The Thirteen - 9781546789949

Passionate and perceptive, the three short novels that make up Balzac's "History of the Thirteen" are concerned in part with the activities of a rich, powerful, sinister and unscrupulous secret society in nineteenth-century France. While the deeds of "The Thirteen" remain frequently in the background, however, the individual novels are concerned with exploring various forms of desire. A tragic love story, Ferragus depicts a marriage destroyed by suspicion, revelation and misunderstanding. The Duchess de Langeais explores the anguish that results when a society coquette tries to seduce a heroic ex-soldier, while "The Girl with the Golden Eyes" offers a frank consideration of desire and sexuality. Together, these works provide a firm and fascinating foundation for Balzac's many later portrayals of Parisian life in his great novel-cycle "The Human Comedy".

• | Author: Honoré De Balzac, Katharine Prescott Wormeley
• | Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• | Publication Date: May 19, 2017
• | Number of Pages: 354 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Paperback
• | ISBN-10: 1546789944
• | ISBN-13: 9781546789949