The Human Comedy (Complete Edition)

The Human Comedy is the title of Honoré de Balzac's multi-volume collection of interlinked novels and stories depicting French society in the period of the Restoration (1815–1830) and the July Monarchy (1830–1848). Balzac organized his works into 3 groups: "Etudes de Moeurs au XIXe siècle" (Studies of Manners in the 19th Century) + "Etudes philosophiques" + "Etudes analytiques". Balzac wrote that the "Etudes de Moeurs" would study the effects of society and touch on all genders, social classes, ages and professions of people. Meanwhile, the "Etudes philosophiques" would study the causes of these effects. Finally, the third "analytical" section would study the principles behind these phenomena.
Contents:
The Ball at Sceaux
The Purse
Vendetta
A Second Home
Domestic Peace
Paz
Study of a Woman
Another Study of Woman
The Grand Breteche
Albert Savarus
Letters of Two Brides
A Daughter of Eve
A Woman of Thirty
The Deserted Woman
La Grenadiere
The Message
Gobseck
The Marriage Contract
A Start in Life
Modeste Mignon
Beatrix
Honorine
Colonel Chabert
The Atheist's Mass
Pierre Grassou
Scenes From Provincial Life
Ursule Mirouet
Eugenie Grandet
The Vicar of Tours
The Two Brothers
An Old Maid
The Collection of Antiquities
The Lily of the Valley
Two Poets
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Eve and David
Scenes From Parisian Life
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
A Prince of Bohemia
A Man of Business
Gaudissart II
Unconscious Comedians
Ferragus
The Duchesse de Langeais
The Girl with the Golden Eyes
Father Goriot
Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau
The Firm of Nucingen
Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan
Bureaucracy
Sarrasine
Facino Cane
Cousin Betty
Cousin Pons
The Lesser Bourgeoisie
Scenes From Political Life
An Historical Mystery
An Episode Under the Terror
The Brotherhood of Consolation
Scenes From Military Life
A Passion in the Desert
Scenes From Country Life
Sons of the Soil
The Magic Skin
Christ in Flanders
Melmoth Reconciled
The Unknown Masterpiece…

Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) was a French novelist and playwright. The novel sequence La Comédie humaine, which presents a panorama of post-Napoleonic French life, is generally viewed as his magnum opus.