An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

most interesting characters with different passions, 09 Mar 2002
This is an amazing book for those who are interested in daily life bothers of people with remarkable passions. The interesting figures of the novel:a husband who loves his caring and self-denying wife but cannot resist his passion towards a coldhearted beauty, a cousin who enjoys the pains of her "protecting" relatives and a number of other figures from different spheres of society with varying ambitions. You will enjoy this great book and learn more about not only human nature but also an eventful era in French history.

An addictive, thought provoking read., 27 Jul 1999
Balzac at his best. Through his writing you experience a rainbow of undesirable emotions and immoral passions with such insight that you feel tainted by your acquaintance with the characters through the book.Devastating/Funny/Sad/Insightful - anyone familiar and endeared to Balzac will easily be seduced by this book.

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

most interesting characters with different passions, 09 Mar 2002
This is an amazing book for those who are interested in daily life bothers of people with remarkable passions. The interesting figures of the novel:a husband who loves his caring and self-denying wife but cannot resist his passion towards a coldhearted beauty, a cousin who enjoys the pains of her "protecting" relatives and a number of other figures from different spheres of society with varying ambitions. You will enjoy this great book and learn more about not only human nature but also an eventful era in French history.

An addictive, thought provoking read., 27 Jul 1999
Balzac at his best. Through his writing you experience a rainbow of undesirable emotions and immoral passions with such insight that you feel tainted by your acquaintance with the characters through the book.Devastating/Funny/Sad/Insightful - anyone familiar and endeared to Balzac will easily be seduced by this book.

A work of a master, 05 Feb 2004
The first thing that struck me reading this after Hugo and Flaubert was the consumate brilliance of Balzac's writing, both his descriptive touch, his eye for detail and the extraordinary insights he has into character and motive. Though writing before them he has so much greater depth of content on every page yet matches Hugo's grandeur of plot (well if anyone can!) and Flaubert's elegant cynicism.

This is a tale astonishingly well told about a vile unprincipled man fired by greed, the naivity of the good, the cowardice of fools and a thrilling clash between two men both determined to seize the same fortune. It is gripping throughout.

The Black Sheep is also a source of great historic insight into the social tensions at the Bourbon restauration between the Imperialist supporters of Napolean and the returning Bourbons and their faction (as indeed are many of his novels) and how the emerging bourgouisie sat between them - a period much neglected but as fascinating as the Revolution and as pivotal in the development of 19th C France. This is a wonderful book that whets the appetite for more from the same pen.

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

most interesting characters with different passions, 09 Mar 2002
This is an amazing book for those who are interested in daily life bothers of people with remarkable passions. The interesting figures of the novel:a husband who loves his caring and self-denying wife but cannot resist his passion towards a coldhearted beauty, a cousin who enjoys the pains of her "protecting" relatives and a number of other figures from different spheres of society with varying ambitions. You will enjoy this great book and learn more about not only human nature but also an eventful era in French history.

An addictive, thought provoking read., 27 Jul 1999
Balzac at his best. Through his writing you experience a rainbow of undesirable emotions and immoral passions with such insight that you feel tainted by your acquaintance with the characters through the book.Devastating/Funny/Sad/Insightful - anyone familiar and endeared to Balzac will easily be seduced by this book.

A work of a master, 05 Feb 2004
The first thing that struck me reading this after Hugo and Flaubert was the consumate brilliance of Balzac's writing, both his descriptive touch, his eye for detail and the extraordinary insights he has into character and motive. Though writing before them he has so much greater depth of content on every page yet matches Hugo's grandeur of plot (well if anyone can!) and Flaubert's elegant cynicism.

This is a tale astonishingly well told about a vile unprincipled man fired by greed, the naivity of the good, the cowardice of fools and a thrilling clash between two men both determined to seize the same fortune. It is gripping throughout.

