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Born on May 20, 1799, Honore de Balzac is considered one of the greatest French writers of all time. Balzac studied in Paris and worked as a law clerk while pursuing an unsuccessful career as an author. He soon accumulated enormous debts that haunted him most of his life. A prolific writer, Balzac would often write for 14 to-16 hours at a time. His writing is marked by realistic portrayals of ordinary, but exaggerated characters and intricate detail. In 1834, Balzac began organizing his works into a collection called The Human Comedy, an attempt to group his novels to present a complete social history of France. Characters in this project reappeared throughout various volumes, which ultimately consisted of approximately 90 works. Some of his works include Cesar Birotteau, Le Cousin Pons, Seraphita, and Le Cousine Bette. Balzac wed his lifelong love, Eveline Hanska in March 1850 although he was gravely ill at the time. Balzac died in August of that year. (Bowker Author Biography) — biography from Old Goriot… (more)
Old Goriot (Author) 5,758 copies, 103 reviews
Eugénie Grandet (Author) 3,304 copies, 55 reviews
Lost Illusions (Author) 2,371 copies, 29 reviews
Cousin Bette (Author) 2,192 copies, 34 reviews
The Wild Ass's Skin (Author) 1,429 copies, 27 reviews
Droll Stories (Author) 1,147 copies, 12 reviews
A Harlot High and Low (Author) 915 copies, 17 reviews
Colonel Chabert (Author) 779 copies, 18 reviews
Cousin Pons (Author) 639 copies, 10 reviews
The Black Sheep (Author) 629 copies, 11 reviews
Lily of the Valley (Author) 619 copies, 8 reviews
The Chouans (Author) 533 copies, 4 reviews
A Murky Business (Author) 483 copies, 9 reviews
A Woman of Thirty (Author) 476 copies, 10 reviews
The Girl with the Golden Eyes (Author) 380 copies, 7 reviews
The Unknown Masterpiece / Gambara (Author) 379 copies, 9 reviews
The Unknown Masterpiece (Author) 377 copies, 8 reviews
César Birotteau (Author) 341 copies, 8 reviews
Ursule Mirouët (Author) 305 copies, 6 reviews
The Country Doctor (Author) 279 copies, 5 reviews
Père Goriot / Eugénie Grandet (Author) 268 copies, 4 reviews
The Wrong Side of Paris (Author) 218 copies, 6 reviews
Sarrasine (Author) 217 copies, 11 reviews
Letters of Two Brides (Author) 214 copies, 5 reviews
The Quest of the Absolute (Author) 196 copies, 4 reviews
At the Sign of the Cat and Racket (Author) 189 copies, 9 reviews
Béatrix (Author) 148 copies, 2 reviews
Seraphita (Author) 138 copies, 1 review
About Catherine de Medici (Author) 137 copies, 2 reviews
The Duchesse of Langeais (Author) 136 copies, 3 reviews
The Physiology of Marriage (Author) 135 copies, 2 reviews
The Human Comedy 135 copies, 4 reviews
The Peasantry (Author) 113 copies, 1 review
A Passion in the Desert (Author) 111 copies, 1 review
Modeste Mignon (Author) 109 copies, 4 reviews
The Works of Honoré de Balzac 107 copies, 1 review
Ferragus 107 copies, 4 reviews
Vendetta (Author) 91 copies, 7 reviews
The Lesser Bourgeoisie 91 copies, 1 review
The Bureaucrats (European Classics) (Author) 89 copies, 3 reviews
Louis Lambert (Author) 88 copies, 3 reviews
The Village Rector (Author) 87 copies, 3 reviews
An Old Maid (Author) 85 copies
The Vicar of Tours (Author) 85 copies, 1 review
Gobseck (Author) 82 copies, 1 review
Adieu 80 copies
The Ball at Sceaux (Author) 79 copies, 2 reviews
The Red Inn 77 copies, 1 review
A Marriage Settlement 76 copies, 2 reviews
Pierrette (Author) 67 copies
The Atheist's Mass [story] (Author) 66 copies, 3 reviews
A Daughter of Eve (Author) 66 copies, 1 review
Balzac: Five Stories (Author) 64 copies
The Secrets of Princess Cadignan (Author) 61 copies, 1 review
Domestic Peace (Author) 60 copies, 1 review
A Start in Life (Author) 59 copies
Jealousies of a Country Town (Author) 58 copies, 1 review
The Elixir of Long Life (Author) 56 copies
Albert Savarus (Author) 54 copies, 1 review
Petty Troubles of Married Life 53 copies, 2 reviews
The Hated Son (Author) 53 copies, 1 review
Paz 48 copies, 3 reviews
The Purse (Author) 47 copies, 4 reviews
