The First Ten Tales An enduring classic, Droll Stories offers a highly
animated and entertaining portrait of life in 16th-century Europe. Jaico
Classics presents its first edition of 10 lively tales by the inimitable
and irreverent novelist, Honoré de Balzac. Written with the author's
trademark wordplay, stories such as The Maid of Thilouse present the
good-humoured licentiousness of Balzac's times. Tales like The Merry
Jests of King Louis the Eleventh and The Venial Sin that once
scandalized the public now simply delight modern readers. Full of
exquisite charm and colour, Droll Stories by Balzac is a must-read for
any fan of the Classics. Honoré de Balzac was a pioneer of Realism in
European literature and an inspiration to the likes of Oscar Wilde,
Dickens and Dostoyevsky. He continues to influence the work of artists
and filmmakers even today. He is famously known for his extensive
collection of short stories entitled La Comédie Humaine.