Honore de Balzac Books In Order

Publication Order of Human Comedy Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Les Illusions Perdues Books

Publication Order of La Comédie Humaine Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Honore De Balzac was a French playwright and novelist who is famously known for the La Comedie Humaine book series. Due to his keen observation of details and an altered representation of society, Honore de Balzac is regarded as one of the main founders of realism in literature. Balzac is renowned for his unique and complex characters. In fact, his supporting characters are also exceedingly unique and complex, fully human and morally ambiguous. Furthermore, his inanimate objects are also filled with character, especially the city of Paris that the author gives human like qualities. Balzac’s work has influenced so many renowned authors such as Charles Dickens, Emela Zola, Jack Kerouac, Henry James and Akira Kurosawa. A majority of his works have been adapted into a screenplay.

A year after he was under the care of a wet-nurse, Balzac joined his sister with whom they spent more than four years away from home. During this period, wet-nurses were exceedingly popular, though many authors encouraged mothers to take care of their children. Upon returning home with his sister, Balzac did not spend enough time, with his parents, and thus, he was greatly affected. When he was ten years old, Honore de Balzac was sent to Oratorian Grammar school. He attended the school for seven years. Seeking to instill the same working ethics, which had allowed him to gain self-esteem, Balzac’s father used to intentionally give him less spending money. This, in turn, made the boy an easy target for bullying and ridicule.

As an independent and enthusiastic thinker, Honore de Balzac had trouble adjusting to the school’s teaching style. Balzac’s strong-minded nature caused him lots of trouble and also frustrated his ambitions to succeed in the world of business. Once he finished school, Honore de Balzac worked as a clerk. However, it did not take long before Balzac was disappointed with banal routine and inhumane nature of the job. During his career as an author, Honore de Balzac tried to be a printer, publisher, politician, and critic. However, Honore de Balzac failed completely in all these lines of work. In one of his works, Honore de Belzac reflects on his real-life challenges and has even included scenes from his life.

Pere Giriot

Of late the word drama has constantly been discredited; not only has the word been twisted but it has also been overworked. However, Honore de Balzac has done some great justice to the word drama, by authoring this outstanding novel, Pere Giriot. The storyline in this book is focused on two main characters, Eugene Rastignac a young student and Father Goriot. Goriot and Rastignac live together in one of the boarding houses in Paris, though separated by an exceedingly thin wall. Goriot is a father to lovely daughters, both of whom are married while Rastignac is still dependent on his parents. This book has everything from intrigue and murder through Vautrin, one of the characters in the book. Pere Giriot also has humor with the author using humorous conversations and banter.

Just like King Lear, Father Goriot loved his two daughters; however, he was still not successful in controlling them. In the end, they managed to drain him all of his wealth while constantly refusing to visit him even when he was on his deathbed. The author has done an excellent job of portraying how tailoring was considered to be a highly successful career; thus it made most men exceedingly successful.

The women who loved the high life were constantly fighting economic desperation, fighting unfaithful and stingy husbands and pawning jewelry. Eugene Ratignac is somehow fascinated and repulsed by the high society just like the way Balzac is. Honore de Balzac manages to pour himself enthusiastically into the story. Furthermore, the author has also managed to paint thousands of portraits in his literary works. With that said, the author has managed to capture an exceedingly important topic, the want for money, which was and still is an important theme. The author’s bejeweled rich and accurate descriptions are exceedingly wonderful especially when he was describing the boarding house and the impecunious mansion at the very beginning.

Letters of the Two Brides

This is an epistolary novel and is the third book in the La Comedie Humane series by Honore de Balzac. This installment was first serialized and published, by La Presse, a French newspaper in the year, 1841. Letters of the Two Brides is a story about two French women, Louise and Renee who eventually become close friends while working at the Carmelite convent. Once they leave Covent, they take different paths. Louise follows a life that is full of romance whereas Renee takes a logical approach. However, through their correspondence their relationship is preserved; hence it continues throughout the years. Louise is expected to take the veil. However, she refuses to sacrifice herself. By good luck, her dying mother intervenes and donates her fortune. By doing this, she rescues Louise from an enclosed life and leaves her financially independent. Since she has the ability to assist her brothers without necessarily having to give up on her ambitions, Louise decides to settle in Paris and decides to indulge herself in Paris’s opera life, romantic intrigue and masque balls.

While working at the Operas, Lose falls in love with Felipe Henarez, a noble Spaniard. Expelled from Spain, Felipe lives in Paris and survives by teaching the residents Spanish. When Felipe regains his noble standing and fortune, he successfully woes Louise. It does not take long before the two, get married and lead a carefree life. Unlike Louise who believes in romance, Renee’s attitude towards romance is very different. Once she left the convent, Renee moved to Provence where she married an older man for his wealth and not out of love. Renee gives birth to three children and over the years that followed, she devoted her soul and body to her family. As time went by, Renee learned to love her husband, and through Renee’s encouragement, the man can make a name for himself in the local politics. The man eventually becomes a peer of France.

With that said, the letter of the two brides is an exceptionally written drama. It is a story about friendship, marriage, and love. The author’s style of writing is exceptional, thus if you haven’t read any of his books before, you are going to fall in love with the author.