The Memoirs of Two Young Wives (New York Review Books Classics)

Two very intelligent, very idealistic young women leave the convent school where they became the fastest of friends to return to their families and embark on their new lives. For Renée de Maucombe, this means an arranged marriage with a country gentleman of Provence, a fine if slightly dull man for whom she feels admiration but nothing more. Meanwhile, Louise de Chaulieu makes for her family's house in Paris, intent on enjoying her freedom to the fullest: glittering balls, the opera, and above all, she devoutly hopes, the torments and ecstasies of true love and passion. What will come of these two very different lives? Despite Balzac's title, these aren't memoirs; rather, this is an epistolary novel. For some ten years, these two will—enthusiastically if not always faithfully—keep up their correspondence, obeying their vow to tell each other every tiny detail of their strange new lives, comparing their destinies, defending and sometimes bemoaning their... Number of Words in Auth: 3 Formats : EPUB Number of Formats : 1 Has Cover : Yes All Identifiers : isbn:9781681371269 Single Author : Honore de Balzac Original Source : MIRC Files_New_OooopsB Sorted Author by LN, FN: Balzac, Honore de Title Length : 030 Title Parm D : The Memoirs of Two Young Wives Title Parm F : The Memoirs of Two Young Wives Num of Aut : 1 Title Parm B : ( Record ID : 3049 Uncomma Author : Honore de Balzac Title Parm A : The Memoirs of Two Young Wives Two Very Intelligent, Very Idealistic Young Women Leave The Convent School Where They Became The Fastest Of Friends To Return To Their Families And Embark On Their New Lives. For Renee De Maucombe, This Means An Arranged Marriage With A Country Gentleman Of Provence, A Fine If Slightly Dull Man For Whom She Feels Admiration But Nothing More. Meanwhile, Louise De Chaulieu Makes For Her Family's House In Paris, Intent On Enjoying Her Freedom To The Fullest: Glittering Balls, The Opera, And Above All, She Devoutly Hopes, The Torments And Ecstasies Of True Love And Passion. What Will Come Of These Two Very Different Lives? Despite Balzac's Title, These Aren't Memoirs; Rather, This Is An Epistolary Novel. For Some Ten Years, These Two Will--enthusiastically If Not Always Faithfully--keep Up Their Correspondence, Obeying Their Vow To Tell Each Other Every Tiny Detail Of Their Strange New Lives, Comparing Their Destinies, Defending And Sometimes Bemoaning Their Choices, Detailing The Many Changes, Personal And Social, That They Undergo. As Balzac Writes, Renee Is Reason. Louise Is Wild. And Both Will Lose. Balzac Being Balzac, He Seems To Argue For The Virtues Of One Of These Lives Over The Other; But Balzac Being Balzac, That Argument Remains Profoundly Ambiguous: I Would, He Once Wrote, Rather Be Killed By Louise Than Live A Long Life With Renee.-- Honoré De Balzac ; Translated From The French By Jordan Stump ; Introduction By Morris Dickstein. "Two very intelligent, very idealistic young women leave the convent school where they became the fastest of friends to return to their families and embark on their new lives. For Renee de Maucombe, this means an arranged marriage with a country gentleman of Provence, a fine if slightly dull man for whom she feels admiration but nothing more. Meanwhile, Louise de Chaulieu makes for her family's house in Paris, intent on enjoying her freedom to the fullest: glittering balls, the opera, and above all, she devoutly hopes, the torments and ecstasies of true love and passion. What will come of these two very different lives? Despite Balzac's title, these aren't memoirs; rather, this is an epistolary novel. For some ten years, these two will--enthusiastically if not always faithfully--keep up their correspondence, obeying their vow to tell each other every tiny detail of their strange new lives, comparing their destinies, defending and sometimes bemoaning their choices, detailing the many changes, personal and social, that they undergo. As Balzac writes, "Renee is reason. Louise is wild. And both will lose." Balzac being Balzac, he seems to argue for the virtues of one of these lives over the other; but Balzac being Balzac, that argument remains profoundly ambiguous: "I would," he once wrote, "rather be killed by Louise than live a long life with Renee.""-- Provided by publisher "Two very intelligent, very idealistic young women leave the convent school wherethey became the fastest of friends to return to their families and embark on theirnew lives. For Renee de Maucombe, this means an arranged marriage with a countrygentleman of Provence, a fine if slightly dull man for whom she feels admirationbut nothing more. Meanwhile, Louise de Chaulieu makes for her family's house inParis, intent on enjoying her freedom to the fullest: glittering balls, the opera, andabove all, she devoutly hopes, the torments and ecstasies of true love and passion. What will come of these two very different lives? Despite Balzac's title, these aren't memoirs; rather, this is an epistolary novel. Forsome ten years, these two will--enthusiastically if not always faithfully--keep uptheir correspondence, obeying their vow to tell each other every tiny detail of theirstrange new lives, comparing their destinies, defending and sometimes bemoaningtheir choices, detailing the many changes, personal and social, that they undergo. AsBalzac writes, "Renee is reason. Louise is wildness. and both will lose." Balzacbeing Balzac, he seems to argue for the virtues of one of these lives over the other;but Balzac being Balzac, that argument remains profoundly ambiguous: "I would," heonce wrote, "rather be killed by Louise than live a long life with Renee.""-- Provided by publisher Two very intelligent, very idealistic young women leave the convent school where they became the fastest of friends to return to their families and embark on their new lives. For Renée de Maucombe, this means an arranged marriage with a country gentleman of Provence, a fine if slightly dull man for whom she feels admiration but nothing more. Meanwhile, Louise de Chaulieu makes for her family's house in Paris, intent on enjoying her freedom to the fullest: glittering balls, the opera, and above all, she devoutly hopes, the torments and ecstasies of true love and passion. What will come of these two very different lives? Despite Balzac's title, these aren't memoirs; rather, this is an epistolary novel. For some ten years, these two will—enthusiastically if not always faithfully—keep up their correspondence, obeying their vow to tell each other every tiny detail of their strange new lives, comparing their destinies, defending and sometimes bemoaning their choices, detailing the many changes, personal and social, that they undergo. As Balzac writes, "Renée is reason. . . Louise is wildness. . . and both will lose." Balzac being Balzac, he seems to argue for the virtues of one of these lives over the other; but Balzac being Balzac, that argument remains profoundly ambiguous: "I would," he once wrote, "rather be killed by Louise than live a long life with Renée." Two very intelligent, very idealistic young women leave the convent school where they became the fastest of friends to return to their families and embark on their new lives. For Renée de Maucombe, this means an arranged marriage with a country gentleman of Provence, a fine if slightly dull man for whom she feels admiration but nothing more. Meanwhile, Louise de Chaulieu makes for her family's house in Paris, intent on enjoying her freedom to the fullest: glittering balls, the opera, and above all, she devoutly hopes, the torments and ecstasies of true love and passion. What will come of these very different lives? Despite Honoré de Balzac's title, these aren't memoirs; rather, this is an epistolary novel. For some ten years, these two will—enthusiastically if not always faithfully—keep up their correspondence, obeying their vow to tell each other every tiny detail of their strange new lives, comparing their destinies, defending and sometimes bemoaning their choices, detailing the many changes, personal and social, that they undergo. As Balzac writes, “Renée is reason...Louise is wildness...and both will lose.” Balzac being Balzac, he seems to argue for the virtues of one of these lives over the other; but Balzac being Balzac, that argument remains profoundly ambiguous. “I would,” he once wrote, “rather be killed by Louise than live a long life with Renée.”