[a / b / c / d / e / f / g / gif / h / hr / k / m / o / p / r / s / t / u / v / vg / vm / vmg / vr / vrpg / vst / w / wg] [i / ic] [r9k / s4s / vip] [cm / hm / lgbt / y] [3 / aco / adv / an / bant / biz / cgl / ck / co / diy / fa / fit / gd / hc / his / int / jp / lit / mlp / mu / n / news / out / po / pol / pw / qst / sci / soc / sp / tg / toy / trv / tv / vp / vt / wsg / wsr / x / xs] [Settings] [Search] [Mobile] [Home]
Board
Settings Mobile Home
/lit/ - Literature


Thread archived.
You cannot reply anymore.


[Advertise on 4chan]


File: balzac.jpg (85 KB, 1200x675)
85 KB
85 KB JPG
what is wrong with this guy?? I literally have to skip half the paragraphs because he can't stop describing the walls

like nigger what is wrong with you
>>
All 19th century literature is like that. You're just a zoom zoom and have the attention span of a fly.
>>
I still dont think he killed those 33 boys
>>
I don't know, even as a young twerp I found Balzac amusing and entertaining. Some of the books I read as an adolescent, like Ulysses, I sort of pretended to like, but didn't understand until later on. Balzac however was as eminently readable, clear yet nuanced, and funny then as he is now.
>>
>>24843933
Are failed suicide attempts the key to success?
>>
>>24843933
>he can't stop describing the walls
And it's pure cinema when he does. You can learn so much from this gentleman and from Flaubert.
>>
ball
sack
>>
>>24843943
>>24843947
>>24843983
>>24843988
>>24843989
Stop reading fat authors.

If a man lacks self-respect to the extent of allowing his body to grow fat, then whatever he has to say is rendered altogether worthless and must be dismissed.
>>
>visualizationlet
kekked
>>
>>24843995
>Stop reading fat authors.
Stopped reading your post
>>
>>24843995
Nope. The Big Sack is just that good. He gives us working-class men hope that on writing ability alone, we too can impress and enter relations with a Polish noblewomam.
>>
>>24843995
Given the quality and sheer breadth of his literary output, I'd be surprised if he ever left his desk. He made the right choice, or at least it was a choice that benefited us, the /lit/erary public. You could say it was worth the weight.
>>
>>24843933
Link to work? I wanna read. Or just the title will suffice
>>
>>24844019
Start with Goriot
Then Google “Human Comedy”
I’m sure there’s a chart on the wiki
>>
>>24844024
Thanks. I will determine the quality of the wall passages and report back
>>
>>24844019
OP here, I am reading this

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1481/1481-h/1481-h.htm#link2HCH0004
>>
>>24844038
The beginning of Goriot begins with a description of Madame Vaquer’s lodging house. I’ll admit that I nearly got filtered by it, but once the plot gets going it becomes an immensely pleasurable read.
>>
>>24843995
Balzac is the exception to the physiognomy rule. He's not my favorite, but he's undeniably one of the greatest writers of all time. I'm actually in awe of how consistently good he is despite his huge body of work. Man was born to write.
>>
File: chesterton-standing.jpg (49 KB, 601x350)
49 KB
49 KB JPG
>>24843995
Silence, thincel. *farts aggressively at you*
>>
File: zac.png (46 KB, 821x342)
46 KB
46 KB PNG
>>24843933
>I literally have to skip half the paragraphs because he can't stop describing the walls
I wrote a post about this in a recent Writing General thread.
>>
He was overdosing on caffeine as often as possible. Look up the essay he wrote and you'll realize he was tweaked into infinity. If he had had access to cocaine at the time, he would have probably written twice as much.
>>
>>24844789
*wrote on coffee
>>
>>24843933
He was paid for every line he wrote. He was pre pebulished in journals before the book was released. The lengthy descriptions were there just to maximise profit.
>>
File: balzac - Copy.jpg (8 KB, 348x95)
8 KB
8 KB JPG
I just don't care so much about French historical novels.
And I read too slowly to get through his massive series.
But I am open to recommendation anyway.
>>
>>24843933
we don't say that word here
>>
>>24843943
>it's meant to be shitty on purpose
lol
>>
I wish there were an edition with illustrations
I involuntarily start visualising the scenes but I know my visualisations are likely to be inaccurate so I become uncomfortable
Having an edition which shows what Balzac himself was likely visualising would help a nlot
>>
>>24844847
it doesnt matter
wat matters is how
tha underlying mysteries
r universal among us
& we can tap in2
those aspects
no matter wut about tha
rest of tha
details
>>
>>24843933
Your brain has been cookes by your algorithm.
Honour my ballsack, zoomer.
>>
File: IMG_4924.jpg (527 KB, 1022x1333)
527 KB
527 KB JPG
>>24844302
Possibly the most based man to have ever lived, full stop.
>>
>>24843995
>t. Socrates
>>
>>24843933
He wrote like 50 novels. Quantity over qualityI guess.
>>
>>24844774
We will come up with crazy theories all day if we are scared of admitting the most obvious but controversial one: they were worse writers back then.
>>
>>24844001
Kek
>>
>>24843933
Wow, half a paragraph, what a pain
>>
>>24844832
>historical
People from the 19th century lived in the 19th century, as surprising as it sounds
>>
>>24846667
Fair enough, but I am still not too eager to read about 19th c. France. And the sheer volume of this guy's works is still paralyzing.
Does he have some really great short works?

I have certainly read something short from him, as a child, but I cannot remember anything.

>>24844007
Anything that relates more clearly to modern life?

I feel like sticking to Montaigne, because he is quite universal to read.
>>
>>24844001
kek
>>
>>24846934
Doesn't everyone start with Le père Goriot?
>>
>>24846934
Here's something that might keep you company
https://balzacbooks.wordpress.com/suggested-reading-order-of-the-human-comedy/
I found this website when I too was struggling with where to start with Balzac
>>
>>24843995
There‘s a bit of ambiguous space between big in terms of structure versus plain obese but I think Balzac inclines more toward the former (which is why he‘s a good writer.)
>>
>>24847120
I started with Lost Illusions because my mother had it on her shelf.
>>
File: big keks.png (191 KB, 322x480)
191 KB
191 KB PNG
>Anything that relates more clearly to modern life?
>>
>>24847624
Oh it's supposed to be read after Goriot
>>
>>24843933
old timey authors were paid by the word which explains why their writing is so verbose



[Advertise on 4chan]

Delete Post: [File Only] Style:
[Disable Mobile View / Use Desktop Site]

[Enable Mobile View / Use Mobile Site]

All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective parties. Images uploaded are the responsibility of the Poster. Comments are owned by the Poster.