Complete list of summaries and reviews of stories from La Comedie Humaine, by members of the Yahoo Balzac reading group. These titles are listed in alphabetical order by their English title, with the original French title in brackets, and cross-referenced when the title is translated in different ways.
If a story has a link, it has a summary. Additional summaries or review/s are also noted.
About Catherine de’ Medici: The Ruggieri’s Secret (Sur Catherine de Médicis: La Confidence des Ruggieri)
About Catherine de’ Medici: The Two Dreams (Sur Catherine de Médicis: Les Deux Rêves)
About Catherine de’ Medici: The Calvinist Martyr (Sur Catherine de Médicis: Le Martyr Calviniste)
Adieu: See Farewell, below
Albert Savarus
The Alkahest/ The Quest for the Absolute (La recherche de l’Absolu)
Another Study of Woman (Autre Ètude de femme)
At the Sign of the Cat and Racquet(Racket)/ Fame and Sorrow (La Maison du Chat-qui Pelote)
The Atheist’s Mass (La Messe de l’Athée)
A Bachelor’s Establishment/The Two Brothers/ The Black Sheep (Le Célibataires: Un Ménage de garçon): See The Celibates: A Bachelor’s Establishment, below
The Ball at Sceaux (Le Bal de Sceaux)
Béatrix
The Black Sheep/ A Bachelor’s Establishment/The Two Brothers (Le Célibataires: Un Ménage de garçon) See The Celibates: A Bachelor’s Establishment, below
The Brotherhood of Consolation: The Initiate (L’Envers de l’Histoire Contemporaine: L’Initié), See The Seamy Side of History, below
The Brotherhood of Consolation: Madame de la Chanterie (L’Envers de l’Histoire Contemporaine: Madame de la Chanterie): See The Seamy Side of History, below
Bureaucracy (Les Employés)
The Cabinet of Antiquities/ The Collection of the Antiquities (Les Rivalités: Le Cabinet des Antiques): See The Jealousies of a Country Town II, below
The Calvinist Martyr (Sur Catherine de Médicis: Le Martyr Calviniste): See About Catherine de Medici, above
Cesar Birotteau/ The Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau (Grandeur et Décadence de César Birotteau)
The Celibates: A Bachelor’s Establishment/The Black Sheep/ The Two Brothers (Le Célibataires: Un Ménage de garçon)
The Celibates: The Black Sheep (Le Célibataires: Un Ménage de garçon), See The Celibates: A Bachelor’s Establishment, above
The Celibates: The Two Brothers (Un Ménage de garçon), See The Celibates: A Bachelor’s Establishment, above
The Celibates: The Vicar of Tours (Le Célibataires: Le Curé de Tours)
The Chouans (Les Chouans)
Christ in Flanders (Jésus-Christ en Flandre)
The Collection of Antiquities/ The Cabinet of the Antiquities (Les Rivalités: Le Cabinet des Antiques) See The Jealousies of a Country Town II, below
Colonel Chabert (Le Colonel Chabert)
Comedians Without Knowing It (Les Comédiens sans le savoir): See The Unconscious Comedians, below
The Commission in Lunacy/ The Interdiction (L’Interdiction)
The Conscript/ The Recruit (Le Réquisitionnaire)
The Country Doctor (Le Médecin de Campagne)
The Country Parson/ The Village Rector (Le Curé de Village)
Cousin Betty (Les Parents pauvres: La Cousine Bette): See Poor Relations below
Cousin Pons (Les Parents pauvres: Le Cousin Pons): See Poor Relations below
A Dark Affair/ The Gondreville Mystery/ An Historical Mystery/ A Murky Business/ A Shady Business (Une Ténébreuse Affaire): See The Gondreville Mystery, below
A Daughter of Eve (Une Fille d’Ève)
The Deputy of Arcis (Le Député d’Arcis)
The Deserted Woman (La Femme Abandonnée)
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris (Illusions Perdues: Un Grand homme de province à Paris): See Lost Illusions, below
Domestic Peace (La paix du Ménage)
A Double Family / A Double Life/ A Second Home (Une Double Famille)
A Drama on the Seashore (Un drame au bord de la Mer)
The Duchess of Langeais (Histoire des Treize: La Duchesse de Langeais) (The Thirteen): See The Thirteen: The Duchess of Langeais, below
