Thank you Brian for an interesting video, I am now tempted to try Balzac next year . Hope you and your family have an enjoyable Christmas and New Year. Kind regards.
I started with Sarrasine. Loved it so much that I'm planning on reading all his novels. I fell in love with his writing style. Next one is Le lys dans la vallée. Amazing video, thank you!
The great thing about Balzac is that there is so much to read. I have not read either of the two titles you mentioned, but I did just finish listening to _Gobseck_ as an audiobook. It was my first audiobook of Bazac and I think I am going to stick to reading physical copies or e-books of his work from now on. An essential part of the experience was missing.
There is something about Balzac’s writing and characters that I love but can’t describe. Eugenie Grandet, like many of his books, starts off so slowly but then becomes such a rich story. Old Goriot is one of the best. Thanks for watching. Hope you continue reading Balzac.
Père Goriot is exactly where I started with Balzac. It's an amazing book, I wouldn't say definitively his best, but certainly an all-time masterpiece of the novel genre. The second one I read was Eugenie Grandet, because for some reason Goriot and Eugenie Grandet are the two most common Balzac books in libraries in my state.
@@carlos_herrera Both are good places to start with Balzac. The same thing is true of libraries and bookstores around here, though I do find a copy of Cousin Bette from time to time.
The first book I read by Balzac was the NYRB edition of selected stories from 'The Human Comedy.' As a Chekhov fan, it was the perfect way to start reading through his oeuvre.
Ironically i started balzac with the wild ass’s skin. Saw on Wikipedia it was the last book freud read before his assisted suicide so i thought id give it a shot. It felt a bit extended at certain parts and rushed in others (especially the last 1/3 of the book) but I really enjoyed it and it got me hooked on Balzac. I will say it is a bit different than Balzac’s other works with the supernatural element but I think it has its own merit and was one of the more memorable books of Balzac that I read and I definitely will re-read it at some point in the future. I should note that I read the oxford classics edition, which had many pages of notes in the back.
Thank you for your interesting video. A couple of years ago I bought Balzacs complete works of his 'Human Comedy' (German edition) in 12 volumes which follows Balzacs order in which we should read his books. Isn't such an order available for the English translations? Have a nice day and happy reading
Thank you for your comment. That kind of list may be available in English. I have just picked the books up as single volumes and read them as I have gotten therm.
American education is not great, I'm fairly certain my first exposure to Balzac was as the brand name of a cloth balloon that was meant to be filled wih water that was advertized on saturday morning cartoons. I bring this up to illustrate that even though I'm sure such a collection as you bring up exists in English, it would undoubtedly be a specialty product geared to specialists and collectors rather than the casual reader looking to get started.
I'm a student of the philology in Moscow. And next semester we're going to study the realistic literature of the 19th century and of course Balzac is included. At the moment I'm reading his 'Wild Ass skin' and I had no idea that it could be a novel you shouldn't start to read Balzac with 😮 I thought it was fascinating
I find it interesting that your course chose The Wild Ass Skin for an example of realistic 19th Century since it centers on a magical object. Anywhere you start with Balzac is a good place to start, but I didn’t enjoy the magical element of the story. I’m glad you are enjoying it and I hope you will continue to read Balzac.
Balzac is a realist in pure observation of material facts, yet also a major Romanticist in his invention of plot and incident. Everything is exaggerated in Balzac.
I was force-fed Old Goriot in college and did not like it at all. I didn’t touch Balzac for 20 years. Last year, I decided to give him another try. I read Eugenie Grandet and loved it. Then Colonel Chabert (loved it), and An Old Maid (an unmarried woman as an object of ridicule, not my cup of tea). I will read some more, and may even give another chance to Goriot.
That’s exactly the same that I experienced… I was made to study Le Père Goriot, in French, as the first ever French novel I had to read…when I was 17/18.. Sadly, it was a horrendously horrible difficult experience, , bordering on the impossible… My French teacher was perhaps overly enthusiastic about diving straight into one of the giants of French Literature, but I don’t think it was a good idea to dive headlong into Balzac, as the first ever French novel for a 17/18 year old, still trying to master French…it was far, far too difficult… It totally put me off Balzac for about 30 years….but I am going to try reading it again…
I haven't really explored a lot of French classics yet, I really want to try out Balzac, Hugo, Zola and Dumas. I like that it seems like the French write a lot about class struggles.