The Black Sheep is also a source of great historic insight into the social tensions at the Bourbon restauration between the Imperialist supporters of Napolean and the returning Bourbons and their faction (as indeed are many of his novels) and how the emerging bourgouisie sat between them - a period much neglected but as fascinating as the Revolution and as pivotal in the development of 19th C France. This is a wonderful book that whets the appetite for more from the same pen.

the wild ass's skin, 21 Jun 2006
If you only read one Balzac novel read this one .In its conception and execution as complete as Anna Karenina. It tells the story of a initially destitute young man comtemplating suicide, great opening scene where he gambles his last money, he then enters a curiosity shop where he is given an animal skin which will give him everything he desires but will shrink in response to the degree of his request. Thus the novel explores how we are damaged by attainment of the things we desire, all Balzac is good but in my view this is the best

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

most interesting characters with different passions, 09 Mar 2002
This is an amazing book for those who are interested in daily life bothers of people with remarkable passions. The interesting figures of the novel:a husband who loves his caring and self-denying wife but cannot resist his passion towards a coldhearted beauty, a cousin who enjoys the pains of her "protecting" relatives and a number of other figures from different spheres of society with varying ambitions. You will enjoy this great book and learn more about not only human nature but also an eventful era in French history.

An addictive, thought provoking read., 27 Jul 1999
Balzac at his best. Through his writing you experience a rainbow of undesirable emotions and immoral passions with such insight that you feel tainted by your acquaintance with the characters through the book.Devastating/Funny/Sad/Insightful - anyone familiar and endeared to Balzac will easily be seduced by this book.

A work of a master, 05 Feb 2004
The first thing that struck me reading this after Hugo and Flaubert was the consumate brilliance of Balzac's writing, both his descriptive touch, his eye for detail and the extraordinary insights he has into character and motive. Though writing before them he has so much greater depth of content on every page yet matches Hugo's grandeur of plot (well if anyone can!) and Flaubert's elegant cynicism.

This is a tale astonishingly well told about a vile unprincipled man fired by greed, the naivity of the good, the cowardice of fools and a thrilling clash between two men both determined to seize the same fortune. It is gripping throughout.

The Black Sheep is also a source of great historic insight into the social tensions at the Bourbon restauration between the Imperialist supporters of Napolean and the returning Bourbons and their faction (as indeed are many of his novels) and how the emerging bourgouisie sat between them - a period much neglected but as fascinating as the Revolution and as pivotal in the development of 19th C France. This is a wonderful book that whets the appetite for more from the same pen.

the wild ass's skin, 21 Jun 2006
If you only read one Balzac novel read this one .In its conception and execution as complete as Anna Karenina. It tells the story of a initially destitute young man comtemplating suicide, great opening scene where he gambles his last money, he then enters a curiosity shop where he is given an animal skin which will give him everything he desires but will shrink in response to the degree of his request. Thus the novel explores how we are damaged by attainment of the things we desire, all Balzac is good but in my view this is the best

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

most interesting characters with different passions, 09 Mar 2002
This is an amazing book for those who are interested in daily life bothers of people with remarkable passions. The interesting figures of the novel:a husband who loves his caring and self-denying wife but cannot resist his passion towards a coldhearted beauty, a cousin who enjoys the pains of her "protecting" relatives and a number of other figures from different spheres of society with varying ambitions. You will enjoy this great book and learn more about not only human nature but also an eventful era in French history.

An addictive, thought provoking read., 27 Jul 1999
Balzac at his best. Through his writing you experience a rainbow of undesirable emotions and immoral passions with such insight that you feel tainted by your acquaintance with the characters through the book.Devastating/Funny/Sad/Insightful - anyone familiar and endeared to Balzac will easily be seduced by this book.

A work of a master, 05 Feb 2004
The first thing that struck me reading this after Hugo and Flaubert was the consumate brilliance of Balzac's writing, both his descriptive touch, his eye for detail and the extraordinary insights he has into character and motive. Though writing before them he has so much greater depth of content on every page yet matches Hugo's grandeur of plot (well if anyone can!) and Flaubert's elegant cynicism.

This is a tale astonishingly well told about a vile unprincipled man fired by greed, the naivity of the good, the cowardice of fools and a thrilling clash between two men both determined to seize the same fortune. It is gripping throughout.

