Honore De Balzac Pere Goriot, The Bl..., Honore De Balzac
Honore De Balzac Pere Goriot, The Bl..., Honore De Balzac
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Honoré De Balzac: Pere Goriot, The Black Sheep & more
Four BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations

Author: Honoré De Balzac

Narrator: Stephen Fry, Douglas Hodge, David Ross, Geoffrey Banks, Alex Kingston, Denys Hawthorne, Ronald Herdman, David Calder, Dorien Thomas, Geoffrey Whitehead, Thomas Arnold, Elizabeth Cassidy, Matthew Pidgeon, Full Cast

Unabridged: 9 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/18/2024

Categories: Fiction, Classic, Ghost, Romance

Synopsis

Stunning all-star adaptations of Balzac’s finest worksThis brilliant collection of France’s foremost nineteenth-century novelist and playwright delivers four of his most fascinating works - stories of love, rivalry, horror and adventure - all brought to life by a stellar cast including Stephen Fry and Alex Kingston. A huge influence on many of the most famous writers from Proust to Kerouac to Dickens, Balzac delivers beautifully observed and complex characters with an unsurpassed attention to the details of society at the time, making him an exemplary of realism in European literature.Pere Goriot - Dramatised in four parts, this is the story of Eugene, who has discovered that the mysterious Pere Goriot has two daughters who could provide the key to his entry into Parisian society… Starring Stephen Fry as the author Balzac and Alex Kingston as Delphine.Ursule Mirouet (The Inheritance) - 74 year old Dr Minoret has returned to live out his final days in his home town. His grasping nephews and nieces eagerly await his demise but the good doctor seems to favour his charming young ward, Ursule. What lengths are his family prepared to go to secure their inheritance? Starring Elizabeth Cassidy in the title role of this three-part production.The Mysterious Mansion - A grisly tale set in La Grande Breteche, the ruins of an abandoned house and neglected garden. Balzac is determined to uncover the story behind its tragic secrets… David Calder stars as the author.The Black Sheep - Balzac’s classic tale of family rivalry set in 19th-century France. Philippe Bridau returns from the battle of Waterloo and steals from his mother to finance his gambling habit. It's left to his brother Joseph to rescue the family from destitution, but at what cost? Can he betray his own sibling? Geoffrey Whitehead leads the cast in the role of narrator.A wonderful collection from a superb author, performed by a stunning cast, this is a must listen for any fan of classic literature.Cast and creditsWritten by Honoré De BalzacPere GoriotFeaturing: Stephen Fry, Douglas Hodge, David Ross, Geoffrey Banks, Alex Kingston, Noreen Kershaw, Ian Mercer, Romy Baskerville, John Griffin, Clare Dow, Barbara Marten, Paul Broughton, Robin PolleyDramatised by David HopkinsDirected by Kate RowlandFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 Sep 1992Ursule Mirouet (The Inheritance) Featuring: Margot Boyd, Ronald Herdman, Alan Devereux, Patricia Gallimore, Haydn Jones, Sean Barrett, Stephen Thorne, Terry Molloy, Edward Kelsey, Patricia Gibson, Denys Hawthorne, Elizabeth Cassidy, Penelope Shaw, Geoffrey Matthews, Alexander JohnDramatised by Joan O’ConnorDirected by Roger PineFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 Apr 1980The Mysterious MansionFeaturing: David Calder, Dorien Thomas, Dillwyn Owen, Tessa Gearing, Christopher Grimes, Marilyn Le Conte, Nigel Carrington, Manon Edwards, Alan TownerDramatised by Peter MackieDirected by David HunterFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 Oct 1993The Black SheepFeaturing: Geoffrey Whitehead, Matthew Pidgeon, Briony McRoberts, Thomas Arnold, Alan Cox, Timothy Bateson, Lucy Paterson, Christian Rodska, Colette O'Neil, Jon Glover, Nyasha Hatendi, Chris PavloDramatised by Chris NolanDirected by Bruce YoungFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 Aug 2008©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

About Honore de Balzac

Honore de Balzac (1799-1850) was a French journalist and writer and is considered one of the creators of realism in literature. Balzac's huge production of novels and short stories are collected under the name La Comedie Humaine, which originated from Dante's The Divine Comedy. Before his breakthrough as an author, Balzac wrote without success several plays and novels under different pseudonyms. Despite prolific output, Balzac lived in debt.

Balzac was born in Tours, France. He spent the first four years of life in foster care in the village of Saint-Cyr and was returned to his parents at the age of four. At school Balzac was an ordinary pupil. He studied at the College de Vendome and the Sorbonne, and then worked in law offices. In 1819, Balzac announced that he wanted to be a writer. He returned to Paris and was installed in a shabby room at 9 rue Lediguieres. A few years later, he described the place in La Peau de Chargin, though his first work was Cromwell.

By 1822 Balzac had produced several novels under pseudonyms, but he was ignored as a writer. Against his family's hopes, Balzac continued his career in literature, believing that the simplest road to success was writing. Unfortunately, he also tried his skills in business. Balzac ran a publishing company and he bought a printing house, which did not have much to print. When these commercial activities failed, Balzac was left with a heavy burden of debt. It plagued him to the end of his career.

In 1829, Balzac wrote La Dernier Chouan, a historical work in the manner of Sir Walter Scott, which he wrote under his own name. Gradually, Balzac began to gain notice as an author. Between the years 1830 and 1832 he composed six novelettes titled Scenes de la Vie Privee, which was addressed more or less to a female readership.

In 1833, Balzac conceived the idea of linking together his old novels so that they would comprehend the whole society in a series of books. This plan eventually led to 90 novels and novellas, which included more than 2,000 characters. Balzac's huge and ambitious plan drew a picture of the customs, atmosphere, and habits of the bourgeois France. Balzac got down to the work with great energy, but also found time to pile up huge debts and fail in hopeless financial operations. After two years, he had to flee from his creditors and conceal his identity under the name of his housekeeper, Madame de Brugnolle.

Among the masterpieces of La Comedie Humaine are Le Pere Goriot, Les Illusions Perdues, Les Paysans, La Femme de Trente Ans, and Eugenie Grandet.

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