Honoré de Balzac was a great French writer who, as Leo Tolstoy defined it, was someone "from whom everyone learned to write in his day." In the numerous novels of his "La Comédie humaine," he recreated a motley, cruel, and multifaceted world, reflecting the lives of all classes of the society of his time. The book "Droll Stories" stands apart in Balzac's body of work. It is a collection of playful and amusing novellas, stylized after Boccaccio and Rabelais, in which—in contrast to the sad, romantic motifs fashionable at the time—Gallic vivacity and cheerfulness are resurrected, with the action moved to the distant past. Vivid, extraordinary plots, descriptions of refined amorous pleasures, incredible adventures, expressive characters (many of whom are real historical figures, including monarchs and libertines), and magnificent humor have ensured the enduring popularity of "Droll Stories" among the general public, despite indignant accusations of obscenity from critics.
This edition includes all of Balzac's "Droll Stories," including five tales that were not published during the author's lifetime. The texts are accompanied by selected illustrations by Gustave Doré (1832-1883), whose magnificent, lively depictions of the characters in "Droll Stories" have remained unsurpassed.
Author: Honoré de Balzac
Illustrations: Gustave Doré
Pages: 704 (newsprint). Paperback
Dimensions: 180x115x30 mm
Series: Azbooka-Classics