The Black Sheep is also a source of great historic insight into the social tensions at the Bourbon restauration between the Imperialist supporters of Napolean and the returning Bourbons and their faction (as indeed are many of his novels) and how the emerging bourgouisie sat between them - a period much neglected but as fascinating as the Revolution and as pivotal in the development of 19th C France. This is a wonderful book that whets the appetite for more from the same pen.

the wild ass's skin, 21 Jun 2006
If you only read one Balzac novel read this one .In its conception and execution as complete as Anna Karenina. It tells the story of a initially destitute young man comtemplating suicide, great opening scene where he gambles his last money, he then enters a curiosity shop where he is given an animal skin which will give him everything he desires but will shrink in response to the degree of his request. Thus the novel explores how we are damaged by attainment of the things we desire, all Balzac is good but in my view this is the best

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

A Masterpiece, 09 Oct 2007
This is the second part of the Poor Relations series, which starts in Cousin Bette. The story is black humour at its best. In the early days of antiques being prized and sold at exorbitant prices poor M Pons' relatives become greedy and grasping to get there hands on what could make them lots of money. In this story you really feel for and can't help sympathising with the likeable M Pons. His relatives really do not like him and all they are after is to make as much money as possible, with the help of M Pons' antiques. This story really shows why Balzac is one of the world's greatest storytellers and also shows his vast range of abilities and insight into the human psyche.

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

most interesting characters with different passions, 09 Mar 2002
This is an amazing book for those who are interested in daily life bothers of people with remarkable passions. The interesting figures of the novel:a husband who loves his caring and self-denying wife but cannot resist his passion towards a coldhearted beauty, a cousin who enjoys the pains of her "protecting" relatives and a number of other figures from different spheres of society with varying ambitions. You will enjoy this great book and learn more about not only human nature but also an eventful era in French history.

An addictive, thought provoking read., 27 Jul 1999
Balzac at his best. Through his writing you experience a rainbow of undesirable emotions and immoral passions with such insight that you feel tainted by your acquaintance with the characters through the book.Devastating/Funny/Sad/Insightful - anyone familiar and endeared to Balzac will easily be seduced by this book.

A work of a master, 05 Feb 2004
The first thing that struck me reading this after Hugo and Flaubert was the consumate brilliance of Balzac's writing, both his descriptive touch, his eye for detail and the extraordinary insights he has into character and motive. Though writing before them he has so much greater depth of content on every page yet matches Hugo's grandeur of plot (well if anyone can!) and Flaubert's elegant cynicism.

This is a tale astonishingly well told about a vile unprincipled man fired by greed, the naivity of the good, the cowardice of fools and a thrilling clash between two men both determined to seize the same fortune. It is gripping throughout.

The Black Sheep is also a source of great historic insight into the social tensions at the Bourbon restauration between the Imperialist supporters of Napolean and the returning Bourbons and their faction (as indeed are many of his novels) and how the emerging bourgouisie sat between them - a period much neglected but as fascinating as the Revolution and as pivotal in the development of 19th C France. This is a wonderful book that whets the appetite for more from the same pen.

the wild ass's skin, 21 Jun 2006
If you only read one Balzac novel read this one .In its conception and execution as complete as Anna Karenina. It tells the story of a initially destitute young man comtemplating suicide, great opening scene where he gambles his last money, he then enters a curiosity shop where he is given an animal skin which will give him everything he desires but will shrink in response to the degree of his request. Thus the novel explores how we are damaged by attainment of the things we desire, all Balzac is good but in my view this is the best

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

A Masterpiece, 09 Oct 2007
This is the second part of the Poor Relations series, which starts in Cousin Bette. The story is black humour at its best. In the early days of antiques being prized and sold at exorbitant prices poor M Pons' relatives become greedy and grasping to get there hands on what could make them lots of money. In this story you really feel for and can't help sympathising with the likeable M Pons. His relatives really do not like him and all they are after is to make as much money as possible, with the help of M Pons' antiques. This story really shows why Balzac is one of the world's greatest storytellers and also shows his vast range of abilities and insight into the human psyche.

Saint Eugenie, 14 Oct 2005
"Eugenie Grandet" starts off slowly, with a lot of ponderous scene setting and excessive over-description by Balzac. Nothing much happens for quite a while as the characters of the main protagonists are developed by the author. We meet Grandet, the shrewd miser (who would probably be much admired in todays society), his submissive , long suffering wife and their only child, the saintly Eugenie. The main themes in the story are the conflicts between love and money, worldliness and religion, selfishness and altruism , as Eugenie's love for her cousin causes major fissures within the predictable confines of her small family and the rural community in which she lives. Eugenie bears her suffering and loneliness with stoicism and dignity and Balzac's portrait of her becomes a memorable one as the novel reaches its conclusion.

