🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Honore de Balzac
Honore De Balzac was a French playwright and novelist who is famously known for the La Comedie Humaine book series. Due to his keen observation of details and an altered representation of society, Honore de Balzac is regarded as one of the main founders of realism in literature. Balzac is renowned for his unique and complex characters. In fact, his supporting characters are also exceedingly unique and complex, fully human and morally ambiguous. Furthermore, his inanimate objects are also filled with character, especially the city of Paris that the author gives human like qualities. Balzac’s work has influenced so many renowned authors such as Charles Dickens, Emela Zola, Jack Kerouac, Henry James and Akira Kurosawa. A majority of his works have been adapted into a screenplay.
All Book Series by Honore de Balzac
![The Old Maid, [and] the Cabinet of Antiquities book cover](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/P/1290933324.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg){kind=small}
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life / A Harlot High and Low
Book 25 of 36 · published 1838
The King's Sweetheart, The Maid of Thilouse, and The Reproach
Book 2 of 20 · published 1832
The Napolean of the People and El Verdugo
Book 4 of 20 · published 1833 Co-authored · Ellen Marriage,Clara Bell
A Marriage Settlement, And, Modeste Mignon: And Other Stories
Book 8 of 20 · published 1844
The Member For Arcis, The Seamy Side Of History, And Other Stories Part 2
Book 9 of 20 · published 1847 Co-authored · George Saintsbury
The Exiles, and Other Short Stories
Book 14 of 20 · published 2006 Co-authored · Clara Ball
The Celibates And Other Stories
Book 15 of 20 · published 2008 Co-authored · George Saintsbury,Clara Bell
At The Sign Of The Cat And Racket / The Ball At Sceaux / The Purse / Madame Firmiani / Pierrette
Book 16 of 20 · published 2009
The Chouans; The Gondreville Mystery, and Other Stories
Latest in the series · book 20 of 20 · published 2018
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Honore de Balzac?
Honore De Balzac was a French playwright and novelist who is famously known for the La Comedie Humaine book series. Due to his keen observation of details and an altered representation of society, Honore de Balzac is regarded as one of the main founders of realism in literature. Balzac is renowned for his unique and complex characters.
Which Honore de Balzac series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Human Comedy series, the earliest of Honore de Balzac's multi-book series: it opens with Gobseck (1830) and runs to 36 books across 1830–1929, ending with The Chouans (1929).
How many books has Honore de Balzac written?
Honore de Balzac has 85 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1823 and 2020. 37 of them belong to 2 named series — the largest being the Human Comedy series with 36 books — and 48 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Honore de Balzac's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Honore de Balzac's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Human Comedy (1830–1929, 36 books) and Les Illusions Perdues (1837, 1 book).
How are Honore de Balzac's books organised into series?
This guide splits Honore de Balzac's 85 books into 2 named series and 48 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Human Comedy (36 books, 1830–1929); Les Illusions Perdues (1 book, 1837).