French novelist and play wright Honoree de Balzac (20 May 1799 - 18 August 1850) is celebrated as one of the first practitioners of realism in European literature. Noted for his ambiguous characters and true - to - life narrative settings, Balzac is widely acknowledged to be one of the most reliable chroniclers of the French society of his time. Balzac’s characters are never completely black or white but simply human - flawed and nuanced. This collection brings together some of Balzac’s most compelling stories: among others, `The High Constable’s Wife’. `Despair in Love’, `The Message’ and `A Man of Business’.