I recently acquired a copy of Balzac works (published in 1925) featuring a number of short novelettes. Of the following, which would you recommend I start with? The Girl with Golden Eyes A Princess' Secrets The Imaginary Mistress The Vendetta Honorine The Sceaux Ball Gobseck The Firm of Nucingen The Commission in Lunacy Colonel Chabert The Unconscious Mummers A Second Home Gambara Melmoth Reconciled The Maranas Maitre Cornelius At the Sign of the Cat and Racket The Ruggieri's Secret Massimilla Doni The Abbe Birotteau A Forsaken Lady Farewell Gaudissart the Great The Napoleon of the People A Passion in the Desert
I want to say _Lost Illusions_ . It goes deeper in terms of showing society and corruption etc. But it is similar in basic structure to _Pere Goriot_ . Since you’ve already read a Balzac _Colonel Chabert_ can wait. _The Black Sheep_ , _Cousin Bette_, _Eugenie Grandet are all good, but different from one another. _Cousin Bette_ is great, but pretty cynical. _Eugenie Grandet_ is shorter and a little less cynical.
I had no idea you were a fellow Balzac fan; Lost Illusions is one of my very favorite novels ever. Have you read Eugenie Grandet? I read it recently and loved it. It is more like Pere Goriot in terms of scale and structure, rather than the more multi-phased complex novels of Balzac's you and I both prefer, but it really is excellent.
@@BookishTexan I have not yet read The Black Sheep; I keep a constant eye out for it when I am out for books. I am very much looking forward to it when I do find a copy: it will become my readerly priority. That, along with A Harlot High and Low, since it is the follow-up to Lost Illusions (again, a great favorite of mine, especially the "Two Poets" phase of the book). I don't suppose you happen to be an admirer of Emile Zola as well, do you?
@@TheBookedEscapePlan I had to resort to Amazon for those Balzac titles. I have only read two Zola novels, Germinal and His Masterpiece. I liked the first more than the second.
@@BookishTexan Germinal is a masterpiece. The Masterpiece is not. It's a pretty good book, but Zola has so much stronger writing in his oeuvre. As for ordering books: I am interested in so many different things that if I don't come across a good novel while in the bookstore, I'm bound to find something. A math book, a music book, a volume of poetry, a history book. Ordering books is something I have thankfully largely been able to avoid. I'm sure I'll find used copies of The Black Sheep and A Harlot High and Low someday. And then I shall feast on a revisitation to Lost Illusions in preparation for the Courtesans.
I’ve read a few Balzac: Old Geriot, Cousin Betty, and Wild Ass’s Skin. Lost Illusions is on my radar. I have a huge omnibus of Balzac, but the translations are old public domain so probably not the best.
I also had to read "Papá Goriot" in Spanish. Don't remember a thing. I hauled a few Balzac ever since Cousin Pons, which I enjoyed. Thanks for the guidance.
The truth is that when I made this I hadn’t read any of Balzac’s short stories and even now I haven’t read many. I have read a few of his shorter novels/novelas
This is so good, Brian! Such a helpful framing and very astute. And valuable, for me, since I haven’t read Balzac. Only until the last few years have I wanted to pick up any classics. Millennial contrarian fever had me for decades, I guess.
Thanks Fraser. When I first started reading Balzac one of the things I liked was how much more direct his writing is than that of many other 19th Century writers
haha 'Millennial contrarian fever' thats a good one. I'm glad you've begun to pick up the classics! I think they're classic for a reason, and that everyone should read both classic and contemporary literature, at least a little of each if they prefer one or the other!
I'm reading Eugénie Grandet right now and so far really enjoying it. I've only ever read Per Goriot by him before. What do you think of some of his French contemporaries, or near contemporaries? I enjoy Maupassant’s work a lot, both his short stories and his novels. I just noticed that he was born about two weeks before Balzac died.
