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<rss xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Two Brothers</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/two-brothers--7129660</link><description><![CDATA[Explore the intricate tapestry of sibling relationships and familial ties in "Two Brothers," a podcast that delves into the complexities of loyalty, rivalry, and the bonds that shape our lives. Each episode features a new complete audiobook that examines the nuances of brotherhood, from love and support to jealousy and betrayal. Through diverse narratives set against rich historical backdrops, listeners are invited to reflect on how family dynamics influence personal identity and societal roles. This is not a single story but a series of unique explorations that illuminate the emotional landscapes navigated by brothers throughout literature. Discover a new book with every episode, and immerse yourself in the timeless themes of kinship and conflict that resonate across cultures and eras. Join us on this auditory journey that celebrates the profound impact of family ties.]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7129660/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright 1900s genre</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg</url><title>Two Brothers</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/two-brothers--7129660</link></image><lastBuildDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:20:49 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>1900s genre</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker77@podcastlibrary.org</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>Explore the intricate tapestry of sibling relationships and familial ties in "Two Brothers," a podcast that delves into the complexities of loyalty, rivalry, and the bonds that shape our lives. Each episode features a new complete audiobook that...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Explore the intricate tapestry of sibling relationships and familial ties in "Two Brothers," a podcast that delves into the complexities of loyalty, rivalry, and the bonds that shape our lives. Each episode features a new complete audiobook that examines the nuances of brotherhood, from love and support to jealousy and betrayal. Through diverse narratives set against rich historical backdrops, listeners are invited to reflect on how family dynamics influence personal identity and societal roles. This is not a single story but a series of unique explorations that illuminate the emotional landscapes navigated by brothers throughout literature. Discover a new book with every episode, and immerse yourself in the timeless themes of kinship and conflict that resonate across cultures and eras. Join us on this auditory journey that celebrates the profound impact of family ties.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Kids &amp; Family"><itunes:category text="Pets &amp; Animals"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Science"><itunes:category text="Nature"/></itunes:category><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>5ba152c6-41da-5d7f-83e2-5853a03300f9</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Lucky Piece A Story of the North Woods-Albert Bigelow Paine</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lucky-piece-a-story-of-the-north-woods-albert-bigelow-paine--74623133</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74623133</guid><pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:02:48 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74623133/10233_lucky_piece_a_story_of_the_north_woods_albert_bigelow_paine.mp3" length="174722480" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>21819</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>On the Eve-Ivan Turgenev</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/on-the-eve-ivan-turgenev--74590879</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74590879</guid><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:02:55 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74590879/8017_on_the_eve_ivan_turgenev.mp3" length="177901438" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>22215</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Armand Durand-Rosanna Eleanor Leprohon</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/armand-durand-rosanna-eleanor-leprohon--74558968</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74558968</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:02:29 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74558968/armand_durand_rosanna_eleanor_leprohon.mp3" length="221955412" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>27717</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Eugénie Grandet-Honoré de Balzac</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/eugenie-grandet-honore-de-balzac--74526631</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74526631</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:08:30 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74526631/euge_nie_grandet_honore_de_balzac.mp3" length="210070181" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>26233</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Late Mattia Pascal-Luigi Pirandello</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/late-mattia-pascal-luigi-pirandello--74495981</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74495981</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:08:31 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74495981/late_mattia_pascal_luigi_pirandello.mp3" length="250721942" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>31309</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Henry VI, Part 2-William Shakespeare</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/henry-vi-part-2-william-shakespeare--74456364</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74456364</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:07:55 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74456364/henry_vi_part_2_william_shakespeare.mp3" length="91695721" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>11450</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Major Barbara-George Bernard Shaw</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/major-barbara-george-bernard-shaw--74424187</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74424187</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:08:23 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74424187/major_barbara_george_bernard_shaw.mp3" length="93549091" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>11682</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Dramatic Selections from Henry Lawson's Short Stories-Henry Lawson</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/dramatic-selections-from-henry-lawson-s-short-stories-henry-lawson--74377707</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74377707</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:00:43 