Due to his eye for details and unfiltered representation of society, Honore de Balzac is regarded as one of the founders of realism in European literature. He was famous for his characters, who were complicated, morally ambiguous and fully human.

Even the backdrops in his writings were imbued with human qualities. His writing influenced many famous authors, including the novelists Marcel Proust, Emile Zola, Charles Dickens, Gustave Flaubert, Henry James and Jack Kerouac, 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. After writing several novels, in 1832 Balzac conceived the idea for an enormous series of books that would paint a panoramic portrait of "all aspects of society".

The moment the idea came to him, Balzac raced to his sister's apartment and proclaimed: "I am about to become a genius!" It eventually became known as La Comedic Humaine, and he included in it all the fiction that he had published in his lifetime under his own name.

This was to be Balzac's life work and his greatest achievement. This collection includes some of his most memorable stories, including The Message, The Fair Imperia Married, and The Merry Tattle of the Nuns of Poissy. These stories will give you a glimpse into his literary accomplishment and a taste of his unparalleled style.

Embassy Books proudly presents this book as part of the Embassy Classics Series, which comprises of some of the finest literary works of great authors.