Balzac

"Balzac" by Frederick Lawton is an early 20th-century biography that examines the life and impact of Honoré de Balzac, a significant 19th-century author celebrated for his "La Comédie Humaine" series. It looks at Balzac's life experiences and how the changing society of France influenced his work, giving readers a look into his personality and the literary world of that era. The story begins by showing France in the early 1800s as a disrupted society trying to rebuild after major events. Lawton explains how the French Revolution and later political problems affected literature and culture. He highlights that Balzac's life and writing were closely connected, suggesting that knowing about his personal life is important to understanding his books, and it paints a picture of a person greatly involved with the difficulties of society, setting up the reader for a more detailed look at his life.