So I was checking out the band balzac. I wasn't expecting this but welcomed. I had no idea balzac was a author but I'd like to check it out? Maybe video for balzac newbs? Where do i start?
I can’t remember which books I said to start with in this video and to be honest I change my recommendations all the time. But right now I would suggest starting with: Old Goriot The Black Sheep Or Colonel Chabert
Thank you. I think _Cousin Bette_ is a masterpiece. I do think it might help to have read another Balzac first because he does have his own style and themes, BUT starting with _Cousin Bette_ would not be a bad idea.
I did start with Pere Goriot and really enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading more Balzac in the future. Have you read Catherine de Medici? I like history and thought it would be interesting to hear Balzac's take on Catherine, but from the review I looked at on Goodreads, it is hard to tell if the book really is about Catherine or if it is about other things? Also, what did you think of Ursula Mirouet? Thanks for your insights Brian!
Maybe this will see me picking up one of his books. Although I haven't decided on the language I want to read it in. I keep thinking I could go for a German translation, but so often I enjoy English translations more. And my French is not good enough to even consider although that would be grand LOL.
As product of the American education system which offers limited language options and my own laziness, I only have one option. All I learned from my French classes was how to ask for the time, order a ham sandwich, and the word for umbrella.
@@BookishTexan hahaha. I was really bad in French, but after 6 years I could do more. Although when I found my copy of Le Petit Prince a few years ago and thought to read it again I couldn't even understand my own annotations anymore, so I must have been doing okay at some point.
good video... but i would say all the books you show are pretty good... there are some balzac novels that are really boring, but you mentioned none of them... i agree "the wild ass skin" is an outlier in balzac works because of the supernatural setting but i also think it was maybe an inspiration for oscar wilde's "dorian gray"
@@BookishTexan Beatrix and "Le Lys dans la vallee" (don't know the english title) are imho targeted to female readers (or to impress madame hanska)... they are maybe interesting for readers who are interested in romance, but imho balzac was not a master in this special genre... great descriptions of the countryside though... also not a big fan of "la medecin de campagne"...
I always thought I'd read Balzac but in fact I think it was always De Maupassant. Seems I remember some oddity in their birth/ death dates. I do remember asking for Balzac in a very popular book store and had to explain that there was in fact a z in the name. I think he has fallen out of favor with younger readers.
Yes, Balzac has not faired well in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, which is a shame because lots of stuff happens in a Balzac novel compared to classic novels that we make required reading. I can imagine getting some strange looks when requesting a book by him in a bookstore.
I started with Les Choans. I realized quickly I had to learn about the French Revolution and the Vendee. once I got some historical information it became much easier to read. The Ass's Skin was ok but it was too philosophical for me and yes, the magic in it really deviated from his realism. It doesn't seem to fit the rest of his work. It felt more like a potboiler that was written on the side, too commercial.
I’ve never read Les Choans. I have a copy, but it is one of those print on demand things and it’s not formatted well and there are no page numbers so I couldn’t read it.
Brian, you will not believe what I found at work today. (Hint: It pertains to our resent comment exchange to this video of yours.) Also, I apologize for foolishly not noticing your profile is a photograph of the great man himself; I'm digitally illiterate, you see.
I appreciate anyone who posts anything here about great lit, and Balzac is a great writer. However, I disagree with this person re The Wild Ass’s Skin. It is a fine novel, despite some lulls here and there, and it’d be a good first Balzac. It does have a supernatural element, but it does not detract from its essential realism. This is also true of Maupassant, Gogol, Pushkin, and many others. It’s not, as this person suggests, an either/or thing; many realists include supernatural elements in their fiction. I agree, though, that Pete Goriot is probably the best Balzac starting point.
Great novelist particulary in entertainment value, class analysis with trashy melodramatic plots, no wonder Karl Marx loved his books so much. Père Goriot and Lost Illusions are master classes in compelling characters and plot, Eugénie Grandet I find to be trashy in a bad way.
Thank you Brian for an interesting video, I am now tempted to try Balzac next year . Hope you and your family have an enjoyable Christmas and New Year. Kind regards.
Thank you Michael. I hope you will give Balzac a shot. Happy Christmas and New Year to you and yours.
