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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) 5,751 copies, 102 reviews
Eugénie Grandet (Author) 3,299 copies, 55 reviews
Lost Illusions (Author) 2,364 copies, 28 reviews
Cousin Bette (Author) 2,191 copies, 34 reviews
The Wild Ass's Skin (Author) 1,424 copies, 27 reviews
Droll Stories (Author) 1,147 copies, 12 reviews
A Harlot High and Low (Author) 913 copies, 17 reviews
Colonel Chabert (Author) 779 copies, 18 reviews
Cousin Pons (Author) 637 copies, 10 reviews
The Black Sheep (Author) 628 copies, 10 reviews
Lily of the Valley (Author) 619 copies, 8 reviews
The Chouans (Author) 531 copies, 4 reviews
A Murky Business (Author) 483 copies, 9 reviews
A Woman of Thirty (Author) 475 copies, 9 reviews
The Girl with the Golden Eyes (Author) 380 copies, 7 reviews
The Unknown Masterpiece / Gambara (Author) 378 copies, 9 reviews
The Unknown Masterpiece (Author) 377 copies, 8 reviews
César Birotteau (Author) 342 copies, 8 reviews
Ursule Mirouët (Author) 307 copies, 6 reviews
The Country Doctor (Author) 279 copies, 5 reviews
Père Goriot / Eugénie Grandet (Author) 267 copies, 4 reviews
Sarrasine (Author) 217 copies, 11 reviews
The Wrong Side of Paris (Author) 217 copies, 6 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) 136 copies, 2 reviews
The Duchesse of Langeais (Author) 135 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) 110 copies, 4 reviews
Ferragus 107 copies, 4 reviews
The Works of Honoré de Balzac 107 copies, 1 review
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
The Vicar of Tours (Author) 85 copies, 1 review
An Old Maid (Author) 85 copies
Gobseck (Author) 82 copies, 1 review
Adieu 80 copies
The Ball at Sceaux (Author) 79 copies, 2 reviews
The Red Inn 76 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
The Hated Son (Author) 53 copies, 1 review
Petty Troubles of Married Life 53 copies, 2 reviews
Paz 48 copies, 3 reviews
The Purse (Author) 47 copies, 4 reviews
Le chef-d'oeuvre inconnu et autre nouvelles (Author) 44 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
The Firm of Nucingen (Author) 38 copies, 2 reviews
Melmoth Reconciled (Author) 38 copies, 5 reviews
La Grande Bretèche (Author) 38 copies, 1 review
Christ in Flanders 38 copies, 1 review
A Prince of Bohemia (Author) 36 copies
An Episode under the Terror 36 copies, 5 reviews
A Second Home (Author) 35 copies, 2 reviews
Madame Firmiani 35 copies, 5 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 Commission in Lunacy (in Law in Action) (Author) 27 copies, 1 review
La Grenadière 27 copies
A Harlot's Progress (1/2) (Author) 27 copies
The Message (Author) 27 copies
Gobseck, une double famille (Author) 27 copies
The Muse of the Department (Author) 26 copies
Gambara (Author) 25 copies, 5 reviews
The Exiles (Author) 25 copies, 5 reviews
Pierre Grassou 25 copies
Le Faiseur 24 copies, 1 review
La Comédie humaine, tome 11 (Author) 24 copies
The Magic Skin / The Quest of the Absolute (Author) 22 copies, 1 review
Facino Cane (Author) 22 copies
The Illustrious Gaudissart (Author) 22 copies, 1 review
A Drama on the Seashore (Author) 22 copies
Unconscious Comedians (Author) 20 copies
El Verdugo 20 copies
Ten Droll Tales 20 copies
The Conscript (Author) 19 copies, 1 review
Massimilla Doni (Author) 19 copies
Z. Marcas (Author) 19 copies
Maitre Cornelius (Author) 19 copies, 1 review
Balzac's Shorter Stories 18 copies, 1 review
La Comedia Humana 17 copies, 1 review
Ilusoes Perdidas - Vol. 01 (Author) 16 copies
Eve and David (Author) 16 copies
Two Poets (Author) 16 copies
What Love Costs an Old Man (Author) 15 copies, 1 review
A Man of Business (Author) 14 copies
COMÉDIA HUMANA: VOLUME 3, A (Author) 14 copies
A Harlot's Progress (2/2) (Author) 13 copies
Gaudissart II 13 copies
Vautrin (Author) 12 copies
La Comédie humaine, tome 4 (Author) 12 copies
Nouvelles 11 copies, 1 review
Oberst Chabert (Author) 11 copies, 1 review
