Rare Books Père Griot and Eugénie Grande by Honoré de Balzac 1946 Modern Library, Random House French Literature Collectible Books

This is a very good hardcover, no dust jacket, jacket missing. 1946 Modern Library, Random House. This copy is very good inside and out. Inside pages only have a hint of light natural tanning from age and are clean with no foxing or markings see. The binding is tight and straight. Grey hardcover boards are good with light shelf wear mostly at corners and edges, see photo for top edge wearing along spine. Modern Library logo endpapers front and back. 12mo book size or 5" x 7.75" with 496 pages.

Modern Library began publishing series of books in 1917. they were extremely popular, especially with students, as they were copies of great literature and topics that were priced for the general public. The publishing firm of Boni Liveright started the series, as the idea stemmed from Albert Boni. The first title published was The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde. Early editions were published in "pocket book" size for easy carrying to read anywhere and they were bound in leatherette. In 1927, Random House was borne out of Modern Library and pictorial dust jackets were introduced to the series, along with hardcover boards. As publishing changed, Modern Library fell to the wayside but was "reintroduced" in the 1970's. Early editions are collectibles and later titles remain favorites as many collect Modern Library editions of all ages.

This selection from Modern Library is Pere Goriot and Eugenie Grandet from Balzac. Père Goriot was originally published as a serial in France in 1934 and published as a novel in 1835. Social status, corruption and and family are major themes. It is often considered Balzac's best work.

Eugenie Grandet was published in 1833, before Père Goriot. The story is a coming-of-age sort of tale as characters pass from innocence to experience, ignorance to knowledge and dreams to reality.

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