La comédie humaine
by Honoré de Balzac · first published 1837
3mentions
1recommended by
3HN commenters
2016–2025first – last mentioned
33% recommend67% neutral
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
There's a set of books I picked right in freshman year that marked me: "Pensées" - Blaise Pascal: It showed me the clarity of thought a human being could have with a brain that functions correctly. Reading this is humbling. It is often reduced to a "theological" book and this is what you often see it described as. "The Prince" - Niccolo Machiavelli: Shrewd but so much more nuanced than what 99%
on “Ask HN: What are your greatest books?” ↗While writing La Comédie Humaine - 92 books and many more unfinished, from 1829 to 1850 - Balzac is said to have started his days around midnight. He would write till 8am, with some breaks for walks, rest for an hour, then write again till 4p. At that time he would bathe, receive friends for dinner, and go to bed at 6p or 7p. He drank a lot of coffee.
on “The Pleasures and Pains of Coffee (1830)” ↗Brave New world by Aldous Huxley(20th century), La Comédie humaine by Honoré de Balzac(19th century)…..but I get the concept, I was just thinking since a recommendation app it would work well with a scarce niche and so that whenever I want unpopular old books I know where to go
on “Show HN: MeetNewBooks – Book recommendations for those who read for fun” ↗