Colonel Chabert

Rating:
Summary: A Balzac Gem
Review: Dead heros are expected to remain dead, in this Balzac gem, for they are far more profitable that way to the many who have benefitted from their deeds. The once magnificent Colonel Chabert returned from the common grave, into which he had been flung after leading his infamous calvary charge at the Battle of Eylau, finds only a well meaning (tho settlement share seeking) trial attorney to aide him in one last battle against a society that wishes him gone. Spurned by his re-married wife, once a near prostitute and now a moralizing aristocrat, and robbed of his fortune, Chabert's pre-mature resurrection is a painful one. Filled with characters human, all too human, Balzac paints a painful world with the deepest of sympathies. General self-interest prevents us from contemplating for too long upon the sacrifices that have placed any of us where we stand; Balzac forces us to remember, forgives us to forget once more. For those unfamiliar with the story, it is best advised to read A.N. Wilson's forward and Andrew Brown's introduction after finishing the book. Breezing in at a quick 83 pages, Colonel Chabert is a fine entry into the greater world of Balzac's Comedie humaine.

Rating:
Summary: A Balzac Gem
Review: Dead heros are expected to remain dead, in this Balzac gem, for they are far more profitable that way to the many who have benefitted from their deeds. The once magnificent Colonel Chabert returned from the common grave, into which he had been flung after leading his infamous calvary charge at the Battle of Eylau, finds only a well meaning (tho settlement share seeking) trial attorney to aide him in one last battle against a society that wishes him gone. Spurned by his re-married wife, once a near prostitute and now a moralizing aristocrat, and robbed of his fortune, Chabert's pre-mature resurrection is a painful one. Filled with characters human, all too human, Balzac paints a painful world with the deepest of sympathies. General self-interest prevents us from contemplating for too long upon the sacrifices that have placed any of us where we stand; Balzac forces us to remember, forgives us to forget once more. For those unfamiliar with the story, it is best advised to read A.N. Wilson's forward and Andrew Brown's introduction after finishing the book. Breezing in at a quick 83 pages, Colonel Chabert is a fine entry into the greater world of Balzac's Comedie humaine.

Rating:
Summary: Short but Great
Review: This short novella by Balzac is pretty fun. It is a great illustration of the changes in French society and those who were left behind. It also is an insightful examination of the aftermath of Napoleon, nobility, the legal system, and the economy. It is a quick read and quite enjoyable. If you feel that Balzac's other works are unapproachable, I would suggest starting here and diving right in.