Balzac
By Stefan Zweig
Translated by William and Dorothy Rose
Published in November 1946
Acknowledgement goes out to editor Richard Friedenthal for rescuing and piecing together this manuscript.
I enjoyed reading and spending time with Balzac. Author Stefan Zweig did a splendid job recreating the rollercoaster ride that was Balzac’s life. I got the sense early on, that Balzac might’ve been on the autistic spectrum had he lived today. I suppose most Genuis’s are on that spectrum, which is really just a place for unexplainable intelligence.
I felt for
Balzac because he, like so many misunderstood geniuses, was a dreamer of things
unknown and unseen. Although the author gives solid ventures and failures, I
felt the truly deeper character of Balzac revealed between the lines. I would
have liked to have met Balzac, in all his excitement of explaining an idea or
story plot.
What may
have struck me most, early in the book, was how Balzac resembled a young
relative who I recognize similar traits in. Like Balzac he’s a realist. He is
also above intelligent with superior memory skills. I fear he might be like
Balzac in financial issues, wasteful and unrealistic.
Reading
about Balzac, I never really felt all that sorry for his failures as an adult.
I almost felt as if, and the author touches on this, Balzac’s best writing was
inspired by his many failures and mistreatments endured. Through it all it
seems Balzac was one who, when left with lemons, made lemonade.
Nothing
deterred his ambitious goal of becoming successful and wealthy, nor kept him
from chasing love. Yes, Balzac appears to have been amorous. How else could he
have written such romantic novels to quench the newspaper’s serial reading female
public.
Many parts I
found so interesting, like his childhood spent in a boarding school/abbey for
boys. His cold, loveless mother who would have a huge impact on his life and
his need for an older, knowledgeable woman to love.
Also, his
first correspondence with Madame de Hanska, where she and women of her home
write to Balzac as a female game of secret mystery and teasing flirtation. It was this part I read when perfusing the
book at the SF Library Wednesday steps sale, before deciding to spend more than
I wanted on a used book, $5. But in hindsight, I’m so glad I bought it. I plan
to keep Balzac on my shelf for future visits. And I might just send a copy to
that relative of mine he reminds me of.
Anytime
someone reacted to Balzac, it revealed more about Balzac’s character than the
one reacting to him. Balzac was almost childish in his manner and perceptions.
It doesn’t seem he knew how to “read the room” when in the company of others;
nor does it seem he cared what the temperature of the room was or who was in
it. Balzac was Balzac; big, bold, braggadocios, uncompromising, with a faith in
people that a little boy might have in santa claus.
I really can’t say exactly what I liked about this book, but I know when I have enjoyed reading a book, and this book “Balzac” I must say I enjoyed reading.
Even the
many French words without translation became a non-factor over time. I began to
decipher some of the French words, treating it as a sort of game.
So, which
did I enjoy more? the story or the writing? This is where I believe the genius
of the book captured me. When you cannot separate one from the other, then the
author has done his job. And with this book I simply cannot say which I enjoyed
more, story or writing. The scales seem evenly weighted when comparing the two.
If either had been lacking, I don’t think I’d have enjoyed reading the book at
all. It is because the author kept me interested in Balzac’s story, and because
he wrote it so engagingly, I fell in love with reading this book all the way
through.
I also like
how the author ended the book with Balzac-like descriptions of his demise, and
then an authentic copy of writer Victor Hugo’s eulogy-like letter describing
the last time he saw Balzac, as he lay dying. Sensational!
I copied
many paragraphs, photo’d many pages and will likely put together a summary of
my notes and pics in a file for future reviewal. Download notebook and pics
from cell phone.
Wp 5/02/2022
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