The Human Comedy: Introductions and Appendix
This short companion volume to Honoré de Balzac's Human Comedy brings together three pieces that help a reader find a way into the vast cycle of novels. It opens with George Saintsbury's introduction and brief biography, which takes as its key Balzac's early remark to his sister that without genius he was finished, and traces his years of struggle, debts and enormous labor. An appendix lists the works of La Comédie humaine by their French and English titles, arranged in Balzac's own divisions: scenes of private, provincial, Parisian, political, military and country life, and the philosophical studies. The volume closes with Balzac's own introduction of 1842, in which he compares his study of society to the natural history of species. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the opening pages are free.
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Frequently asked questions about The Human Comedy: Introductions and Appendix
The Human Comedy: Introductions and Appendix by Honoré de Balzac can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
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The first chapter of The Human Comedy: Introductions and Appendix is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is The Human Comedy: Introductions and Appendix in the public domain?
Yes. The Human Comedy: Introductions and Appendix by Honoré de Balzac is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read The Human Comedy: Introductions and Appendix?
About 1 h 13 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is The Human Comedy: Introductions and Appendix?
The Human Comedy: Introductions and Appendix by Honoré de Balzac is filed under "Fiction" in the Vinteuil library.
