Honoré de Balzac
AUTHOR

Honoré de Balzac

Literature & Fiction | Education & Learning
Honoré de Balzac (/ˈbɔːlzæk, ˈbæl-/; French: [ɔ.nɔ.ʁe d(ə) bal.zak], born Honoré Balzac, 20 May 1799 – 18 August 1850) was a French novelist and playwright. His magnum opus was a sequence of short stories and novels collectively entitled La Comédie Humaine, which presents a panorama of French life in the years after the 1815 Fall of Napoleon Bonaparte. Owing to his keen observation of detail and unfiltered representation of society, Balzac is regarded as one of the founders of realism in European literature. He is renowned for his multi-faceted characters; even his lesser characters are complex, morally ambiguous and fully human. Inanimate objects are imbued with character as well; the city of Paris, a backdrop for much of his writing, takes on many human qualities. His writing influenced many famous writers, including the novelists Émile Zola, Charles Dickens, Gustave Flaubert, Jack Kerouac and Henry James, as well as important philosophers such as Friedrich Engels. Many of Balzac's works have been made into films, and they continue to inspire other writers. An enthusiastic reader and independent thinker as a child, Balzac had trouble adapting to the teaching style of his grammar school. His willful nature caused trouble throughout his life and frustrated his ambitions to succeed in the world of business. When he finished school, Balzac was apprenticed in a law office, but he turned his back on the study of law after wearying of its inhumanity and banal routine. Before and during his career as a writer, he attempted to be a publisher, printer, businessman, critic, and politician; he failed in all of these efforts. La Comédie Humaine reflects his real-life difficulties, and includes scenes from his own experience. Balzac suffered from health problems throughout his life, possibly due to his intense writing schedule. His relationship with his family was often strained by financial and personal drama, and he lost more than one friend over critical reviews. In 1850, Balzac married Ewelina Hańska, a Polish aristocrat and his longtime love; he died in Paris five months later. Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Louis-Auguste Bisson [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Read more Read less
You're getting a free audiobook.

You're getting a free audiobook.

$14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Try Audible Premium Plus free

Featured Article: J'adore—The Best French Authors to Listen to Now


Ah, France—the food. The wine. The style. From the City of Lights to the countryside, France is one of the most popular tourist destination spots in the world. But whether your French travel plans are on hold or you’re ready to take a virtual trip now, French literature is one of the best ways to get to know France’s fascinating history, people, and culture. Discover three centuries of the best French authors and their greatest works.

Featured Article J'adore The Best French Authors to Listen to Now

Best Sellers

  • 12 Books to Read Before You Die, Volume 1 Audiobook By Robert Louis Stevenson, Mark Twain, Lewis Carroll, Luigi Pirandello, J

    Regular price: $29.95 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $29.95 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Illusions perdues Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $33.36 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $33.36 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Father Goriot Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $27.99 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $27.99 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Le Pere Goriot Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $19.95 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $19.95 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Le père Goriot Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $15.10 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $15.10 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Three Best French Short Stories by Guy de Maupassant, Honoré de Balzac, Gustave Flaubert Audiobook By Guy der Maupassa

    Regular price: $13.51 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $13.51 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Cousin Bette Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $20.30 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $20.30 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $25.62 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $25.62 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Cousin Bette Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $27.97 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $27.97 or 1 credit

    Included in Plus membership
    Free with Plus trial
  • Le Chef-d'œuvre inconnu Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $2.17 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $2.17 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Old Goriot Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $20.97 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $20.97 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • La Rabouilleuse Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $21.70 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $21.70 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Bilingual Classic Novels - Father Goriot Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $29.95 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $29.95 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Le Pere Goriot Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $34.97 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $34.97 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Colonel Chabert Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $8.40 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $8.40 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Las ilusiones perdidas [The Lost Illusions] Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $15.11 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $15.11 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Pere Goriot Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $38.95 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $38.95 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Le chef-d'œuvre inconnu Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $6.63 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $6.63 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Le médecin de campagne Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $15.59 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $15.59 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial
  • Eugénie Grandet Audiobook By Honoré de Balzac cover art

    Regular price: $20.99 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $20.99 or 1 credit

    Free with 30-day trial

Are you an author?

Help us improve our Author Pages by updating your bibliography and submitting a new or current image and biography.
Visit Amazon Author Central