My reading tip of the day , Lost Illusions by Balzac. Do you know this book?

[Julie4]

To begin with, a few words about the author: Balzac wrote an immense work called the Comédie Humaine. With this work, Balzac wanted to create a "natural history of society", systematically exploring social groups and the workings of society, in order to paint a vast fresco of his era that could serve as a reference for future generations.

He divided his stories into three main groups: Études de mœurs, Études philosophiques and Études analytiques. The first is the largest, and is itself divided into six sections, exploring various social milieus and regions of France. The works are organically linked by several hundred characters, who are likely to reappear in various novels at different points in their lives.

Balzac wanted to describe the totality of reality, and was interested in realities hitherto ignored in literature as ugly or vulgar. In his various forms, he shows the rise of capitalism and the omnipotence of money, leading to the disappearance of nobility and the dissolution of social ties.

Illusions Perdues is therefore part of a much larger body of work.

Now here's the story

Lucien de Rubempré, an ambitious and ideally handsome young man from Angoulême, moves to Paris in search of literary glory. Dangerously adored by his own people - his sister, his best friend and future brother-in-law - he heads for the capital with no idea of the difficulties that await him.

He loses all his illusions as he discovers the vileness of the publishing world. In the end, he opted for a career in journalism, which seemed to offer him a good return and a temporary, illusory glory. As a result of political intrigues that his naivety and pride could not have foreseen, Lucien finds himself condemned to poverty and the ruin of his family...

[RavVid]

I have heard of Balzac but never read. Sounds like his subject area and time period would be of interest to me. I struggle with 19th century authors and their paragraph long sentences however.

[Julie4]

"The Journal, instead of being a priesthood, has become a means for parties; from a means, it has become a trade; and like all trades, it is without faith or law. Every newspaper is, as Blondet says, a shop where they sell to the public words of whatever color they want them. If there existed a journal of hunchbacks, it would prove night and morning the beauty, the goodness, the necessity of hunchbacks. A journal is no longer made to enlighten but to flatter opinions.

Thus, all the newspapers will be, in a given time, cowards, hypocrites, infamous, liars, assassins; they will kill ideas, systems, men, and will flourish for that very reason. They will have the benefit of all beings of reason: the evil will be done without anyone being guilty of it. I will be Vignon, you will be Lousteau, you Blondet, you Finot, of the Aristides, of the Platos, of the Catos, of the men of Plutarch; we will all be innocent, we can wash our hands of all infamy.

Napoleon gave the reason for this moral or immoral phenomenon, as you will please, in a sublime phrase dictated to him by his studies on the Convention: Collective crimes do not bind anyone. The newspaper can afford the most atrocious conduct, no one thinks they are personally sullied by it. "

[RavVid]

I like the way Napoleon cut to the chase. He was very right on this and pertinent to today. I prefer Napoleon's take to Balzac's I have to say. I would struggle with Balzac.

[Julie4]

The entire text was written by Balzac

[RavVid]

Can see the quote marks now. :) Was Balzac quoting Napoleon or was giving what he thought Napoleon would say

[Julie4]

With this sentence, "Collective crimes commit no one", he quotes Napoleon. The rest of the text is all by Balzac.

[RavVid]

Ah. The sentence I liked was "The newspaper can afford the most atrocious conduct, no one thinks they are personally sullied by it".

So I must apologize to Balzac.

[Christoff92]

Honestly I don't

[Julie4]

If you have the opportunity, I recommend reading it.