Le chef-d'oeuvre inconnu et autre nouvelles (Author) 45 copies, 1 review
The Member for Arcis (Author) 42 copies, 1 review
Honorine 41 copies
Study of a Woman (Author) 40 copies, 2 reviews
The Deserted Woman (Author) 39 copies
Melmoth Reconciled (Author) 38 copies, 5 reviews
Christ in Flanders 38 copies, 1 review
The Firm of Nucingen (Author) 38 copies, 2 reviews
La Grande Bretèche (Author) 38 copies, 1 review
An Episode under the Terror 36 copies, 5 reviews
A Prince of Bohemia (Author) 36 copies
Madame Firmiani 35 copies, 5 reviews
A Second Home (Author) 35 copies, 2 reviews
Cousin Betty / Cousin Pons (Author) 33 copies
Droll Stories Volume 1 (Author) 33 copies, 3 reviews
Ilusoes Perdidas - Vol. 02 32 copies, 2 reviews
Short Stories 32 copies, 1 review
Another Study of Woman 29 copies, 2 reviews
The Message (Author) 27 copies
La Grenadière 27 copies
A Harlot's Progress (1/2) (Author) 27 copies
Gobseck, une double famille (Author) 27 copies
The Commission in Lunacy (in Law in Action) (Author) 27 copies, 1 review
The Muse of the Department (Author) 26 copies
The Exiles (Author) 25 copies, 5 reviews
Pierre Grassou 25 copies
Gambara (Author) 25 copies, 5 reviews
Le Faiseur 24 copies, 1 review
La Comédie humaine, tome 11 (Author) 24 copies
Facino Cane (Author) 22 copies
The Illustrious Gaudissart (Author) 22 copies, 1 review
The Magic Skin / The Quest of the Absolute (Author) 22 copies, 1 review
A Drama on the Seashore (Author) 22 copies
El Verdugo 20 copies
Ten Droll Tales 20 copies
Unconscious Comedians (Author) 20 copies
Massimilla Doni (Author) 19 copies
Maitre Cornelius (Author) 19 copies, 1 review
The Conscript (Author) 19 copies, 1 review
Z. Marcas (Author) 19 copies
Balzac's Shorter Stories 18 copies, 1 review
La Comedia Humana 17 copies, 1 review
Two Poets (Author) 16 copies
Eve and David (Author) 16 copies
Ilusoes Perdidas - Vol. 01 (Author) 16 copies
What Love Costs an Old Man (Author) 15 copies, 1 review
COMÉDIA HUMANA: VOLUME 3, A (Author) 14 copies
A Man of Business (Author) 14 copies
Gaudissart II 13 copies
A Harlot's Progress (2/2) (Author) 13 copies
La Comédie humaine, tome 4 (Author) 12 copies
Vautrin (Author) 12 copies
Cuentos libertinos 11 copies, 1 review
Nouvelles 11 copies, 1 review
Oberst Chabert (Author) 11 copies, 1 review
Oncologic Emergencies 9 copies, 1 review
The Maranas (Author) 9 copies
Vautrins letztes Abenteuer (Author) 9 copies
The Resources of Quinola (Author) 8 copies
Annette et le Criminel (Author) 8 copies
Le Colonel Chabert (Author) 8 copies
The Last Fay 8 copies, 2 reviews
Pamela Giraud 8 copies
Juana 8 copies
Der Succubus 7 copies
To noveller 7 copies
Le Colonel Chabert / Le Contrat De Mariage (Author) 7 copies, 1 review
Teoria del camminare (Author) 7 copies
La comédie humaine, tome I (Author) 6 copies
The Alkahest 6 copies
Béatrix and The purse = La bourse (Author) 6 copies, 1 review
Avon Bedside Companion (Contributor) 5 copies
Short Stories 5 copies
La Comedie Humaine Tome 2 (Author) 5 copies
Le Bal de Sceaux, (Author) 5 copies, 1 review
Avant-propos (Author) 5 copies
Čiča Gorio (Author) 4 copies
Lost Souls 4 copies
De notaris 4 copies
The Human Comedy, Vol. 2 4 copies, 4 reviews
Les martyrs ignorés (Author) 3 copies
Meisternovellen (Author) 3 copies
Les deux rêves (Author) 3 copies
Dzieła wybrane (Author) 3 copies
Il deputato d'Arcis. II (Author) 3 copies
La commedia del diavolo (Author) 3 copies
Contes bruns 3 copies
pg1749 3 copies
The Human Comedy, Vol. 1 3 copies, 3 reviews
The Human Comedy, Vol. 11 3 copies, 3 reviews
La Comédie humaine, tome 3 (Author) 3 copies
Napoleon 3 copies
L' israelita (Author) 3 copies
La comédie Humaine II (Author) 3 copies
Adieu, and other stories (Author) 2 copies
La Comédie Humaine Vol.3 (Author) 2 copies
cousine Bette : extraits 2 (Author) 2 copies
Nebenbuhler 2 copies
La comédie humaine, tome X (Author) 2 copies
El dandysmo 2 copies
1 2 copies
Parisienne 2 copies
La Comedia Humana 2 copies, 1 review
A Bolsa 2 copies
Les paysans 2 copies
Two Poets / Eve and David (Author) 2 copies
The Human Comedy, Vol. 9 2 copies, 2 reviews
The Human Comedy, Vol. 5 2 copies, 2 reviews
