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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>Marriage Contract</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-contract--7129664</link><description><![CDATA[Explore the intricate dance of love, ambition, and societal expectations in "Marriage Contract," a podcast that delves into the complex world of romantic alliances shaped by financial and social agreements. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, inviting listeners to engage with the timeless themes of passion and avarice that thread through the fabric of human relationships. From the negotiations of wealthy families to the emotional entanglements that arise from such arrangements, the stories reflect the delicate balance between desire and duty. This is not a single narrative but a series of unique explorations that shed light on the various ways love and obligation intersect across different eras and cultures. Discover a new book with every episode, and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of human experience as it unfolds through these compelling tales of marriage and contract.]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7129664/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/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg</url><title>Marriage Contract</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-contract--7129664</link></image><lastBuildDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:19:47 +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/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>Explore the intricate dance of love, ambition, and societal expectations in "Marriage Contract," a podcast that delves into the complex world of romantic alliances shaped by financial and social agreements. Each episode features a new complete...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Explore the intricate dance of love, ambition, and societal expectations in "Marriage Contract," a podcast that delves into the complex world of romantic alliances shaped by financial and social agreements. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, inviting listeners to engage with the timeless themes of passion and avarice that thread through the fabric of human relationships. From the negotiations of wealthy families to the emotional entanglements that arise from such arrangements, the stories reflect the delicate balance between desire and duty. This is not a single narrative but a series of unique explorations that shed light on the various ways love and obligation intersect across different eras and cultures. Discover a new book with every episode, and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of human experience as it unfolds through these compelling tales of marriage and contract.]]></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>4f02e0c0-bc1c-5dd0-a5cc-bf9417f47a3a</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Religio Medici and Hydriotaphia-Thomas Browne</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/religio-medici-and-hydriotaphia-thomas-browne--74621302</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74621302</guid><pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:02:32 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74621302/religio_medici_and_hydriotaphia_thomas_browne.mp3" length="156171038" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>19502</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Nami-ko-Kenjiro Tokutomi</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/nami-ko-kenjiro-tokutomi--74588752</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74588752</guid><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:02:55 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74588752/nami_ko_kenjiro_tokutomi.mp3" length="213177001" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>26621</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Footnote to History Eight Years of Trouble in Samoa-Robert Louis Stevenson</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/footnote-to-history-eight-years-of-trouble-in-samoa-robert-louis-stevenson--74557024</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74557024</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:02:23 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74557024/footnote_to_history_eight_years_of_trouble_in_samoa_robert_louis_stevenson.mp3" length="204355125" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25518</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Secret of Charlotte Brontë-Frederika Richardson Macdonald</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/secret-of-charlotte-bronte-frederika-richardson-macdonald--74524924</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74524924</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:08:51 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74524924/secret_of_charlotte_bronte_frederika_richardson_macdonald.mp3" length="157693568" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>19692</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>To the Lighthouse (Version 3)-Virginia Woolf</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/to-the-lighthouse-version-3-virginia-woolf--74494346</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74494346</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:08:27 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74494346/to_the_lighthouse_version_3_virginia_woolf.mp3" length="259398670" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>32393</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Spirit of the Age; Or, Contemporary Portraits-William Hazlitt</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/spirit-of-the-age-or-contemporary-portraits-william-hazlitt--74454559</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74454559</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:07:31 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74454559/spirit_of_the_age_or_contemporary_portraits_william_hazlitt.mp3" length="261805377" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>32693</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Science and the Modern World-Alfred North Whitehead</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/science-and-the-modern-world-alfred-north-whitehead--74422212</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74422212</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:08:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74422212/science_and_the_modern_world_alfred_north_whitehead.mp3" length="219089251" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>27359</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Blazed