Katharine Prescott Wormeley Book order

Reprint of the original, first published in 1863.

History of the Thirteen is a trilogy written by Honoré de Balzac: Ferragus is the first part, the second is La Duchesse de Langeais and the third is The Girl with the Golden Eyes. The story is set around the year 1820. Auguste de Maulincour, a young cavalry officer, walking in a Parisian district of ill repute, sees from afar a young married woman, Clemence, with whom he is secretly in love. In the days that follow his arrival to Paris, Auguste uncovers the secrets of powerful and mysterious people and escapes several assassination attempts.

Balzac's work offers a detailed portrayal of post-Napoleonic French society through his extensive sequence, La Comédie humaine. His characters, rich in complexity and moral ambiguity, reflect a deep understanding of human nature. Notably, even inanimate objects and settings, like Paris, are infused with personality, enhancing the narrative's realism. This keen observation and representation of life have established Balzac as a pivotal figure in European literature, influencing notable writers and filmmakers alike.

In "The Lily of the Valley," Honoré de Balzac explores themes of love, duty, and societal constraints through the story of Felix de Vandenesse, who struggles with his feelings for a married woman. Set in early 19th-century France, the novel offers rich character development and a profound commentary on human relationships and social dynamics.

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.