The Human Comedy, Vol. 3 2 copies, 2 reviews
Old Goriot 2 copies
Dunkle Geschichten (Author) 2 copies
A Parigi! 2 copies
Los decadentes 2 copies, 1 review
Fisiologia dell'impiegato 2 copies, 1 review
A Tours-i plébános 1 copy, 1 review
Pierrette 1 copy
A Vendetta 1 copy
LESK A BIEDA KURTIZÁN 1 copy, 1 review
Honorine 1 copy
Séraphita 1 copy
Ao Chat-qui-pelote 1 copy, 1 review
CONTOS 1 copy
El medico de aldea 1 copy, 1 review
Fshatarët 1 copy, 1 review
Vedma 1 copy
JEAN-LOUIS 1 copy
Obras, I 1 copy
Novely 1 copy
Werke 1 copy
Gobseck 1 copy
Les Marana 1 copy
Wroeging 1 copy
Beatrix 1 copy
Pai Goriot 1 copy
Béatrix 1 copy
L'opium 1 copy
Le pacte 1 copy
Suanii 1 copy
Kisan 1 copy
Four Stories (Author) 1 copy
La femme auteur. (Author) 1 copy
Théâtre 1 copy
Cromwell 1 copy
Teta Liza 1 copy
The Human Comedy, Vol. 8 1 copy, 1 review
The Human Comedy, Vol. 7 1 copy, 1 review
The Human Comedy, Vol. 4 1 copy, 1 review
The Human Comedy, Vol. 10 1 copy, 1 review
The Human Comedy, Vol. 6 1 copy, 1 review
La prima Bel 1 copy, 1 review
PETRILLO 1 copy, 1 review
El hogar de un soltero 1 copy, 1 review
Germinal (Author) 1 copy
El lliri de la vall (Author) 1 copy
La Comédie Humaine XV (Author) 1 copy
L'eglise 1 copy
Nana 1 copy
Maxims 1 copy
Mos Goriot 1 copy
The Mysterious Mansion 1 copy, 1 review
The Charterhouse of Parma (Commentary, some editions) 4,257 copies, 73 reviews
French Stories (Contributor) 472 copies, 1 review
Fantastic Tales: Visionary and Everyday (Contributor) 417 copies, 12 reviews
A Treasury of Short Stories (Contributor) 286 copies
Stories to Remember {complete} (Contributor) 181 copies, 2 reviews
Love Letters (Contributor) 178 copies, 1 review
The Penguin Book of International Gay Writing (Contributor) 174 copies, 2 reviews
Stories to Remember, Volume I (Contributor) 142 copies, 3 reviews
The Penguin Book of Horror Stories (Contributor) 139 copies, 2 reviews
The Gates of Paradise (Contributor) 111 copies, 2 reviews
Paris Tales (Contributor) 108 copies, 2 reviews
French Short Stories (Contributor) 82 copies
Great French Short Stories (Contributor) 71 copies, 1 review
65 Great Tales of Horror (Composer) 56 copies
Great Tales of Terror (Contributor) 44 copies
French Fiction (Contributor) 38 copies
The Garden of Hermetic Dreams (Contributor) 33 copies
Great French Short Novels (Contributor) 31 copies
Vingt et un contes (Contributor) 28 copies
The Seas of God: Great Stories of the Human Spirit (Contributor) 25 copies, 2 reviews
The Book Lovers (Contributor) 25 copies
The Best Horror Stories (Contributor) 21 copies
Racconti Gialli (Author) 20 copies
The Penguin Book of French Short Stories (Contributor, some editions) 18 copies
Catholic Political Thought 1789-1848 (Contributor) 16 copies
Cousin Bette [1998 film] (Original novel) 13 copies
"Le Père Goriot", Balzac : analyse critique (Contributor; Contributor) 13 copies
Verhalen uit de Franse romantiek (Contributor) 11 copies
The Duchess of Langeais [2007 film] (Original book) 6 copies
The Story Survey (Contributor) 6 copies
Come Not, Lucifer! A Romantic Anthology (Contributor) 6 copies, 1 review
Historie Osobliwe I Fantastyczne (Contributor) 3 copies
Wives and Lovers (Contributor) 3 copies, 1 review
Piirakkasota : Valikoima huumoria (Contributor) 3 copies
A Book of Narratives (Contributor) 2 copies
Meesters der Franse vertelkunst (Contributor) 2 copies
French short stories (Contributor) 2 copies
Best Legal Stories 2 (Contributor) 2 copies
Introduction to Fiction (Contributor) 1 copy
Narrativa romántica francesa (Contributor) 1 copy
Tales for a Stormy Night (Author, some editions) 1 copy
Fantastyczne Opowieści (Contributor) 1 copy

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Honoré de Balzac's book The Banned Books Compendium: 32 Classic Forbidden Books was available from LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

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1.5 21
2 364
2.5 103
3 1179
3.5 382
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4.5 223
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