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

most interesting characters with different passions, 09 Mar 2002
This is an amazing book for those who are interested in daily life bothers of people with remarkable passions. The interesting figures of the novel:a husband who loves his caring and self-denying wife but cannot resist his passion towards a coldhearted beauty, a cousin who enjoys the pains of her "protecting" relatives and a number of other figures from different spheres of society with varying ambitions. You will enjoy this great book and learn more about not only human nature but also an eventful era in French history.

An addictive, thought provoking read., 27 Jul 1999
Balzac at his best. Through his writing you experience a rainbow of undesirable emotions and immoral passions with such insight that you feel tainted by your acquaintance with the characters through the book.Devastating/Funny/Sad/Insightful - anyone familiar and endeared to Balzac will easily be seduced by this book.

A work of a master, 05 Feb 2004
The first thing that struck me reading this after Hugo and Flaubert was the consumate brilliance of Balzac's writing, both his descriptive touch, his eye for detail and the extraordinary insights he has into character and motive. Though writing before them he has so much greater depth of content on every page yet matches Hugo's grandeur of plot (well if anyone can!) and Flaubert's elegant cynicism.

This is a tale astonishingly well told about a vile unprincipled man fired by greed, the naivity of the good, the cowardice of fools and a thrilling clash between two men both determined to seize the same fortune. It is gripping throughout.

The Black Sheep is also a source of great historic insight into the social tensions at the Bourbon restauration between the Imperialist supporters of Napolean and the returning Bourbons and their faction (as indeed are many of his novels) and how the emerging bourgouisie sat between them - a period much neglected but as fascinating as the Revolution and as pivotal in the development of 19th C France. This is a wonderful book that whets the appetite for more from the same pen.

the wild ass's skin, 21 Jun 2006
If you only read one Balzac novel read this one .In its conception and execution as complete as Anna Karenina. It tells the story of a initially destitute young man comtemplating suicide, great opening scene where he gambles his last money, he then enters a curiosity shop where he is given an animal skin which will give him everything he desires but will shrink in response to the degree of his request. Thus the novel explores how we are damaged by attainment of the things we desire, all Balzac is good but in my view this is the best

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

A Masterpiece, 09 Oct 2007
This is the second part of the Poor Relations series, which starts in Cousin Bette. The story is black humour at its best. In the early days of antiques being prized and sold at exorbitant prices poor M Pons' relatives become greedy and grasping to get there hands on what could make them lots of money. In this story you really feel for and can't help sympathising with the likeable M Pons. His relatives really do not like him and all they are after is to make as much money as possible, with the help of M Pons' antiques. This story really shows why Balzac is one of the world's greatest storytellers and also shows his vast range of abilities and insight into the human psyche.

Saint Eugenie, 14 Oct 2005
"Eugenie Grandet" starts off slowly, with a lot of ponderous scene setting and excessive over-description by Balzac. Nothing much happens for quite a while as the characters of the main protagonists are developed by the author. We meet Grandet, the shrewd miser (who would probably be much admired in todays society), his submissive , long suffering wife and their only child, the saintly Eugenie. The main themes in the story are the conflicts between love and money, worldliness and religion, selfishness and altruism , as Eugenie's love for her cousin causes major fissures within the predictable confines of her small family and the rural community in which she lives. Eugenie bears her suffering and loneliness with stoicism and dignity and Balzac's portrait of her becomes a memorable one as the novel reaches its conclusion.

Fluent translation of two great works, 20 Jan 2004
These two short stories by Balzac are classics of nineteenth-century romanticism. They amount to his manifesto of aesthetics, first in painting, then in music, and centre on the closeness of genius to madness. This translation is superb, from one of the best modern translators from French.

A beautiful book, 07 Feb 2003
This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. It comes in a sturdy black box and is printed on exceptionally think, cream coloured paper. All the versions of the book (that I have seen at least) have different covers by Calum Innes, on canvas, front and back. The book is signed by the artist, the translator, and the writer of the introduction. The book feels worth all the money it costs and more. Wonderful. I am very proud to own one.

