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Father Goriot Kindle Edition

by Honoré de Balzac (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.2 404 ratings

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Monsieur Goriot is one of a disparate group of lodgers at Mademe Vauquer's dingy Parisian boarding house. At first his wealth inspires respect, but as his circumstances are mysteriously reduced he becomes shunned by those around him, and soon his only remaining visitors are his two beautifully dressed daughters. Goriot's fate is intertwined with two other fellow boarders: the young social climber Eugene Rastignac, who sees a way to gain the acceptance and wealth he craves, and the enigmatic figure of Vautrin, who is hiding darker secrets than anyone. Weaving a compelling and panoramic story of love, money, self-sacrifice, corruption, greed and ambition, Father Goriot is Balzac's acknowledged masterpiece. A key novel in his Comédie Humaine series, it is a vividly realized portrait of bourgeois Parisian society in the years following the French Revolution.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B077LCW8DY
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Green World Classics (May 13, 2020)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 13, 2020
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 455 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 334 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 8826404542

Best Sellers Rank: #14,657 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #5,118 in Romance (Kindle Store)

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4.2 404 ratings

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Honoré de Balzac
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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.
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4.2 out of 5

404 global ratings

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Drift in Progress

If you like high society dramas set in the 1800s, you're in for a treat.

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2017

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This quickly became one of my favorite books. I have loved American and Russian Literature for a long time, but never dabbled in French Literature, though I expect that I will start, now that I have read this.

This book had all of the drama and intrigue one might find in an F. Scott Fitzgerald or Mikhail Lermontov novel, but set in France, of course.

If you like high society dramas set in the 1800s, you're in for a treat.

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Lynda J Pearson

Thought provoking and worth it!

Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2013

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It was a challenging read. The bleakness of the setting and the characters' lives made it hard to get into the book. But, persevering is worth it as you get a glimpse at some universal challenges. Money its acquisition and use, raising entitled children, personal boundaries and growth. The ending was thought provoking and poignant, the title characters' life affecting the other main character's outlook and future. One wonders what he will create in others' lives.

2 people found this helpful

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illiandantic

Pretty Good, But Depressing

Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2013

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It's interesting that I've got what appears to be this same version of Honore de Balzac's "Father Goriot" (translated by Ellen Marriage), but Amazon no longer thinks so (the link from my invoice is dead). I assume it's because this is a slightly different "public domain" edition. Anyway, I was surprised that I found the book to be a pretty good read. Normally, I find Literature (with a capital "L") to be insufferable. Balzac actually has a good story here with good characterizations. The problems I have with it are two-fold. First, his descriptions of the settings are good but he tends to overdo them. The most obvious example of this is the very beginning of the book. A little over 11% of the book is devoted to the initial descriptions of the setting and characters (the first time I read the book, I almost put it down because of this). But, once you get past that first 11%, the actual story takes over and things smooth out. Second, like much of the Literature of the time, the story centers around shallow people climbing over the bodies of others (including family) to advance their own social situation and finances. It's very depressing. But, if you want some decent "capital 'L'" Literature to read, this is a good choice. I rate it at a Pretty Good 3 stars out of 5.

2 people found this helpful

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James Turney

A classic…

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2023

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…in every sense of the word. Truly an easy read, and a wonderful introduction to the world of Honore De Balzac.

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Pittsburghmom

Great book - I think there's a better translation out there, but it's free

Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2014

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I really enjoyed this book. Started reading it because Thomas Piketty references it in his book "Capital in the 21st Century" as it is, like many 19th century novels, openly concerned with financial matters as they affect human relations in a way that modern books aren't. Piketty points out that this is because we live in a more egalitarian society (or did, until recently) and do not have to kowtow to the wealthy for any hope of a decent life. In Pere Goriot, which takes place around 1810-1820, ordinary Parisian men have no hope of escaping extremely modest prospects even through the study of medicine or law, unless they marry a wealthy heiress. The hero, Rastignac, comes to Paris to study medicine and lives in a boarding house populated by down-on-their-luck rentiers, including Pere Goriot. He soon learns that to those who live in Parisian society, the pursuit of money becomes everything, even more important than family or honor.

5 people found this helpful

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Aaron Jollie

Paid off

Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2014

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Overall a good book. I couldn't relate to the characters though, but it focuses on the upper-crust and that ain't my crowd. Also a bit over-descriptive like many books from back then. I'd still recommend it to people if for nothing other than the vivid portrait of France in that timeframe. It's like a history book.

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Eric McDowell

Balzac: A masterful critic of human motivations

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2020

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Balzac understood the forces that drive human behavior and the selfish nature of motivations. This keen understanding is on display throughout PERE GORIOT, one of his best-known novels that certainly deserves its classic status. A cynical and ultimately tragic tale, Balzac's characterizations of a motley crew of lodgers are among some of the most memorable and fully realized in 19th century French literature. Not to be missed.

One person found this helpful

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2t

Good Book

Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2020

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It follows the ups and downs of everything. There are quite a few mature themes throughout the book, so some people may wish to supervise if they have any children that are interested in reading this novel.

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M.F

Great reading

Reviewed in Canada on January 3, 2021

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Nothing I disliked, liked it all

David Raymond

BALZAC'S BEST NOVEL

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2020

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The story is very much a parallel to his "Two Poets" trilogy containing several of the same characters. This edition is very well translated and easy to read, unlike some Kindle downloads I have tried which have clearly just used a Google translater app.

Prof. G.

Appalling translation

Reviewed in Spain on June 4, 2020

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Some examples:
"And you, too, will do the like; you who with this e-book (sic) to your white hand will sink again a number of the cushions of your armchair"
"will lay the blame of your sensibility"
"The accomodations-residence is Mme. Vauquer's very own belongings"

Did most of the previous reviewers read the book whilst under the effects of alcohol?

Were

CarlKindle

Good book, strange layout.

Reviewed in Italy on October 9, 2017

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The story os simple, but empathetic and deserves to be called a classic. However, the Kindle format was a cheap one.

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