The Elixir of Life (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781169173873)

The Elixir of Life is a novel written by Honore De Balzac, a French author and one of the founders of European realism. The book is set in Paris during the early 19th century and tells the story of a wealthy and ambitious young man named Hector Hulot. Hulot is obsessed with finding the secret to eternal youth and immortality, and he becomes convinced that a mysterious alchemist named Father Seraphin has discovered the elixir of life.Hulot spends years searching for Father Seraphin and finally meets him in a remote village in the mountains. The alchemist agrees to give Hulot the elixir, but only if he can prove himself worthy by undergoing a series of difficult and dangerous tests. Hulot passes the tests and is given the elixir, but he soon discovers that it comes with a terrible price.As Hulot begins to experience the effects of the elixir, he becomes increasingly paranoid and delusional, and his relationships with his family and friends begin to deteriorate. He also attracts the attention of a group of sinister characters who are determined to steal the elixir for themselves.The Elixir of Life is a gripping and thought-provoking tale that explores the themes of obsession, greed, and the human desire for immortality. Balzac's vivid descriptions of Parisian society and his complex characterizations make this novel a timeless classic of French literature.Or was it, perhaps, that at the outset of an orgy there is a certain unwonted lucidity of mind? Despite the taper light, the clamor of the senses, the gleam of gold and silver, the fumes of wine, and the exquisite beauty of the women, there may perhaps have been in the depths of the revelers' hearts some struggling glimmer of reverence for things divine and human, until it was drowned in glowing floods of wine!This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Author: Honore De Balzac
ISBN-10: 116917387X
ISBN-13: 9781169173873
Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
Language: English
Published: 09/10/2010
Pages: 26
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 7.00h x 9.99w x 0.12d