Trail Stories and Stories Of The Wild Life-Stewart Edward White</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/blazed-trail-stories-and-stories-of-the-wild-life-stewart-edward-white--74375026</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74375026</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:14:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74375026/blazed_trail_stories_and_stories_of_the_wild_life_stewart_edward_white.mp3" length="161000616" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>20105</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus (Edition 1831)-Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/frankenstein-or-the-modern-prometheus-edition-1831-mary-wollstonecraft-shelley--74335444</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74335444</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:45:08 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74335444/frankenstein_or_the_modern_prometheus_edition_1831_mary_wollstonecraft_shelley.mp3" length="252257070" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>31500</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Flowers of Evil-Charles Baudelaire, James Huneker</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/flowers-of-evil-charles-baudelaire-james-huneker--74192697</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74192697</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:08:54 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74192697/flowers_of_evil_charles_baudelaire_james_huneker.mp3" length="53809748" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6719</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Taking the Bastile-Alexandre Dumas</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/taking-the-bastile-alexandre-dumas--74146106</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74146106</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:08:48 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74146106/taking_the_bastile_alexandre_dumas.mp3" length="214992096" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>26847</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>By Desert Ways to Baghdad-Louisa Jebb Wilkins</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/by-desert-ways-to-baghdad-louisa-jebb-wilkins--74107476</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74107476</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:08:05 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74107476/by_desert_ways_to_baghdad_louisa_jebb_wilkins.mp3" length="204894570" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25586</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Colonel Chabert (Version 2)-Honoré de Balzac</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/colonel-chabert-version-2-honore-de-balzac--73387619</link><description><![CDATA[Colonel Chabert, a poignant tale by Honoré de Balzac, explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the struggle for recognition in a rapidly changing society. The story follows the titular character, a war hero presumed dead, who returns to reclaim his life and fortune, only to find himself entangled in a web of betrayal and indifference. This narrative resonates today as it delves into the complexities of personal and societal transformation, highlighting the often-overlooked sacrifices of those who serve. Balzac's masterful storytelling and rich character development make Colonel Chabert an enduring exploration of the human condition and the quest for dignity in the face of adversity.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73387619</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2026 13:47:47 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73387619/colonel_chabert_version_2_honore_de_balzac.mp3" length="87423413" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Colonel Chabert, a poignant tale by Honoré de Balzac, explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the struggle for recognition in a rapidly changing society. The story follows the titular character, a war hero presumed dead, who returns to reclaim his...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Colonel Chabert, a poignant tale by Honoré de Balzac, explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the struggle for recognition in a rapidly changing society. The story follows the titular character, a war hero presumed dead, who returns to reclaim his life and fortune, only to find himself entangled in a web of betrayal and indifference. This narrative resonates today as it delves into the complexities of personal and societal transformation, highlighting the often-overlooked sacrifices of those who serve. Balzac's masterful storytelling and rich character development make Colonel Chabert an enduring exploration of the human condition and the quest for dignity in the face of adversity.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>10917</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Marriage Contract - Honore de Balzac</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/marriage-contract-honore-de-balzac--72689429</link><description><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72689429</guid><pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:03:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72689429/marriage_contract_honore_de_balzac.mp3" length="180841575" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Honoré de Balzac</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Balzac’s novel “The Marriage Contract” (1835) is part of his “Scenes of Private Life,” which is one section of “The Human Comedy,” his great fiction series. A wealthy gentleman wishes to marry a beautiful heiress, whose mother is a Spanish Creole. (In this context, “Creole” refers to a person who is genetically European, but born in a New World colony.) As was common for wealthy families of that time, notaries are hired to negotiate a prenuptial agreement. The details of 19th-century financial arrangements may well seem obscure for modern readers. What remains true throughout time, however, is Balzac’s unsparing portrait of humanity, in all its romantic illusions and its naked avarice, its capacity for naïve innocence and for scheming treachery. - Summary by Bruce Pirie]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>22606</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>balzac,contract,creole,genetically,marriage,negotiate,notaries,prenuptial,unsparing,wealthy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/01ea02cac6a30488555eb4e61a5a02f6.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
