle The Human Comedy. Trapped in a maddeningly frustrating love triangle and unable to express his true feelings to his beloved, protagonist Paz invents an imaginary mistress to use as an excuse for his lovesickness and increasing alienation from his group of friends.
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?
Step back in history through the eyes of one of the masters of European realism. This keenly observed and utterly absorbing account of the period after Napoleon Bonaparte fell from power in nineteenth-century France is both an interesting historical document and an engrossing mystery.
From the Scenes of Private Life section of Honore de Balzac's great masterwork The Human Comedy, this novella is set at a grand ball at the height of the Napoleonic era. The usual suspects from the city's aristocracy are joined by a newcomer—a mysterious, beautiful young woman whose eyes seem to bespeak an overwhelming sadness. Several of the men in attendance vie for her affections—and all of their lives are changed in the course of a single evening.
French playwright and novelist Honore de Balzac is at his best when he is describing the chaotic tumult of big city life in nineteenth-century Europe. In The Brotherhood of Consolation, he focuses on a secret society of people bent on bringing some small measure of goodness into the lives of others by carrying out anonymous acts of charity, philanthropy and assistance.
The longish short story Adieu is an excerpt from Honore de Balzac's sweeping masterpiece The Human Comedy. A ghost story of sorts, this tragic tale recounts the blossoming romance of two lovers whose relationship is torn asunder by the vagaries of war. When they reunite by chance years later, there is nothing left to be salvaged.
Throughout his entire literary career, French writer Honore de Balzac was fascinated by the many ways in which social class can impact the trajectory of a life. In the early novel The Lesser Bourgeoisie, an ambitious young lawyer named Theodose de la Peyrade tries every trick in the book to ingratiate himself with the affluent Thuillier family—and finds his integrity threatened along the way.
Set among the sprawling vineyards of France's Loire Valley, Balzac's novel Parisians in the Country follows the life of one Dinah Piedefer, a beautiful and talented young woman who finds herself trapped in a not-so-perfect marriage. Though she is initially content, she gradually begins to bristle against the constraints of her union and the provincial shabbiness of her lifestyle.
The novel A Distinguished Provincial at Paris is the second volume of Honore de Balzac's Lost Illusions trilogy. In it, Balzac masterfully revisits one of his most commonly called-upon themes: the harsh realization that someone who is distinguished and revered in their small hometown may be an invisible nonentity amidst the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Some of Honore de Balzac's best writing focuses on the frustrations and passions of women trapped in unhappy marriages. In the novella The Deserted Woman, the Vicomtesse de Beauseant is trapped, but it is partially a trap of her own making. Abandoned by her lover and estranged from her husband, she contemplates her limited options.
One of the unifying themes that wends its way through Honore de Balzac's immense body of work is the corrupting danger of greed—and the often-absurd lengths to which people will go to secure material wealth. In the wonderful novel Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau, the title character starts out as a successful perfume-maker who is gradually lured to the dark side by the promise of ill-gotten gains.
This section of The Human Comdedy, the multi-volume series of stories, tales, and essays that comprised most Honore de Balzac's life's work, focuses on love and marriage as they existed in early nineteenth-century Europe. An eclectic collection of essays, satirical observations, short tales, and character sketches, this unique excerpt is an interesting introduction to Balzac's writing.
This richly drawn epistolary tale recounts the correspondence between two young women whose friendship evolves as they embark on marriage and motherhood. Although both have a distinctly different outlook, their shared observations and memories bring the beauty and difficulty of these experiences vividly to life.
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 novel is one of the pillars of the Scenes of Provincial Life section of Honore de Balzac's story cycle The Human Comedy. Through a series of tragedies and coincidences, a kind and pious teenager named Ursula has been taken in by an octogenarian doctor, Denis Minoret. Inspired by Ursula's goodness, Minoret decides to make her his chief heir. This incites the ire of his other relatives, and a ruthless war for Minoret's estate breaks out.
There's no debate over the fact that philosophers and thinkers have profoundly shaped and influenced human civilization. But how does this transformation take place at the level of the individual? That's the fascinating issue that Honore de Balzac takes on in the novel Louis Lambert, which follows the title character—a precocious schoolboy—as he develops an intense interest in the thought of the Swedish philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg.
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.
This fascinating novel from French master Honore de Balzac was published just as the age of bureaucracy was kicking into high gear in the mid-nineteenth century. Balzac delves deeply into the labyrinthine workings of a French agency, conveying the machinations, political alliances, and complex characters with astonishing texture and detail.
Predating Edgar Allen Poe's remarkably similar story The Cask of Amontillado by more than a decade, Honore de Balzac's chilling tale La Grande Breteche centers on a mysterious manor that sits abandoned in a town in central France. When a physician becomes curious about the estate and begins to question locals about it, he gradually unfurls a horrifying secret.
Famous perfectionist Honore de Balzac labored for years to bring the fascinating idea behind The Magic Skin to life in a novel, and critics and fans alike agree that it is one of the French writer's masterworks. The story follows the experiences of a young man who finds a small piece of animal skin that magically fulfills his every desire. However, over time, he discovers that the seeming miracle has exacted a terrible toll on his body—and his soul.
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?
Balzac's La Comedie Humaine was a story cycle comprising more than 100 novels and stories. Although most of these works are set in nineteenth-century France, several hearken back to earlier periods. Catherine de' Medici centers on the life of the woman born into an aristocratic family in medieval Italy who went on to become Queen consort and, later, regent of France.
This exquisite novella from master of French realism Honore de Balzac illustrates how greed and covetousness can infect and fester in even the most seemingly pure people and environments. An ascetic clergyman becomes the target of a nefarious plot. Will he be able to escape with his few cherished belongings—and his faith in humanity intact?
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 different classes of society, doomed romances, and intrigue driven by greed.
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