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Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7088450/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright Literary Fiction Genre</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg</url><title>Ball at Sceaux</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ball-at-sceaux--7088450</link></image><lastBuildDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:07:12 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Literary Fiction Genre</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker64@podcastlibrary.org</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Fiction"/><itunes:category text="Fiction"><itunes:category text="Comedy Fiction"/></itunes:category><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>28399e6a-036e-59a7-93a6-a8484bc40a79</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>That Office Boy-Francis J. Finn, S.J</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/that-office-boy-francis-j-finn-s-j--74061381</link><description><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74061381</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:00:44 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74061381/that_office_boy_francis_j_finn_s_j.mp3" length="137288877" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>17144</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft-George Gissing</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/private-papers-of-henry-ryecroft-george-gissing--74037058</link><description><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74037058</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:01:56 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74037058/private_papers_of_henry_ryecroft_george_gissing.mp3" length="223156719" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>27867</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Life and Death of Tom Thumb the Great-Henry Fielding</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/life-and-death-of-tom-thumb-the-great-henry-fielding--74015177</link><description><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74015177</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:01:51 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74015177/life_and_death_of_tom_thumb_the_great_henry_fielding.mp3" length="38420409" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4797</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Entrapped-Alice Mangold Diehl</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/entrapped-alice-mangold-diehl--73990280</link><description><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73990280</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:01:23 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73990280/entrapped_alice_mangold_diehl.mp3" length="55391130" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6917</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Lifted Veil (Version 2)-George Eliot</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lifted-veil-version-2-george-eliot--73967266</link><description><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73967266</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:01:31 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73967266/lifted_veil_version_2_george_eliot.mp3" length="62104064" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. 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Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>7755</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Orestes-Euripides</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/orestes-euripides--73944692</link><description><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. 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Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73944692</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:01:36 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73944692/orestes_euripides.mp3" length="52771264" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. 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Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6590</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Human Toll-Barbara Baynton</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/human-toll-barbara-baynton--73919897</link><description><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. 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Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. 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She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73895211</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:01:31 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73895211/ball_at_sceaux_honore_de_balzac.mp3" length="78637454" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. 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Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>32741</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Aurora Floyd Volume 2-Mary Elizabeth Braddon</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/aurora-floyd-volume-2-mary-elizabeth-braddon--73851304</link><description><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73851304</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:01:27 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73851304/aurora_floyd_volume_2_mary_elizabeth_braddon.mp3" length="189224011" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>23630</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Pierrot, Dog Of Belgium-Walter Alden Dyer</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/pierrot-dog-of-belgium-walter-alden-dyer--73834489</link><description><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73834489</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:02:13 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73834489/12872_pierrot_dog_of_belgium_walter_alden_dyer.mp3" length="53133703" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6635</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>H.M.S. Pinafore; Or, The Lass That Loved A Sailor-W. S. Gilbert</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/h-m-s-pinafore-or-the-lass-that-loved-a-sailor-w-s-gilbert--73797526</link><description><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73797526</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 04:28:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73797526/h_m_s_pinafore_or_the_lass_that_loved_a_sailor_w_s_gilbert.mp3" length="30216817" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>3773</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Ball at Sceaux-Honoré de Balzac</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/ball-at-sceaux-honore-de-balzac--73342161</link><description><![CDATA["Ball at Sceaux" by Honoré de Balzac invites listeners into a world of social intrigue and the complexities of love and ambition within the context of a grand ball. This story explores themes of desire, societal expectations, and the pursuit of status, making it a timeless reflection on human nature and relationships. The intricate dynamics of social gatherings and the interplay of personal aspirations are as relevant today as they were in Balzac's time. With its rich characterizations and keen observations, this audiobook offers a captivating glimpse into the societal norms that shape our interactions, ensuring its enduring appeal for contemporary audiences.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73342161</guid><pubDate>Sun, 02 Aug 2026 16:38:21 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73342161/ball_at_sceaux_honore_de_balzac.mp3" length="78637454" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Ball at Sceaux" by Honoré de Balzac invites listeners into a world of social intrigue and the complexities of love and ambition within the context of a grand ball. This story explores themes of desire, societal expectations, and the pursuit of...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Ball at Sceaux" by Honoré de Balzac invites listeners into a world of social intrigue and the complexities of love and ambition within the context of a grand ball. This story explores themes of desire, societal expectations, and the pursuit of status, making it a timeless reflection on human nature and relationships. The intricate dynamics of social gatherings and the interplay of personal aspirations are as relevant today as they were in Balzac's time. With its rich characterizations and keen observations, this audiobook offers a captivating glimpse into the societal norms that shape our interactions, ensuring its enduring appeal for contemporary audiences.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>9820</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Ball at Sceaux - Honore de Balzac</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/ball-at-sceaux-honore-de-balzac--72389441</link><description><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72389441</guid><pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 15:55:26 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72389441/ball_at_sceaux_honore_de_balzac.mp3" length="78556096" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c0e1dc8c-6607-400f-8961-325092c5b44c/c0e1dc8c-6607-400f-8961-325092c5b44c.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c0e1dc8c-6607-400f-8961-325092c5b44c/c0e1dc8c-6607-400f-8961-325092c5b44c.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c0e1dc8c-6607-400f-8961-325092c5b44c/c0e1dc8c-6607-400f-8961-325092c5b44c.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The novella “The Ball at Sceaux” is part of Balzac’s great life work — the expansive fiction series titled “The Human Comedy.” The central character is Émilie de Fontaine, youngest daughter of a noble but impoverished family in post-revolutionary France. Her hapless father hopes to find her a good marriage, but Émilie, spoiled and willful, has repeatedly turned away suitors. She has a list of requirements for any prospective husband, one of which is that he must, of course, be “the son of a peer of France.” (The peerage was an elite aristocratic distinction.) She holds firm to this resolve, but events have a way of turning out surprisingly. Balzac was a master of irony and realism and his writings were hugely influential in the development of European fiction. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>9820</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>ball,balzac,expansive,france,literary,milie,peerage,prospective,sceaux,willful</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/23bc1c8a1e841c5ca35229b02193504f.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