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

most interesting characters with different passions, 09 Mar 2002
This is an amazing book for those who are interested in daily life bothers of people with remarkable passions. The interesting figures of the novel:a husband who loves his caring and self-denying wife but cannot resist his passion towards a coldhearted beauty, a cousin who enjoys the pains of her "protecting" relatives and a number of other figures from different spheres of society with varying ambitions. You will enjoy this great book and learn more about not only human nature but also an eventful era in French history.

An addictive, thought provoking read., 27 Jul 1999
Balzac at his best. Through his writing you experience a rainbow of undesirable emotions and immoral passions with such insight that you feel tainted by your acquaintance with the characters through the book.Devastating/Funny/Sad/Insightful - anyone familiar and endeared to Balzac will easily be seduced by this book.

A work of a master, 05 Feb 2004
The first thing that struck me reading this after Hugo and Flaubert was the consumate brilliance of Balzac's writing, both his descriptive touch, his eye for detail and the extraordinary insights he has into character and motive. Though writing before them he has so much greater depth of content on every page yet matches Hugo's grandeur of plot (well if anyone can!) and Flaubert's elegant cynicism.

This is a tale astonishingly well told about a vile unprincipled man fired by greed, the naivity of the good, the cowardice of fools and a thrilling clash between two men both determined to seize the same fortune. It is gripping throughout.

The Black Sheep is also a source of great historic insight into the social tensions at the Bourbon restauration between the Imperialist supporters of Napolean and the returning Bourbons and their faction (as indeed are many of his novels) and how the emerging bourgouisie sat between them - a period much neglected but as fascinating as the Revolution and as pivotal in the development of 19th C France. This is a wonderful book that whets the appetite for more from the same pen.

the wild ass's skin, 21 Jun 2006
If you only read one Balzac novel read this one .In its conception and execution as complete as Anna Karenina. It tells the story of a initially destitute young man comtemplating suicide, great opening scene where he gambles his last money, he then enters a curiosity shop where he is given an animal skin which will give him everything he desires but will shrink in response to the degree of his request. Thus the novel explores how we are damaged by attainment of the things we desire, all Balzac is good but in my view this is the best

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

A Masterpiece, 09 Oct 2007
This is the second part of the Poor Relations series, which starts in Cousin Bette. The story is black humour at its best. In the early days of antiques being prized and sold at exorbitant prices poor M Pons' relatives become greedy and grasping to get there hands on what could make them lots of money. In this story you really feel for and can't help sympathising with the likeable M Pons. His relatives really do not like him and all they are after is to make as much money as possible, with the help of M Pons' antiques. This story really shows why Balzac is one of the world's greatest storytellers and also shows his vast range of abilities and insight into the human psyche.

Saint Eugenie, 14 Oct 2005
"Eugenie Grandet" starts off slowly, with a lot of ponderous scene setting and excessive over-description by Balzac. Nothing much happens for quite a while as the characters of the main protagonists are developed by the author. We meet Grandet, the shrewd miser (who would probably be much admired in todays society), his submissive , long suffering wife and their only child, the saintly Eugenie. The main themes in the story are the conflicts between love and money, worldliness and religion, selfishness and altruism , as Eugenie's love for her cousin causes major fissures within the predictable confines of her small family and the rural community in which she lives. Eugenie bears her suffering and loneliness with stoicism and dignity and Balzac's portrait of her becomes a memorable one as the novel reaches its conclusion.

Fluent translation of two great works, 20 Jan 2004
These two short stories by Balzac are classics of nineteenth-century romanticism. They amount to his manifesto of aesthetics, first in painting, then in music, and centre on the closeness of genius to madness. This translation is superb, from one of the best modern translators from French.

A beautiful book, 07 Feb 2003
This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. It comes in a sturdy black box and is printed on exceptionally think, cream coloured paper. All the versions of the book (that I have seen at least) have different covers by Calum Innes, on canvas, front and back. The book is signed by the artist, the translator, and the writer of the introduction. The book feels worth all the money it costs and more. Wonderful. I am very proud to own one.