The Elixir of Life (L’Élixir de longue Vie)
The End of Evil Ways (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes: Ou mènent les mauvais Chemins): See Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life, below
An Episode Under the Terror (Un Episode sous la Terreur)
Esther Happy (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes: Esther heureuse): See Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life, below
Eugénie Grandet
Eve and David (Lost Illusions) (Illusions Perdues: Eve and David): See Lost Illusions, below
The Executioner (El Verdugo)
The Exiles (Les Proscrits)
Facino Cane
The False Mistress/ The Imaginary Mistress (La Fausse Maîtresse)
Fame and Sorrow/At the Sign of the Cat and Racquet(Racket), (La Maison du Chat-qui Pelote): See At the Sign of the Cat and Racquet/ Racket, above
Farewell (Adieu)
Father Goriot (Le Père Goriot),
Ferragus (The Thirteen) (Histoire des Treize: Ferragus): See The Thirteen: Ferragus, below
The Firm of Nucingen (La Maison Nucingen)
Gambara
Gaudissart the Great/The Illustrious Gaudissart (Les Parisiens en province: L’Illustre Gaudissart): See Parisians in the Country: Gaudissart the Great
Gaudissart II: See Parisians in the Country: The Illustrious Gaudissart
The Girl with the Golden Eyes (Histoire des Treize: La fille aux Yeux d’Or): See The Thirteen: The Girl with the Golden Eyes, below
Gobseck
The Gondreville Mystery/ A Dark Affair/ An Historical Mystery/ A Murky Business/ A Shady Business (Une Ténébreuse Affaire)
The Government Clerks (Les Employés)
La Grande Brêteche
A Great Man of the Provinces in Paris (Lost Illusions) (Illusions Perdues: Un Grand homme de province à Paris): See Lost Illusions, below
La Grenadière
A Harlot High and Low (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes): See Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life, below
The Hated Son (L’Enfant Maudit)
The Hidden Masterpiece/ The Unknown Masterpiece (Le Chef-d’oeuvre inconnu)
An Historical Mystery The Gondreville Mystery/ A Dark Affair/ A Murky Business/ A Shady Business(Une Ténébreuse Affaire). See The Gondreville Mystery, above
The History of the Thirteen: See The Thirteen, below
Honorine
The House of Nucingen (La Maison Nucingen)
The House of the Tennis-playing Cat/ (At the Sign of the Cat and Racquet (Racket), (La Maison du Chat-qui Pelote): See At the Sign of the Cat and Racquet/Racket, above
How Girls Love (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes: Esther heureuse): See Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life, below
The Illustrious Gaudissart (The Great Gaudissart) Les Parisiens en province: L’Illustre Gaudissart): See Parisians in the Country, below
The Imaginary Mistress (La Fausse Maîtresse): See The False Mistress, above
The Initiate (L’Envers de l’Histoire Contemporaine: Le L’Initié): See the Seamy Side of History, below
The Interdiction (The Commission in Lunacy) (L’Interdiction): See The Commission in Lunacy, above
The Jealousies of a Country Town I: The Old Maid (Les Rivalités: La Vieille Fille)
The Jealousies of a Country Town II: The Collection of Antiquities/ The Cabinet of the Antiquities (Les Rivalités: Le Cabinet des Antiques)
Juana (Les Marana)
The Last Incarnation of Vautrin (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes: Le derniere incarnation de Vautrin): See Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life, below
The Lesser Bourgeoisie ((The Middle Classes) Les Petits Bourgeois)
Letters of Two Brides (Mémoires de Deux Jeunes Mariées)
The Lily of the Valley (Le Lys dans la Vallée)
Lost Illusions I: Two Poets (Illusions Perdues: Les Deux Poètes)
Lost Illusions II: A Distinguished Provincial at Paris / A Great Man of the Provinces in Paris (Illusions Perdues: Un Grand homme de province à Paris)
