balzac - old goriot - classic or dud?

the short story sarrasine thru the lens of barthes' S/Z is grebt (also nutso)

Can’t remember if I’ve ever read a single thing, but really liked the film of LOST ILLUSIONS which recently opened here, so maybe it’s time.

Did not know this translation existed

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/34956/history-of-the-thirteen-by-balzactrans-herbert-j-hunt/9780140443011

i have that version & haven't read it. I got scared off by the introduction that called it not some of Balzac's best.

https://i.imgur.com/ant8M2H.jpg

the history of the thirteen is the basis for jacques rivette's out 1: noli me tangere (running time: 12 hr, 55 min)

so i shd read it and watch the movie for a second time

I love out 1 and assumed the source was never translated.

basis is doing a lot of work there. the overt balzac talk, and idea of a secret society is about it. even in the stories 'the thirteen' themselves only figure very loosely. worth pointing out that rivette did do a fantastic straight adaptation of one of the stories: 'duchess de langlois'

think i read the ellen marriage trans of the history of thirteen so cant speak to the one upthread; but would agree that its not peak honore

big rec for the black sheep which is my fav of course the long novels

Started "The Quest for the Absolute". There is a genius for description of rooms here that an AI would struggle to compete with. You can really feel him having so much fun with his power.

That can also provoke some frustration. You feel this could be half of the length (even in a short book like this) but the material is so good.