I started with Sarrasine. Loved it so much that I'm planning on reading all his novels. I fell in love with his writing style. Next one is Le lys dans la vallée. Amazing video, thank you!
The great thing about Balzac is that there is so much to read. I have not read either of the two titles you mentioned, but I did just finish listening to _Gobseck_ as an audiobook. It was my first audiobook of Bazac and I think I am going to stick to reading physical copies or e-books of his work from now on. An essential part of the experience was missing.
@@BookishTexan I also wouldn't listen to it in audiobook form, now that I know his writing style. I think I'd miss too much. :)
@@ProseAndPetticoats Exactly.
Thanks for video. I started with Eugenie Grandet and am now listening to Father Goriot. Love them both. Wonderful descriptive writer.
There is something about Balzac’s writing and characters that I love but can’t describe. Eugenie Grandet, like many of his books, starts off so slowly but then becomes such a rich story. Old Goriot is one of the best. Thanks for watching. Hope you continue reading Balzac.
Père Goriot is exactly where I started with Balzac. It's an amazing book, I wouldn't say definitively his best, but certainly an all-time masterpiece of the novel genre.
The second one I read was Eugenie Grandet, because for some reason Goriot and Eugenie Grandet are the two most common Balzac books in libraries in my state.
@@carlos_herrera Both are good places to start with Balzac. The same thing is true of libraries and bookstores around here, though I do find a copy of Cousin Bette from time to time.
The first book I read by Balzac was the NYRB edition of selected stories from 'The Human Comedy.' As a Chekhov fan, it was the perfect way to start reading through his oeuvre.
I will have to look for that NYRB collection. Thanks for the suggestion.
Ironically i started balzac with the wild ass’s skin. Saw on Wikipedia it was the last book freud read before his assisted suicide so i thought id give it a shot. It felt a bit extended at certain parts and rushed in others (especially the last 1/3 of the book) but I really enjoyed it and it got me hooked on Balzac. I will say it is a bit different than Balzac’s other works with the supernatural element but I think it has its own merit and was one of the more memorable books of Balzac that I read and I definitely will re-read it at some point in the future. I should note that I read the oxford classics edition, which had many pages of notes in the back.
I'm glad you are hooked on Balzac. I think _The Wild Asses Skin_ is just not for me. Probably because it is so different.
Thank you for your comment.
That book is amazing. I read it straight through. So intense.
Honorary ballsack
Thank you for your interesting video. A couple of years ago I bought Balzacs complete works of his 'Human Comedy' (German edition) in 12 volumes which follows Balzacs order in which we should read his books. Isn't such an order available for the English translations? Have a nice day and happy reading
Thank you for your comment.
That kind of list may be available in English. I have just picked the books up as single volumes and read them as I have gotten therm.
American education is not great, I'm fairly certain my first exposure to Balzac was as the brand name of a cloth balloon that was meant to be filled wih water that was advertized on saturday morning cartoons.
I bring this up to illustrate that even though I'm sure such a collection as you bring up exists in English, it would undoubtedly be a specialty product geared to specialists and collectors rather than the casual reader looking to get started.
I'm a student of the philology in Moscow. And next semester we're going to study the realistic literature of the 19th century and of course Balzac is included. At the moment I'm reading his 'Wild Ass skin' and I had no idea that it could be a novel you shouldn't start to read Balzac with 😮
I thought it was fascinating
I find it interesting that your course chose The Wild Ass Skin for an example of realistic 19th Century since it centers on a magical object. Anywhere you start with Balzac is a good place to start, but I didn’t enjoy the magical element of the story. I’m glad you are enjoying it and I hope you will continue to read Balzac.
Balzac is a realist in pure observation of material facts, yet also a major Romanticist in his invention of plot and incident. Everything is exaggerated in Balzac.
I was force-fed Old Goriot in college and did not like it at all. I didn’t touch Balzac for 20 years. Last year, I decided to give him another try. I read Eugenie Grandet and loved it. Then Colonel Chabert (loved it), and An Old Maid (an unmarried woman as an object of ridicule, not my cup of tea). I will read some more, and may even give another chance to Goriot.