Lost Illusions III: Eve and David / The Trials of the Inventor (Illusions Perdues: Ève et David)
Louis Lambert
Madame de la Chanterie (L’Envers de l’Histoire Contemporaine: Madame de la Chanterie)
Madame Firmiani
The Magic Skin/ The Wild Ass’s Skin/ The Skin of the Ass (La Peau de Chagrin)
Maître Cornélius
A Man of Business (Un Homme d’Affaires)
The Maranas (Les Marana): See Juana, above
A Marriage Contract / A Marriage Settlement (Le Contrat de Mariage)
Massimilla Doni
Melmoth Reconciled (Melmoth réconcilié)
The Member for Arcis (Le Député d’Arcis)
Memoirs of Two Young Married Women (Mémoires de Deux Jeunes Mariées)
The Message (Le Message)
The Middle Classes (Les Petits Bourgeois): see The Lesser Bourgeoisie above
Modeste Mignon
Murky Business/ An Historical Mystery The Gondreville Mystery/ A Dark Affair/ A Shady Business(Une Ténébreuse Affaire). See The Gondreville Mystery, above
The Muse of the Department (Les Parisiens en province: La Muse du département): see Les Parisiens en province below.
Nucingen & Co, Bankers (La Maison Nucingen): See The House of Nucingen above
Old Goriot (Le Père Goriot): See Father Goriot above.
The Old Maid (Les Rivalités: La Vieille Fille): See Jealousies of a Country Town I, above
Parisians in the Country: Gaudissart the Great (Les Parisiens en province: L’Illustre Gaudissart)
Parisians in the Country: The Muse of the Department (Les Parisiens en province: La Muse du département)
Parisians in the Country: The Illustrious Gaudissart (Les Parisiens en province: L’Illustre Gaudissart)
A Passion in the Desert (Une Passion dans le désert)
Paz (La Fausse Maîtresse): See The False Mistress, above
The Peace of the Home (La Paix du Ménage): See Domestic Peace, above
The Peasantry/Sons of the Soil (Les Paysans)
Pere Goriot (Le Père Goriot): See Father Goriot, above
Petty Troubles of Married Life (Petites Misères de la Vie Conjugale)
The Physiology of Marriage (Physiologie du Mariage)
Pierre Grassou
Poor Relations: Cousin Betty (Les Parents pauvres: La Cousine Bette)
Poor Relations: Cousin Pons (Les Parents pauvres: Le Cousin Pons)
A Prince of Bohemia (Un Prince de la Bohème)
The Purse (La Bourse)
The Quest for the Absolute (La Recherche de l’Absolu): see The Alkahest, above
La Rabouilleuse (Le Célibataires: Un Ménage de garçon): See The Celibates, above
The Recruit/The Conscript: (Le Réquisitionnaire), see The Conscript above
The Red Inn (L’Auberge Rouge)
The Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau (Grandeur et Décadence de César Birotteau): See Cesar Birotteau, above
The Ruggieri’s Secret (Sur Catherine de Médicis: La Confidence des Ruggieri): See About Catherine de Medici, above
Sarrasine
Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life/ Splendours and Miseries of Courtesans – Parts I-IV Complete (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes)
Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life/ Splendours and Miseries of Courtesans I: Esther Happy / How Girls Love (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes: Esther heureuse)
Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life/ Splendours and Miseries of Courtesans I: How Girls Love / Esther Happy (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes: Esther heureuse): See Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life: Esther Happy, above
Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life/ Splendours and Miseries of Courtesans II: What Love Costs an Old Man (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes: A Combien l’amour revient aux Viellards)
Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life/ Splendours and Miseries of Courtesans III: The End of Evil Ways (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes: Ou mènent les mauvais Chemins)
Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life/ Splendours and Miseries of Courtesans IV: The Last Incarnation of Vautrin/Vautrin’s Last Avatar (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes: Le derniere incarnation de Vautrin)
The Seamy Side of History/ The Brotherhood of Consolation: The Initiated (L’Envers de l’Histoire Contemporaine: L’Initié)
The Seamy Side of History/ The Brotherhood of Consolation: Madame de la Chanterie (L’Envers de l’Histoire Contemporaine: Madame de la Chanterie)
A Seaside Tragedy (Un drame au bord de la Mer): See A Drama on the Seashore, above
A Second Home (Une Double Famille): See A Double Life, above
The Secrets of a Princess/ The Secrets of the Princess Cadignan (Les Secrets de la Princesse de Cadignan)
Séraphîta
A Shady Business/ Murky Business/ An Historical Mystery The Gondreville Mystery/ A Dark Affair (Une Ténébreuse Affaire). See The Gondreville Mystery, above
The Skin of the Ass (La Peau de Chagrin): See The Magic Skin, above
The Sons of the Soil (Les Paysans): See The Peasantry, above
Splendours and Miseries of Courtesans (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes): See Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life Parts I-IV , above
A Start in Life (Un Début dans la vie)
Study of Woman (Étude de femme)
The Thirteen: Ferragus (Histoire des Treize: Ferragus)
The Thirteen: The Duchess of Langeais (Histoire des Treize: La Duchesse de Langeais)
The Thirteen: The Girl with the Golden Eyes (Histoire des Treize: La fille aux Yeux d’Or)
The Trials of the Inventor (Lost Illusions) Illusions Perdues: Eve and David): See Lost Illusions, above
The Two Brothers/ The Black Sheep/ A Bachelor’s Establishment (Le Célibataires: Un Ménage de garçon): See The Celibates, above
The Two Dreams (Sur Catherine de Médicis: Les Deux Rêves): See About Catherine de Medici, above
The Two Poets (Illusions Perdues: Les Deux Poètes): See Lost Illusions, above
The Unconscious Comedians/ The Unconscious Humorists/ The Unconscious Mummers / The Unwitting Play-actors (Les Comédiens sans le savoir)
The Unconscious Humorists (Les Comédiens sans le savoir): See The Unconscious Comedians, above
The Unconscious Mummers (Les Comédiens sans le savoir): See The Unconscious Comedians, above
The Unknown Masterpiece (Le Chef-d’oeuvre inconnu): See The Hidden Masterpiece, above
The Unwitting Play-Actors (Les Comédiens sans le savoir): See The Unconscious Comedians, above
Ursula (Ursule Mirouët)
Vautrin’s Last Avatar (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes: Le derniere incarnation de Vautrin): See Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life, above
The Vendetta (La Vendetta)
The Vicar of Tours (Le Célibataires: Le Curé de Tours) See The Celibates: The Vicar of Tours, above
The Village Rector (Le Curé de Village): see The Country Parson, above
What Love Costs an Old Man (Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes: A Combien l’amour revient aux Viellards): See Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life, above
The Wild Ass’s Skin (La Peau de Chagrin): See The Magic Skin above
A Woman of Thirty (La Femme de Trente Ans)
The Wrong Side of Paris (See The Seamy Side of History, above)
Z. Marcas
La Comedie Humaine by Balzac 
[…] after Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life I, II, III AND IV [* See my four summaries at the index page of La Comedie Humaine], I was hoping for something a little less complicated. In a sign of a good start, the […]
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[…] like a FrenchLit blog than an Australian one. If you want to see how many there are, visit the story index at La Comedie Humaine collaborative blog which I helped to set […]
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