NYC/ Queens/ L.I. Tour #7- La Comédie humaine

Imagine my delight in seeing this grand sculpture by Rodin of the writer Honoré de Balzac prominently displayed in the new MoMA's glass-enclosed lobby. After finishing my George Eliot craze, I am currently embarked on a major Balzac-reading phase. Could take the rest of my life, as he's written some 94 novels, not including short stories! Anyway, it was cool seeing this sculpture-- I wish I'd gotten someone to snap a pic with me standing next to it because it's huge.

On the reading front, so far I've gotten through Les Illusions Perdues (Lost Illusions [that title could be the story of my life!]), Le Père Goriot (Father Goriot) and I am now reading La Rabouilleuse (The Black Sheep). I need a copy editor for all this crazy punctuation-- I may be doing it wrong.

Balzac is a MUCH more cynical and jaded writer than Eliot, which took some getting used to at first. His pointed and witty social and psychological observations have completely won me over now. He writes a lot about lives of creativity, excess and theatricality in the city of Paris, and amusing social posturing in the provinces. Plus, there is a lot of very fascinating historical stuff thrown in.

Speaking of La Comédie humaine , there is La Nouvelle Monde de Retail that I am being initiated into! Oy, Oy, OY!!!