Sorry you didn’t like _Old Goriot_ but glad you liked the others. I usually alternate between recommending _ The Black Sheep_ and _Eugenie Grandet_
That’s exactly the same that I experienced…
I was made to study Le Père Goriot, in French, as the first ever French novel I had to read…when I was 17/18..
Sadly, it was a horrendously horrible difficult experience, , bordering on the impossible…
My French teacher was perhaps overly enthusiastic about diving straight into one of the giants of French Literature, but I don’t think it was a good idea to dive headlong into Balzac, as the first ever French novel for a 17/18 year old, still trying to master French…it was far, far too difficult…
It totally put me off Balzac for about 30 years….but I am going to try reading it again…
I haven't really explored a lot of French classics yet, I really want to try out Balzac, Hugo, Zola and Dumas. I like that it seems like the French write a lot about class struggles.
I think you are right about the French and class struggles. I read abridged versions of Hugo and Dumas in high school, but I need to go back.
I recently acquired a copy of Balzac works (published in 1925) featuring a number of short novelettes. Of the following, which would you recommend I start with?
The Girl with Golden Eyes
A Princess' Secrets
The Imaginary Mistress
The Vendetta
Honorine
The Sceaux Ball
Gobseck
The Firm of Nucingen
The Commission in Lunacy
Colonel Chabert
The Unconscious Mummers
A Second Home
Gambara
Melmoth Reconciled
The Maranas
Maitre Cornelius
At the Sign of the Cat and Racket
The Ruggieri's Secret
Massimilla Doni
The Abbe Birotteau
A Forsaken Lady
Farewell
Gaudissart the Great
The Napoleon of the People
A Passion in the Desert
I haven’t read all of those, but if those that I have read I think Colonel Chabert is the best place to start.
I am so glad I didn't start with the wrong ones but now I really want to read Père Goriot.
Haha! _Pere Goriot_ has a little bit of everything great about Balzac I think.
Thanks so much for this... exactly what I needed to hear. Cheers!!
I started with Pere Goriot as recommended, and really enjoyed it! What should I read next?
I want to say _Lost Illusions_ . It goes deeper in terms of showing society and corruption etc. But it is similar in basic structure to _Pere Goriot_ . Since you’ve already read a Balzac _Colonel Chabert_ can wait. _The Black Sheep_ , _Cousin Bette_, _Eugenie Grandet are all good, but different from one another. _Cousin Bette_ is great, but pretty cynical. _Eugenie Grandet_ is shorter and a little less cynical.
@@BookishTexan Thanks! I’ll read Lost Illusions and then Cousin Bette.
@@BookishTexan Thanks!
I had no idea you were a fellow Balzac fan; Lost Illusions is one of my very favorite novels ever. Have you read Eugenie Grandet? I read it recently and loved it. It is more like Pere Goriot in terms of scale and structure, rather than the more multi-phased complex novels of Balzac's you and I both prefer, but it really is excellent.
I AM in deed a fan. I love Eugenie Grandet and agree it matches nicely with Old Goriot. Have you read The Black Sheep?
@@BookishTexan I have not yet read The Black Sheep; I keep a constant eye out for it when I am out for books. I am very much looking forward to it when I do find a copy: it will become my readerly priority. That, along with A Harlot High and Low, since it is the follow-up to Lost Illusions (again, a great favorite of mine, especially the "Two Poets" phase of the book).
I don't suppose you happen to be an admirer of Emile Zola as well, do you?
@@TheBookedEscapePlan I had to resort to Amazon for those Balzac titles. I have only read two Zola novels, Germinal and His Masterpiece. I liked the first more than the second.
@@BookishTexan Germinal is a masterpiece. The Masterpiece is not. It's a pretty good book, but Zola has so much stronger writing in his oeuvre.
As for ordering books: I am interested in so many different things that if I don't come across a good novel while in the bookstore, I'm bound to find something. A math book, a music book, a volume of poetry, a history book. Ordering books is something I have thankfully largely been able to avoid. I'm sure I'll find used copies of The Black Sheep and A Harlot High and Low someday. And then I shall feast on a revisitation to Lost Illusions in preparation for the Courtesans.
