Honoré de Balzac

Honoré de Balzac was a prolific French novelist and playwright born on May 20, 1799, in Tours, France. He is best known for his ambitious series of novels and stories collectively titled "La Comédie Humaine," which paints a vivid portrait of French society in the early 19th century. Balzac's works delve into the complexities of human behavior and the social conditions of his time, showcasing a remarkable ability to create memorable characters and intricate plots. His keen observations and detailed descriptions provide a fascinating window into the lives of the people in his world, making his narratives both engaging and thought-provoking.

Throughout his life, Balzac faced numerous challenges, including financial difficulties and a relentless work ethic that often left him exhausted. Despite these obstacles, he managed to produce over ninety individual works, leaving a lasting legacy that influenced countless writers, including Marcel Proust and Charles Dickens. If you’re curious about the intricacies of human nature and the societal issues of the past, exploring Balzac's literature can be a rewarding experience. Dive into his world and discover the rich tapestry of characters and stories that continue to resonate today.

Cousin Betty

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.6
Cousin Betty (La Cousine Bette), published in serial format in 1846, was one of the last and greatest of Balzac's works. It was part of his …

Father Goriot (version 2)

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.7
Father Goriot (Le Père Goriot), published in 1835, is widely considered to be Balzac's finest and most popular novel. It is set in Pa…

Lost Illusions: Two Poets

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.6
Two Poets (1837) is the first book in Balzac’s Lost Illusions trilogy, which is part of his sweeping set of novels collectively titled La Co…

Lost Illusions: A Distinguished Provincial at Paris

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.8
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris (Un grand homme de province à Paris, 1839) is the second book in Balzac’s Lost Illusions trilogy,…

Eugénie Grandet

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.7
Eugénie Grandet, first published in 1833, is one of Honoré de Balzac's finest novels, and one of the first works in what would…

Scenes from a Courtesan's Life

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.9
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life is one of the last great works completed by Balzac for his huge novel series entitled The Human Comedy. Sect…

Lost Illusions: Ève and David

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.5
Ève and David (1843) is the final book in Balzac’s Lost Illusions trilogy, which is part of his sweeping set of novels collectively t…

La Comédie Humaine: Le Père Goriot

Read by Bernard 4.8
Le Père Goriot est un roman d’Honoré de Balzac, écrit en 1834, dont la publication débute dans la Revue de Paris…

Ursula

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.9
“Ursula,” first published in French in 1841 as “Ursule Mirouët,” is part of Balzac’s great suite of novels, collectively titled “The Hu…

Sarrasine

Read by Chip 4.5
Published by Honoré de Balzac in the tempestuous year of 1830, the tale follows the undulating pathways of Sarrasine the sculptor’s s…

Cousin Pons

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.7
Cousin Pons is one of the final works in Balzac's long novel series titled The Human Comedy. It was published in 1847, along with Cousin Bet…

The Magic Skin

Read by James E. Carson 4.5
The Magic Skin is Honoré de Balzac's first successful novel, exploring the intricate relationship between desire, materialism, and th…

The Vicar of Tours

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.5
Over twenty years before Anthony Trollope wrote The Warden, in which the gentle but unfortunate Rev. Septimus Harding becomes the prey of an…

Sarrasine (de)

Read by Hokuspokus 4.5
Auf den Festen der märchenhaften reichen Familie Lauty taucht immer wieder ein rätselhafter uralter Mann auf, bei dessen Anblick e…

Farewell

Read by Martin Geeson 4.4
In his startling and tragic novella Farewell (‘Adieu’), Balzac adds to the 19th century’s literature of the hysterical woman: sequestered, c…

A Second Home

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.7
This novella was first published in French in 1830, with the title “La femme vertueuse” (“The virtuous woman”). In an 1842 edition, the titl…

The Commission in Lunacy

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.8
“The Commission in Lunacy” is a short novel first published in 1836 with the French title “L’interdiction” (i.e., “The Ban” or “The Prohibit…

Colonel Chabert (Version 2)

Read by Bruce Pirie 4.9
The short novel “Colonel Chabert” (1832) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the sprawling novel series titled “The Human Comedy.” Chabert,…

The Ball at Sceaux

Read by Bruce Pirie 5
The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central c…

The Phoenix and the Carpet (version 3 Dramatic Reading)

Read by LibriVox Volunteers 4.8
Cyril, Robert, Anthea and Jane need a new carpet for the nursery, but it turns out to be a magic carpet containing a phoenix egg! They disco…

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