NancyElin’s Reviews > Balzac: A Biography: New Translation > Status Update

This biography is so easy to read in French, thank you Stefan Zweig!

Balzac is starting (1829) to become "the-talk-of-the-town"! (30 yr)

2 year $$ credit from parents, if you are not a celebrated writer by then you must go to school to become lawyer/notary!
Never underestimate Balzac's mother! She intentionally rents the WORST apartment she can find for him. She wants to « amener à réspiscence"   bring him to his senses! Balzac describes his "trou" (dump) in « La Peau de Chagrin » Very engaging biography, Zweig is an excellent  NF writer!  (pg 34-43)

Balzac announces to his parents he wants to become a writer.
His mother is appalled, his. father seeks to find a compromise..
Agreed: try to achieve your goal...and family will give him a small
$$ compensation to get started. Mother is ....still appalled!

Stefan Zweig does not only tell the facts but explains which characters are based on Balzac's childhood/teenage years. Like "Louis, Lambert" Balzac was a genius who was misunderstood at school!