Balzac

Graham Robb's biography delves into the life of Honore de Balzac, highlighting his dual nature as a brilliant novelist and a self-destructive figure. Balzac's journey is marked by struggles with poverty and literary failure, leading to a series of ambitious ventures and a long-distance romance with a Polish countess. Robb intertwines Balzac's tumultuous experiences with his contributions to the Realist literary tradition, portraying him as a tragi-comic hero whose influence resonates far beyond France.