Human Comedy: Scenes from Parisian Life

If you have seen Ricky Gervais in 'The Office', you will know how much comedy and pathos occurs in apparently mundane locations. In 'The Lesser Bourgeoisie', Honore de Balzac turns his sharp eye on the intrigues of the white-collar world. Spinster Marie-Jeanne-Brigitte Thuillier has made money from selling her bank business. She dedicates her life to supporting her brother, an attractive but mediocre man with an illegitimate daughter, Celeste. Celeste's mother, Flavie, is a social climber who takes lovers to advance her husband's career - and to find a rich husband for her daughter. The murky waters are further muddied by the arrival of the lawyer Theodose de La Peyrade, who targets the hand of Celeste (and her inheritance). It is all rather unbecoming as the vultures circle around Celeste, and Balzac exposes the greed that exists at this level of French society. If you like office intrigue, try 'The Way We Live Now' by Anthony Trollope.

Henri is a shameless and spoiled heir. When he falls in love with the beautiful Paquita, he simply must seduce her. But Paquita already has a lover. Brimming with anger and revenge upon this realisation, his disillusioned heart sets out to murder. Who will meet their end? And more importantly, what secrets will the entangled web of love uncover? Crafted with spellbinding extravagance, 'The Girl with the Golden Eyes' captures the underside of Parisian society. Bursting with passionate emotion and uncontrollable wrath, the intoxicating tale is perfect for fans of Netflix's 'Bridgerton'

The novella unfolds around a blind old man, Facino Cane who claims to be a descendant of the 14th century condottiere of the same name. The narrator meets Facino Cane at a wedding, and begins a conversation with him. Facino then recounts his life story involving the most extraordinary tales of murder, exile, buried treasure, incarceration and a daring escape. A thoroughly enticing and enthralling short story, with a narrator that has a magnificent knack for getting inside another person's head. This demonstrates that Balzac could have mastered the melodramatic adventure style of writing for which Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo are best known. If slightly longer, 'Facino Cane' would be a ready companion piece to Dumas' epic 'The Count of Monte Cristo'.

In 'Ferragus, Chief of the Devorants' Balzac skillfully traces a dazzling panorama of 19th century Parisian streets and vividly invokes a sparkling menagerie of characters in ultra-fine detail. A young cavalry officer strolls down these very streets when he spots a beautiful lady in the company of an ill-reputed man. The man is veiled in an impenetrable cloak of secrecy, which also raises questions about the woman at his side, transforming the novel into a thrilling criminal escapade. Flooded with murders, prison escapees, family secrets, and tragic endings, 'Ferragus, Chief of the Devorants' is a darkly ironic albeit sublime reflection of the human condition and the ultimate price of deceit. Recommended for readers who are fascinated by the forays into the human soul and conscience deliberated in Dostoyevsky's 'Crime and Punishment' and Gogol's 'Dead Souls'. Also, Guy de Maupassant, Flaubert and Emile Zola were naturalist writers who were directly influenced by Balzac.

In this tale the Duchesse de Langeais leads General Armande de Montriveau by the nose in her distinct coquettish yet grandiose manner. But as a member of the Thirteen, Armande kidnaps the Duchesse and threatens to have her branded as a criminal. However, he returns her unscathed. Suddenly the Duchesse develops feelings for Armande, who now will have nothing to do with her. After sparking rumours in Paris that she is visiting him, she disappears. Then Armande realises that he wants her more than ever before... A romantic and greatly tumultuous tale with an unexpected ending. A perfect fit for readers seeking a romance novel infused with notes of irony and the supernatural. A critically-acclaimed film adaptation of the same name was released in 2007, starring Jeanne Balibar, Guillaume Depardieu, Michel Piccoli and Bulle Ogier.

It is sometimes difficult to know who most deserves our judgement. Do we look down more upon a shop owner for inventing a royal backstory for one of his items - or is the customer who believes the story even worse? Set in 19th century Paris, Honoré de Balzac's short story sees an English woman looking to buy a shawl in a shop. The owner sees a chance to con a foreigner by claiming the shawl was once owned by Empress Josephine, once the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. Will she buy the story - and the shawl? Named after Felix Gaudissart, a travelling salesman who appears in other Balzac tales, ´Gaudissart II´ demonstrates Blazac's skills as he portrays greed, dishonesty, and gullibility to perfection. ´Gaudissart II´ will delight any reader familiar with Balzac's body of work.

An overprotective father. A cunning criminal. A young student navigating the world of high society and love. In Paris, 1819, three stranger's fates are intertwined in a tale of corruption and greed. Pleased with the growing interest of an aspiring lawyer with his daughter, Goriot's devotion to his grown-up children threatens his financial ruin. A selfless man, he remains misunderstood by those around him. Meanwhile, Law student Rastignac is only just discovering society's rotten core whilst a mysterious troublemaker plots to secure his own wealth. Can Goriot protect his family's future within a web of deceit? Following the decades after the French Revolution and fall of Napoleon, Balzac's most tragic and important novel remains today a detailed depiction of Parisian high society. Perfect for fans of 'Les Misérables', 'Father Goriot' weaves a rich and poignant tale of the harsh reality of what it takes to survive in Bourgeois society.