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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
...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.
3) 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
...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.
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.
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.
7) The Exiles
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.
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