Colonel Chabert will definitely raise interesing debates!!, 23 May 2002
This book is one of the lesser-known novels by Balzac (although there is a film with Gerald Depardieu). It is written in typical Balzac style, with the usual misogynist manner(the only woman in the entire novel is evil!) and sharp perceptions on human nature, it is a short novelette, therefore probably good if you are a first time Balzac reader. The book is about the colonel, whose wife remarried, after he reportedly died in the Battle of Eylau, and his legal struggle to win her back. I can guarantee that Colonel Chabert, will inspire complete frustrations with his actions (he is just too damn good!!) but it is a book whose character portrayals are so realistic and vivid, that it is hard not to get drawn in! I would probably say that if you like books with interesting dilemmas, that makes you reflect on them for a long time after, and also make you argue for hours with other people whether the protagonist did the right thing in the end then this is probably the book for you, and if you like this, you will probably love "Old Man Goriot", Balzac's best loved novel. I would also recommend this to people who have read any of Balzac's Comedies Humaines, as sly references are made to them throughout the novel.

Fate robs a man of the woman he loves & his fortune, 03 Nov 1998
Chabert, a colonel in Napoleon's army, and given up for dead after the battle of Eylau, returns to France to claim his wife, his good name and his fortune.

During the intervening period his wife has legally re-married (a man with strong ambitions to enter the Peerage (périe de France), and borne him two children. The husband's ambitions are thwarted, however; his wife is closely linked with the Bonapartist era but now the political climate has changed and she is considered suspect.

Chabert's re-appearance upsets everything; his wife's re-marriage could be annuled and her children declared illegitimate.

Both Chabert and his wife want to do right by each other; Chabert wants the restoration of his name and fortune, but his wife naturally fears the annulment of her present marriage and its consequences to her children.

Enter the lawyer, Maître Derville, with his "protocol susceptible de réunir l'adhésion des deux parties". Some readers have interpreted Derville's role as crooked. This is not so. Derville, too, wants to be fair to both sides and, under the circumstances, does what he can.

A poignant tale of how fate conspires to rob humans of the people and things they cherish most.

Surely, one of Balzac's best.

A scathing look at post-Napoleonic French society., 03 Jul 1998
This novella focuses on the quixotic journey of Colonel Chabert, a remnant of a society long since gone. Ambition, driven by the intense pursuit of money, is the currency of the new bourgeoise society. Honor is a thing of the past. "The only thing the poor can do is love," Chabert says at one point and it might be too much of a truism, but having seen the corruption of the world around him, maybe it is so. Colonel Chabert has travelled the heart of darkness that is 19th Century France.

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

most interesting characters with different passions, 09 Mar 2002
This is an amazing book for those who are interested in daily life bothers of people with remarkable passions. The interesting figures of the novel:a husband who loves his caring and self-denying wife but cannot resist his passion towards a coldhearted beauty, a cousin who enjoys the pains of her "protecting" relatives and a number of other figures from different spheres of society with varying ambitions. You will enjoy this great book and learn more about not only human nature but also an eventful era in French history.

An addictive, thought provoking read., 27 Jul 1999
Balzac at his best. Through his writing you experience a rainbow of undesirable emotions and immoral passions with such insight that you feel tainted by your acquaintance with the characters through the book.Devastating/Funny/Sad/Insightful - anyone familiar and endeared to Balzac will easily be seduced by this book.

A work of a master, 05 Feb 2004
The first thing that struck me reading this after Hugo and Flaubert was the consumate brilliance of Balzac's writing, both his descriptive touch, his eye for detail and the extraordinary insights he has into character and motive. Though writing before them he has so much greater depth of content on every page yet matches Hugo's grandeur of plot (well if anyone can!) and Flaubert's elegant cynicism.

This is a tale astonishingly well told about a vile unprincipled man fired by greed, the naivity of the good, the cowardice of fools and a thrilling clash between two men both determined to seize the same fortune. It is gripping throughout.

