Balzac's humorous exploration of marriage viewed largely through the eyes of a bachelor is one of the great essays of social satire of the nineteenth century. Full of anecdotes and witty aphorisms the book is extraordinarily modern in its defense of the rights of women, particularly when it comes to sex. The present edition is based on the 1829 first edition, and is the ONLY republication of this title using Balzac s original text. The book comes with a full critical apparatus on cd-rom."

Balzac's first collection of short stories exploring women's role in society in various conjugal situations -- the daughter marrying against the father's wishes; the young woman marrying for love only to find she is no match for her husband's philandering; the unfaithful wife who brings her family to the brink of ruin; the religious zealot who so poisons her husband's existence so that he decides to lead a double life; the young woman who wishes at all costs to marry an aristocrat and who rejects the man she loves because she does not deem him of noble birth; the lovely, intelligent wife who...

Balzac's classic philosophical novel about a young man (Raphael) torn between two women, one whom he loves but who does not reciprocate his affections (Foedora, the "woman without a heart") and one who loves him but for whom initially he has only fraternal feelings (Pauline). The sentimental drama is associated with a philosophical one in allegorical form: how does a man live his life ... with intensity but in an existence of short duration, or without desires in a long life? The drama is expressed through the talisman, a wild ass's skin, given to the hero by an old antique dealer. The skin...

The first and only modern edition of the 1831 text of Romans et contes philosophiques, an anthology of short stories exploring fundamental problems of human existence -- questions of faith, the desire for immortality, the relationship between passion and artistic creativity, family honour, parents and children, the functioning of social institutions. Balzac explores all these themes using a variety of tones and colours ranging from the satirical, to the lyrical and to the fantastic. The anthology contains several of Balzac's most famous stories including Sarrasine, Le Chef d'oeuvre inconnu...

Les Cent contes drolatiques - premier dixain is Balzac's first collection of ribald short stories inspired by Rabelais, Boccacio, La Fontaine and other classics of the genre. The text is that of the 1832 edition. The book comes with a cd-rom containing an extensive critical apparatus established by Andrew Oliver a well-known Balzac scholar.

C'est la premiere fois depuis sa publication initiale en 1832 que ce recueil de contes est reedite. Il contient la premiere version du tres celebre Louis Lambert aussi bien que trois contes supplementaires: Maitre Cornelius, Madame Firmiani et L'Auberge rouge. C'est un ouvrage d'erudition prepare par Andrew Oliver, specialiste de Balzac bien connu. Le livre s'accompagne d'un cederom contenant un abondant apparat critique."

Les Cent contes drolatiques - second dixain is Balzac's second volume of a collection of ribald short stories inspired by Rabelais, Boccacio, La Fontaine and other classics of the genre. The text is that of the 1833 edition. The book comes with a cd-rom containing an extensive critical apparatus established by Andrew Oliver a well-known Balzac scholar.

First published in 1833, Le Medecin de campagne presents in fictional form Balzac's social and political philosophy. It is the story of a country doctor who transforms the lives and social and economic structure of a community in the Savoie region of France. The novel also presents the life and loves of the doctor as well as a populist vision of the Napoleonic era. This new edition of Le Medecin de campagne is edited by Andrew Oliver, a well-known Balzac scholar. The text is that of the 1833 edition. This is the first time that the novel has been published in its original text since its first...

A continuation of Balzac's collection of short stories exploring women's role in society, particularly in marriage. Passion and adultery are constant themes where wives are beautiful, intelligent, courageous and resourceful while husbands are dull, unimaginative and frequently vindictive. The collection is famous for its portrait of the Femme de trente ans so admired by Sainte-Beuve. This edition reproduces the text of the 1832 edition. It comes with a cd-rom containing the scholarly apparatus prepared by Andrew Oliver, a renowned Balzac scholar.

Cette edition critique du petit livre qui a coute tant d'efforts a son auteur retrace dans le detail la genese du roman, les diverses etapes de composition, les rapports entre certains episodes de la vie de Gide et son roman, notamment la periode ou Gide s'affirme communiste. Surtout cette edition donne le texte inedit du chapitre du roman supprime in extremis par Gide. Sont rassemblees egalement toutes les variantes du manuscrit du roman ainsi que celles de toutes les editions publiees du vivant de Gide. Il s'agit d'une veritable edition critique etablie par l'un des meilleurs specialistes...