I’ve read a few Balzac: Old Geriot, Cousin Betty, and Wild Ass’s Skin. Lost Illusions is on my radar. I have a huge omnibus of Balzac, but the translations are old public domain so probably not the best.
I loved _Lost Illusions_ and highly recommend it.
Wild Ass' Skin reminded me immediately of The Picture of Dorian Grey, for obvious reasons!
Reading Lost Illusions now and loving it
I also had to read "Papá Goriot" in Spanish. Don't remember a thing. I hauled a few Balzac ever since Cousin Pons, which I enjoyed. Thanks for the guidance.
Thank you Alba. Hope you are able to spend time with family this Holiday season.
There are 3 Balzac novels on my list! Pere goriot is one of them. Fantastic!! Very helpful ☺️
Huzzah! I hope you will enjoy it.
I wish you talked about some of short stories too like A Passion in the Desert. The line about what the desert is like has stuck with me until now
The truth is that when I made this I hadn’t read any of Balzac’s short stories and even now I haven’t read many. I have read a few of his shorter novels/novelas
Started Goriot a few nights ago. Instantly drawn in. "Unknown Masterpiece" does sound interesting.
That I s exactly what happened to me with _Old Goriot_ . _The Unknown Masterpiece_ is good, weird and not typical, but good.
This is so good, Brian! Such a helpful framing and very astute. And valuable, for me, since I haven’t read Balzac. Only until the last few years have I wanted to pick up any classics. Millennial contrarian fever had me for decades, I guess.
Thanks Fraser. When I first started reading Balzac one of the things I liked was how much more direct his writing is than that of many other 19th Century writers
haha 'Millennial contrarian fever' thats a good one. I'm glad you've begun to pick up the classics! I think they're classic for a reason, and that everyone should read both classic and contemporary literature, at least a little of each if they prefer one or the other!
Great video, Brian! I've been meaning to check out Balzac for years - this video is so useful.
Thank you Sean (Shawn?). I hope you will like which ever title you choose to read.
@@BookishTexan I spell my name "Sean," yes. Have a nice holiday!
I’ve been waiting for you to do the Balzac edition of this series! Thank you, Brian!!
Thank you. Good luck with your Tolstoy reading.
I'm reading Eugénie Grandet right now and so far really enjoying it. I've only ever read Per Goriot by him before. What do you think of some of his French contemporaries, or near contemporaries? I enjoy Maupassant’s work a lot, both his short stories and his novels. I just noticed that he was born about two weeks before Balzac died.
I have never read Maupassant though I have a book of his short stories. I hope to get to them soon.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Have you read the new MacKenzie translations of Lost Illusions and Lost Souls (A Harlot High and Low)? I might start with those.
I have not. I read both in a slightly older Penguin Classics edition. Both are great books.
I inherited a really old copy of "Cousin Betty". Is that a good place to start?
@@beonoc That is a great book. Might not have been my first choice as a place to start, but it should be fine.
So I was checking out the band balzac. I wasn't expecting this but welcomed. I had no idea balzac was a author but I'd like to check it out? Maybe video for balzac newbs? Where do i start?
I can’t remember which books I said to start with in this video and to be honest I change my recommendations all the time. But right now I would suggest starting with:
Old Goriot
The Black Sheep
Or
Colonel Chabert
Great video! Thanks for the recommendations. What about Cousin Bette? Good or bad place to start?
Thank you.
I think _Cousin Bette_ is a masterpiece. I do think it might help to have read another Balzac first because he does have his own style and themes, BUT starting with _Cousin Bette_ would not be a bad idea.
I love this series even when it is about an author I have already started.
Thank you Roz.
I'm starting with bio by Stefan Zweig. My copy of the old book was printed in 1946. Guess I want to understand the man first.
Solid idea.
Finally, the Balzac edition! Based on the three books you described for where to start, I think I am leaning toward The Black Sheep.
I really like that one and even for a Balzac novel no one ever seems to talk about it.