The Black Sheep is also a source of great historic insight into the social tensions at the Bourbon restauration between the Imperialist supporters of Napolean and the returning Bourbons and their faction (as indeed are many of his novels) and how the emerging bourgouisie sat between them - a period much neglected but as fascinating as the Revolution and as pivotal in the development of 19th C France. This is a wonderful book that whets the appetite for more from the same pen.

the wild ass's skin, 21 Jun 2006
If you only read one Balzac novel read this one .In its conception and execution as complete as Anna Karenina. It tells the story of a initially destitute young man comtemplating suicide, great opening scene where he gambles his last money, he then enters a curiosity shop where he is given an animal skin which will give him everything he desires but will shrink in response to the degree of his request. Thus the novel explores how we are damaged by attainment of the things we desire, all Balzac is good but in my view this is the best

An elegantly written parable on greed, 06 Apr 2006
This is the first novel by Balzac that I've read and I can only wonder why it took me so long to read his work. The story deals with greed and fillial ingratitude and the social education of an ambitious student ready to be seduced by the glamour and extravagance of Parisian high society. The student finds out that someone somewhere is paying the price for all the elegance and luxury that he craves.

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

Pere Goriot, a pleasant surprise, 09 Dec 1999
I have just read this book for a class and it was an interesting story of Eugene and his conflict with himself and society. I was surprised at how palatable it was considering it is a period novel. The themes are universal and the book leaves you questioning the world around you. I strongly recommend that people read this book and to not be intimidated by it.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999
A fantastic exposition of the Human character this is a 'must read' for anyone with a love of 19th century literature.

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

A Masterpiece, 09 Oct 2007
This is the second part of the Poor Relations series, which starts in Cousin Bette. The story is black humour at its best. In the early days of antiques being prized and sold at exorbitant prices poor M Pons' relatives become greedy and grasping to get there hands on what could make them lots of money. In this story you really feel for and can't help sympathising with the likeable M Pons. His relatives really do not like him and all they are after is to make as much money as possible, with the help of M Pons' antiques. This story really shows why Balzac is one of the world's greatest storytellers and also shows his vast range of abilities and insight into the human psyche.

Saint Eugenie, 14 Oct 2005
"Eugenie Grandet" starts off slowly, with a lot of ponderous scene setting and excessive over-description by Balzac. Nothing much happens for quite a while as the characters of the main protagonists are developed by the author. We meet Grandet, the shrewd miser (who would probably be much admired in todays society), his submissive , long suffering wife and their only child, the saintly Eugenie. The main themes in the story are the conflicts between love and money, worldliness and religion, selfishness and altruism , as Eugenie's love for her cousin causes major fissures within the predictable confines of her small family and the rural community in which she lives. Eugenie bears her suffering and loneliness with stoicism and dignity and Balzac's portrait of her becomes a memorable one as the novel reaches its conclusion.

Fluent translation of two great works, 20 Jan 2004
These two short stories by Balzac are classics of nineteenth-century romanticism. They amount to his manifesto of aesthetics, first in painting, then in music, and centre on the closeness of genius to madness. This translation is superb, from one of the best modern translators from French.

A beautiful book, 07 Feb 2003
This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. It comes in a sturdy black box and is printed on exceptionally think, cream coloured paper. All the versions of the book (that I have seen at least) have different covers by Calum Innes, on canvas, front and back. The book is signed by the artist, the translator, and the writer of the introduction. The book feels worth all the money it costs and more. Wonderful. I am very proud to own one.

Colonel Chabert will definitely raise interesing debates!!, 23 May 2002
This book is one of the lesser-known novels by Balzac (although there is a film with Gerald Depardieu). It is written in typical Balzac style, with the usual misogynist manner(the only woman in the entire novel is evil!) and sharp perceptions on human nature, it is a short novelette, therefore probably good if you are a first time Balzac reader. The book is about the colonel, whose wife remarried, after he reportedly died in the Battle of Eylau, and his legal struggle to win her back. I can guarantee that Colonel Chabert, will inspire complete frustrations with his actions (he is just too damn good!!) but it is a book whose character portrayals are so realistic and vivid, that it is hard not to get drawn in! I would probably say that if you like books with interesting dilemmas, that makes you reflect on them for a long time after, and also make you argue for hours with other people whether the protagonist did the right thing in the end then this is probably the book for you, and if you like this, you will probably love "Old Man Goriot", Balzac's best loved novel. I would also recommend this to people who have read any of Balzac's Comedies Humaines, as sly references are made to them throughout the novel.