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74377707/dramatic_selections_from_henry_lawson_s_short_stories_henry_lawson.mp3" length="44498441" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>5557</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Uneasy Money-P. G. Wodehouse</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/uneasy-money-p-g-wodehouse--74337905</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74337905</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:30:52 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74337905/uneasy_money_p_g_wodehouse.mp3" length="192875123" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>24085</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Cloudy Jewel-Grace Livingston Hill</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/cloudy-jewel-grace-livingston-hill--74195641</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74195641</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:08:42 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74195641/cloudy_jewel_grace_livingston_hill.mp3" length="276291400" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>34502</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Civil War Women, North And South-Various</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/civil-war-women-north-and-south-various--74148808</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74148808</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:08:51 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74148808/civil_war_women_north_and_south_various.mp3" length="37612969" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4697</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Watch and Wait; The Young Fugitives-Oliver Optic</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/watch-and-wait-the-young-fugitives-oliver-optic--74109264</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74109264</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:08:10 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74109264/watch_and_wait_the_young_fugitives_oliver_optic.mp3" length="156755931" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>19574</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Lost Illusions Ève and David-Honoré de Balzac</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lost-illusions-eve-and-david-honore-de-balzac--73389647</link><description><![CDATA["Lost Illusions" by Honoré de Balzac explores the tumultuous journey of ambition and disillusionment in the world of art and literature. This classic tale delves into the struggles of aspiring individuals seeking fame and recognition, only to confront the harsh realities of society's expectations and moral compromises. Its themes of ambition, societal critique, and the quest for authenticity resonate powerfully today, reminding listeners of the timeless challenges faced by those who dare to dream. Balzac's insightful portrayal of the human condition and the bittersweet nature of success makes this audiobook an enduring reflection on the illusions we chase and the truths we often overlook.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73389647</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:32:20 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73389647/11011_lost_illusions_e_ve_and_david_honore_de_balzac.mp3" length="240369285" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Lost Illusions" by Honoré de Balzac explores the tumultuous journey of ambition and disillusionment in the world of art and literature. This classic tale delves into the struggles of aspiring individuals seeking fame and recognition, only to confront...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Lost Illusions" by Honoré de Balzac explores the tumultuous journey of ambition and disillusionment in the world of art and literature. This classic tale delves into the struggles of aspiring individuals seeking fame and recognition, only to confront the harsh realities of society's expectations and moral compromises. Its themes of ambition, societal critique, and the quest for authenticity resonate powerfully today, reminding listeners of the timeless challenges faced by those who dare to dream. Balzac's insightful portrayal of the human condition and the bittersweet nature of success makes this audiobook an enduring reflection on the illusions we chase and the truths we often overlook.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>30016</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Two Brothers - Honore de Balzac - Part 2</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/two-brothers-honore-de-balzac-part-2--72689417</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72689417</guid><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 09:00:21 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72689417/two_brothers_honore_de_balzac_part_2.mp3" length="124027757" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>15504</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>backstories,balzac,brothers,dotes,hustles,manipulations,mistakenly,paris,rabouilleuse,two</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Two Brothers - Honore de Balzac - Part 1</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/two-brothers-honore-de-balzac-part-1--72689412</link><description><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72689412</guid><pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:02:22 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72689412/two_brothers_honore_de_balzac_part_1.mp3" length="269766777" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[“The Two Brothers” (1842) is part of Balzac’s great life work, the novel series known as “The Human Comedy.” Balzac’s French title was “La Rabouilleuse”; other English translations have been variously titled “The Black Sheep” and “A Bachelor’s Establishment.” After initially detailing the backstories of his characters, Balzac launches into an engaging and searing portrait of family relationships: parental, filial, and sibling relations are all tested to the breaking point. In small town in post-Napoleonic France, a father mistakenly believes that his daughter is not his legitimate offspring, and hustles her off to be raised by his in-laws in Paris. This girl grows up, marries, and becomes the mother of two boys. Mistakenly, she dotes on only one of these sons, unable to see that the lad is in fact a selfish, cruel scoundrel. Meanwhile, back in the provinces, her brother, still ensconced in the family home, has grown up to be a feckless non-entity, vulnerable to the manipulations of those around him, including an attractive servant girl (“La Rabouilleuse”) who has been taken into the household. Things get complicated when the Paris branch of the family returns to the small town, hoping to carve out for themselves a share of the late father’s inheritance. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>33721</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>backstories,balzac,brothers,dotes,hustles,manipulations,mistakenly,paris,rabouilleuse,two</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b50c48b07beb82810108d17bc05b1a9d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
