Father Goriot by Honoré de Balzac
"Father Goriot" is a classic French novel that explores the themes of wealth, power, love, and social status in 19th century Paris. The narrative follows the lives of three main characters: a young, ambitious law student who seeks to rise above his modest background; an elderly, once-wealthy man who has sacrificed everything for his two ungrateful daughters; and a crafty, ruthless criminal who manipulates others for his own gain. Their stories intertwine in a boarding house, revealing the harsh realities of Parisian society and the destructive power of unchecked ambition and selfishness.
The 283rd greatest book of all time
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This book is on the following lists:
- 26th on The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time (The Novel 100)
- 41st on The 100 Greatest Novels (greatbooksguide.com)
- 86th on The Telegraph’s 100 Novels Everyone Should Read (Telegraph)
- 697th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- The New Lifetime Reading Plan (The New Lifetime Reading Plan)
- Masterpieces of World Literature (Frank N. Magill)
- W. Somerset Maugham’s Ten Greatest Novels of All Time (Great Novelists and Their Novels)
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)
- As if You Don't Have Enough to Read, Fiction Edition (New York Times)
- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (The Western Canon (Book) by Harold Bloom)
- 100 Best Novels in the World (Published in 1899) (The Daily Telegraph)
- Top 100 Works in World Literature (Norwegian Book Clubs, with the Norwegian Nobel Institute)