Fate robs a man of the woman he loves & his fortune, 03 Nov 1998
Chabert, a colonel in Napoleon's army, and given up for dead after the battle of Eylau, returns to France to claim his wife, his good name and his fortune.

During the intervening period his wife has legally re-married (a man with strong ambitions to enter the Peerage (périe de France), and borne him two children. The husband's ambitions are thwarted, however; his wife is closely linked with the Bonapartist era but now the political climate has changed and she is considered suspect.

Chabert's re-appearance upsets everything; his wife's re-marriage could be annuled and her children declared illegitimate.

Both Chabert and his wife want to do right by each other; Chabert wants the restoration of his name and fortune, but his wife naturally fears the annulment of her present marriage and its consequences to her children.

Enter the lawyer, Maître Derville, with his "protocol susceptible de réunir l'adhésion des deux parties". Some readers have interpreted Derville's role as crooked. This is not so. Derville, too, wants to be fair to both sides and, under the circumstances, does what he can.

A poignant tale of how fate conspires to rob humans of the people and things they cherish most.

Surely, one of Balzac's best.

A scathing look at post-Napoleonic French society., 03 Jul 1998
This novella focuses on the quixotic journey of Colonel Chabert, a remnant of a society long since gone. Ambition, driven by the intense pursuit of money, is the currency of the new bourgeoise society. Honor is a thing of the past. "The only thing the poor can do is love," Chabert says at one point and it might be too much of a truism, but having seen the corruption of the world around him, maybe it is so. Colonel Chabert has travelled the heart of darkness that is 19th Century France.

A good introduction to the French Dickens, 01 May 2004
Whilst the I would go along with many of the other reviewer's comments, particularly the similarity to the story of King Lear, I would not hold with this work, amusing as it is, to be comparable to Shakespeare!! However, as an introduction to Balzac's work, it is a good start and shows the Frenchman to be writing in his typically affected style in a tale that perhaps evokes some aspects of Dickens.
Like the Englishman, Balzac had the gift of defining the characters of the people within his novels through their dialogue which if often very amusing, particularly when the reader is aware of something of which the speaker is ignorant.In my opinion, the novel is worth reading for the presence of one such character, his greatest creation, the criminal mastermind Vautrin. I always picture Vautrin as being rather like Long John Silver with his ability to charm his acquaintances when his motives are clearly less than good intentioned and , frequently evil. Cerainly, the best parts of this book are when Vautrin makes an appearance. Luckily, the central character of the book Rastignac is too wise for him. Elsewhere, the story concerns the fate of another character who lives within the Parisian boarding house of Madame Vauquer, the unfortunate M. Goriot who we learn has sacrificed everything for the well being of his daughters.
This is one of the better books by Balzac but readers wishing to explore more of his work should be warned that, unlike the far superior Charles Dickens, there is not alot of variety amongst his many works. (This can probably be due to the fact that his publishers paid him by the line with the consequence that the quality is somewhat diluted.) However, if you are a newcomer to Balzac, this is an excellent introduction that will keep you amused with it's superior storyline and , of course, the gallic wit.

Sensational tragedy woven around the story of Pere Goriot ., 14 Nov 2001
This novel is one of Shakespearian proportions, and many parallels can be seen with King Lear. As in that play the tragedy in Pere Goriot revolves around the male character and his two daughters. The other central character is the young Rastignac, who goes on to feature in other novels belonging to Balzac's La Comedie Humaine, a collection in which this novel plays an important part. All of Balzac's novels are page-turners and this is no exception: love, betrayal and death are important themes. I found Pere Goriot to be a deeply involving work, and also a moral one; Balzac invites you to make judgements on the actions of his many characters. This novel is set in the nineteenth century and shows the glittering world of the Parisian nobility, but also the poorer circles of Paris. The interesting thing is that Balzac portrays money here as a corrupting influence, and avarice and love of power results in tragedy. In this way it has many points in common with modern fiction. If in the past you have enjoyed Balzac's and Emile Zola's novels you will love this; and even if you haven't read any works of either of these authors before then you couldn't start in a better place than Pere Goriot. Read it and weep!