Pére Goriot. By Honore de Balzac. Illustrated by Albert Lynch. Illustrated Edition. Franklin Library. Franklin Center, 1980.

Honore de Balzac was a prolific French novelist in the nineteenth century who pioneered literary realism and naturalism. His series of novels, titled La Comédie Humaine, is considered one of the most important literary achievements of the era. The series ran for dozens of novels but was still unfinished at the time of Balzac’s death. Of its many installments, Pére Goriot is considered the greatest. It follows the titular character and others as they live in Paris during the Bourbon Restoration. The work showcases quintessential literary qualities associated with realism: rich internal characterization, believable descriptive detail, and a character-driven plot. In many ways, Pére Goriot established Balzac as the father of literary realism, a genre that came to define literature through the rest of the nineteenth century.

This illustrated edition is in fine condition. In the original faux leather, finely gilt stamped. Raised bands. Gilt spine label. Text block very nearly fine, only minor rubbing to top edge. Gilt edges. Decorated endpapers. Lynch’s illustrations superb.

A fine collector’s copy of Pére Goriot.