David Carter (6) (1945–)

A short, straightforward biography of Balzac's life with short observations on his work and his legacy. It is a well executed version of this paradigm, although short biographies themselves can be unsatisfying because you don't get to really feel and know any of the events, and in particular other characters, but you also do not get an interesting new perspective. That said, Balzac's life is interesting enough that it is an enjoyable and worthwhile read.

A short, straightforward biography of Balzac's life with short observations on his work and his legacy. It is a well executed version of this paradigm, although short biographies themselves can be unsatisfying because you don't get to really feel and know any of the events, and in particular other characters, but you also do not get an interesting new perspective. That said, Balzac's life is interesting enough that it is an enjoyable and worthwhile read.

Dry as hell, but what do you expect from a 'Pocket Essentials' guide? Lit Crit is something I've no experience with, and want to spend some time learning about, so I figured a broad overview might not be the worst place to start. Now that I have, I know which parts I find interesting and which parts seem really dull, or beside the point, or just outside my own realm of interest. But it's a short enough book that it was fine for what it was.