I did start with Pere Goriot and really enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading more Balzac in the future. Have you read Catherine de Medici? I like history and thought it would be interesting to hear Balzac's take on Catherine, but from the review I looked at on Goodreads, it is hard to tell if the book really is about Catherine or if it is about other things? Also, what did you think of Ursula Mirouet? Thanks for your insights Brian!
I have not read Catherine de Medici. I wish I had. Sorry.
Thanks for the kind words Adam.
Maybe this will see me picking up one of his books. Although I haven't decided on the language I want to read it in. I keep thinking I could go for a German translation, but so often I enjoy English translations more. And my French is not good enough to even consider although that would be grand LOL.
As product of the American education system which offers limited language options and my own laziness, I only have one option. All I learned from my French classes was how to ask for the time, order a ham sandwich, and the word for umbrella.
@@BookishTexan hahaha. I was really bad in French, but after 6 years I could do more. Although when I found my copy of Le Petit Prince a few years ago and thought to read it again I couldn't even understand my own annotations anymore, so I must have been doing okay at some point.
good video... but i would say all the books you show are pretty good... there are some balzac novels that are really boring, but you mentioned none of them... i agree "the wild ass skin" is an outlier in balzac works because of the supernatural setting but i also think it was maybe an inspiration for oscar wilde's "dorian gray"
Thank you. Which Balzac novels did you find boring? Good point about The Wild Ass’s Skin and Dorian Grey.
@@BookishTexan Beatrix and "Le Lys dans la vallee" (don't know the english title) are imho targeted to female readers (or to impress madame hanska)... they are maybe interesting for readers who are interested in romance, but imho balzac was not a master in this special genre... great descriptions of the countryside though... also not a big fan of "la medecin de campagne"...
@@robertschobesberger6300 Thank you those two books are not ones that I have read.
I always thought I'd read Balzac but in fact I think it was always De Maupassant. Seems I remember some oddity in their birth/ death dates. I do remember asking for Balzac in a very popular book store and had to explain that there was in fact a z in the name. I think he has fallen out of favor with younger readers.
Yes, Balzac has not faired well in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, which is a shame because lots of stuff happens in a Balzac novel compared to classic novels that we make required reading. I can imagine getting some strange looks when requesting a book by him in a bookstore.
I started with Les Choans. I realized quickly I had to learn about the French Revolution and the Vendee. once I got some historical information it became much easier to read. The Ass's Skin was ok but it was too philosophical for me and yes, the magic in it really deviated from his realism. It doesn't seem to fit the rest of his work. It felt more like a potboiler that was written on the side, too commercial.
I’ve never read Les Choans. I have a copy, but it is one of those print on demand things and it’s not formatted well and there are no page numbers so I couldn’t read it.
It is good to know when a book is a sequel, haha. That is strange they don't mention that on the book anywhere. 🤔
It may actually be on there somewhere. . . . .
I truly believe that my love for Balzac stems from beginning with Cousin Bette.
It is a great novel.
Brian, you will not believe what I found at work today. (Hint: It pertains to our resent comment exchange to this video of yours.)
Also, I apologize for foolishly not noticing your profile is a photograph of the great man himself; I'm digitally illiterate, you see.
@@TheBookedEscapePlan The Black Sheep?
No worries. I almost never look at people’s profile pic.
@@BookishTexan That is exactly what I found.
I appreciate anyone who posts anything here about great lit, and Balzac is a great writer. However, I disagree with this person re The Wild Ass’s Skin. It is a fine novel, despite some lulls here and there, and it’d be a good first Balzac. It does have a supernatural element, but it does not detract from its essential realism. This is also true of Maupassant, Gogol, Pushkin, and many others. It’s not, as this person suggests, an either/or thing; many realists include supernatural elements in their fiction. I agree, though, that Pete Goriot is probably the best Balzac starting point.
I couldn't put the wild asses' skin down as a teenager
I wonder if I would have liked it more if I read it as a younger person?
Thanks for watching.
Great novelist particulary in entertainment value, class analysis with trashy melodramatic plots, no wonder Karl Marx loved his books so much. Père Goriot and Lost Illusions are master classes in compelling characters and plot, Eugénie Grandet I find to be trashy in a bad way.
Balzac...heh, heh...yeah😊