Mischievous Stories with Illustrations

Honoré de Balzac — a great French writer, whose works, in Leo Tolstoy's words, «at that time everyone learned to write». In his numerous novels of the «Human Comedy», he recreated a colorful, harsh, and multifaceted world, reflecting the life of all classes of the society of his time. The book «Mischievous Stories» stands out in Balzac's oeuvre. This collection of playful and amusing novellas, styled after Boccaccio and Rabelais, revives Gallic liveliness and cheerfulness in contrast to the sad romantic motifs fashionable at that time, with the action set in the distant past. Bright, extraordinary plots, descriptions of refined amorous pleasures, incredible adventures, expressive characters (many of whom are real historical figures, including monarchs and courtesans), and magnificent humor have ensured that «Mischievous Stories», despite outraged accusations of obscenity from critics, remain ever-popular among the general reading public.
This edition includes all of Balzac's «mischievous stories», including five tales that were unpublished during the author's lifetime. The texts are accompanied by illustrations from Gustave Doré (1832–1883), whose magnificent, lively depictions of the characters in the «Mischievous Stories» remain unmatched. The edition also includes a set of illustrations by American artist Ralph Barton (1891–1931) and selected illustrations by French artist Albert Robida (1848–1926), which have never been published in Russia.