Lost Illusions

Unique Elements Historical Context Detailed 19th Century Historical Map An Essential Literary Classic by Honoré de Balzac Lost Illusions by French author Honoré de Balzac is a serial novel written by the writer between 1837 and 1843. This edition features the English translation by Ellen Marriage. Read An Excerpt ‘From this time forward, vague rumors reported the existence of a great man in Angoumois. Mme. de Bargeton was praised on all sides for the interest which she took in this young eagle. No sooner was her conduct approved than she tried to win a general sanction. She announced a soiree, with ices, tea, and cakes, a great innovation in a city where tea, as yet, was sold only by druggists as a remedy for indigestion. The flower of Angoumoisin aristocracy was summoned to hear Lucien read his great work.’ Synopsis Poor and unsophisticated, the talented young poet, Lucien Chardon, is nevertheless extremely ambitious and determined to make a name for himself. When he is sponsored by a patroness, the alluring but duplicitous Madame de Bargeton, he makes his way to Paris, preparing to launch himself into the dazzling beau monde of the city, but he soon realizes he has entered a world far more treacherous than he had anticipated. Eventually he comes to understand that money and unscrupulousness are far more valuable assets than talent. An unapologetically satirical narrative that juxtaposes provincial life and aristocratic society, Lost Illusions is a keystone novel in Balzac's sprawling magnum opus, La Comedie humaine, a collection of some 100 plays and novels that offer a vivid panorama of French life in the 1820s and 1830s. Title Details English translation by Ellen Marriage Literary fiction 5.5 x 8.5 in Matte Cover White Paper