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Father Goriot

By: Honoré de Balzac
Narrated by: Bill Homewood
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Publisher's summary

Impoverished young aristocrat Eugene de Rastignac is determined to climb the social ladder and impress himself on Parisian high society. While staying at the Maison Vauquer, a boarding house in Paris's rue Neuve-Sainte-Genevieve, he encounters Jean-Joachim Goriot, a retired vermicelli maker who has spent his entire fortune supporting his two daughters. The boarders strike up a friendship and Goriot learns of Rastignac's feelings for his daughter Delphine. He begins to see Rastignac as the ideal son-in-law, and the perfect substitute for Delphine's domineering husband. But Rastignac has other opportunities too, as the notorious criminal Vautrin, "The Death Dodger", offers to murder the brother of a wealthy woman, giving the ambitious young lawyer a clear path to her fortune. Profound and realistic, Father Goriot is a startling glimpse into the vanity and selfishness of 19th-century Paris. It is considered one of the finest works of Balzac's La Comedie Humaine.

Public Domain (P)2018 Naxos Audiobooks
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What listeners say about Father Goriot

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Materialism and Greed.

Balzac exposes the lack of humanistic and Democratic values in early 19th century Paris, France.
Only a minority believed in community, family and democracy.

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My first Balzac

Wonderful and old fashion. But such joy! I will read more. The reader was excellent and if you spend any time with it you will be well rewarded!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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We’ll worth revisiting this classic

The story is a satire of 19C France. I found it gripping and heart breaking at the same time. The narration was splendid.

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Astounding performance

Bill's performance renders the work so accessible and touching. The book can have rather longer commentaries esp at the beginning, but story also amazing as it gathers pace

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

lots to think about

I listened to this book as it is mentioned by Thomas Piketty in his book 'capital in the 21 century.' He may take much data from it I mostly read this as an ethical story. This is not a subtle story but it is a dark counterpart for war and peace and even a foreboding for Proust' recherche.

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