Cuentos libertinos 11 copies, 1 review
Vautrins letztes Abenteuer (Author) 9 copies
Oncologic Emergencies 9 copies, 1 review
The Maranas (Author) 9 copies
Annette et le Criminel (Author) 8 copies
Juana 8 copies
The Resources of Quinola (Author) 8 copies
Pamela Giraud 8 copies
The Last Fay 8 copies, 2 reviews
Le Colonel Chabert (Author) 8 copies
To noveller 7 copies
Der Succubus 7 copies
Le Colonel Chabert / Le Contrat De Mariage (Author) 7 copies, 1 review
Teoria del camminare (Author) 7 copies
The Alkahest 6 copies
Béatrix and The purse = La bourse (Author) 6 copies, 1 review
La comédie humaine, tome I (Author) 6 copies
Avon Bedside Companion (Contributor) 5 copies
Avant-propos (Author) 5 copies
La Comedie Humaine Tome 2 (Author) 5 copies
Le Bal de Sceaux, (Author) 5 copies, 1 review
Short Stories 5 copies
The Human Comedy, Vol. 2 4 copies, 4 reviews
Čiča Gorio (Author) 4 copies
De notaris 4 copies
Lost Souls 4 copies
Meisternovellen (Author) 3 copies
La Comédie humaine, tome 3 (Author) 3 copies
Les deux rêves (Author) 3 copies
Les martyrs ignorés (Author) 3 copies
Dzieła wybrane (Author) 3 copies
The Human Comedy, Vol. 1 3 copies, 3 reviews
The Human Comedy, Vol. 11 3 copies, 3 reviews
Contes bruns 3 copies
La commedia del diavolo (Author) 3 copies
L' israelita (Author) 3 copies
pg1749 3 copies
Napoleon 3 copies
Il deputato d'Arcis. II (Author) 3 copies
La comédie Humaine II (Author) 3 copies
1 2 copies
La Comedia Humana 2 copies, 1 review
Parisienne 2 copies
Two Poets / Eve and David (Author) 2 copies
Nebenbuhler 2 copies
Fisiologia dell'impiegato 2 copies, 1 review
La Comédie Humaine Vol.3 (Author) 2 copies
Adieu, and other stories (Author) 2 copies
La comédie humaine, tome X (Author) 2 copies
Les paysans 2 copies
A Bolsa 2 copies
Old Goriot 2 copies
A Parigi! 2 copies
Los decadentes 2 copies, 1 review
The Human Comedy, Vol. 5 2 copies, 2 reviews
The Human Comedy, Vol. 3 2 copies, 2 reviews
The Human Comedy, Vol. 9 2 copies, 2 reviews
Dunkle Geschichten (Author) 2 copies
cousine Bette : extraits 2 (Author) 2 copies
Les Marana 1 copy
Werke 1 copy
Novely 1 copy
Ao Chat-qui-pelote 1 copy, 1 review
A Vendetta 1 copy
Séraphita 1 copy
Obras, I 1 copy
El medico de aldea 1 copy, 1 review
CONTOS 1 copy
JEAN-LOUIS 1 copy
Vedma 1 copy
Gobseck 1 copy
Béatrix 1 copy
Fshatarët 1 copy, 1 review
Beatrix 1 copy
Pai Goriot 1 copy
Wroeging 1 copy
La Comédie Humaine XV (Author) 1 copy
Suanii 1 copy
Kisan 1 copy
The Mysterious Mansion 1 copy, 1 review
Nana 1 copy
Maxims 1 copy
Mos Goriot 1 copy
El lliri de la vall (Author) 1 copy
Théâtre 1 copy
Four Stories (Author) 1 copy
La femme auteur. (Author) 1 copy
Le pacte 1 copy
L'opium 1 copy
Germinal (Author) 1 copy
LESK A BIEDA KURTIZÁN 1 copy, 1 review
A Tours-i plébános 1 copy, 1 review
Cromwell 1 copy
Pierrette 1 copy
Teta Liza 1 copy
L'eglise 1 copy
The Human Comedy, Vol. 6 1 copy, 1 review
The Human Comedy, Vol. 10 1 copy, 1 review
El hogar de un soltero 1 copy, 1 review
La prima Bel 1 copy, 1 review
PETRILLO 1 copy, 1 review
The Human Comedy, Vol. 8 1 copy, 1 review
The Human Comedy, Vol. 4 1 copy, 1 review
The Human Comedy, Vol. 7 1 copy, 1 review
The Charterhouse of Parma (Commentary, some editions) 4,254 copies, 73 reviews
French Stories (Contributor) 472 copies, 1 review
Fantastic Tales: Visionary and Everyday (Contributor) 416 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) 138 copies, 2 reviews
The Gates of Paradise (Contributor) 111 copies, 2 reviews
Paris Tales (Contributor) 108 copies, 2 reviews
French Short Stories (Contributor) 81 copies
Great French Short Stories (Contributor) 71 copies, 1 review
65 Great Tales of Horror (Composer) 57 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) 30 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
2 362
2.5 103
3 1178
3.5 382
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4.5 223
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