The third, and briefest, part of a trilogy called The History of the Thirteen, "The Girl with the Golden Eyes" is one piece of the vast tableaux of Balzac's Human Comedy. The "Thirteen" are a secret society. "The Girl with the Golden Eyes" contains some of Balzac's most intense observations of 19th Century Parisian society. It tells the story of a beautiful young woman seduced by a servant of "The Thirteen." The other two parts of The History of the Thirteen may also be of interest: "Ferragus, " and "The Duchesse de Langeais." Each contains Balzac's sharp-eyed observations of human frailty...

Book II of Balzac's 'The Thirteen"

"Considering the "Histoire des Treize" as a whole, it is of engrossing interest. And I must confess I should not think much of any boy who, beginning Balzac with this series, failed to go rather mad over it. I know there was a time when I used to like it best of all, and thought not merely "Eugenie Grandet, " but "Le Pere Goriot" (though not the "Peau de Chagrin), " dull in comparison. Some attention, however, must be paid to two remarkable characters, on whom it is quite clear that Balzac expended a great deal of pains, and one of whom he seems to have...

The Shagreen Skin (also The Wild Ass's Skin or The Magic Skin) by Honore de Balzac. Translated by Ellen Marriage. This is a dual-language book with the French text on the left side, and the English text on the right side of each spread. The texts are precisely synchronized. See more details about this and other books on French Classics in French and English page on Facebook.

Eve and David is part three of a trilogy. Eve and David's story begins in part one, Two Poets. Part one also introduces Eve's brother, Lucien. Part two, A Distinguished Provincial at Paris, centers on Lucien's life in Paris. For part 3 the action once more returns to Eve and David in Angouleme. In many references parts 1 and 3 are combined under the title Lost Illusions.

The novel takes place during the Bourbon Restoration, which brought about profound changes in French society; the struggle of individuals to secure upper-class status is ubiquitous in the book. The city of Paris also impresses itself on the characters - especially young Rastignac, who grew up in the provinces of southern France. Balzac analyzes, through Goriot and others, the nature of family and marriage, providing a pessimistic view of these institutions.

This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

At a dimly remote period in the history of Brabant, communication between the Island of Cadzand and the Flemish coast was kept up by a boat which carried passengers from one shore to the other. Middelburg, the chief town in the island, destined to become so famous in the annals of Protestantism, at that time only numbered some two or three hundred hearths; and the prosperous town of Ostend was an obscure haven, a straggling village where pirates dwelt in security among the fishermen and the few poor merchants who lived in the place.

"La Grenadiere" de Honore de Balzac. Romancier, critique litteraire, essayiste, journaliste et ecrivain francais (1799-1850)."

" ...]handkerchief to implore help. The carriage immediately came towards the Minorite convent, and M. d'Albon recognized neighbors, M. and Mme. de Grandville, who hastened to alight and put their carriage at his disposal. Colonel de Sucy inhaled the salts which Mme. de Grandville happened to have with her; he opened his eyes, looked towards the mysterious figure that still fled wailing through the meadow, and a faint cry of horror broke from him; he closed his eyes again, with a dumb gesture of entreaty to his friends to take him away from this scene. M. and Mme. de Grandville begged the...