Droll Stories — Volume 2

"Droll Stories — Volume 2" by Honoré de Balzac is a collection of humorous tales written during the early 19th century. The stories present a satirical and comedic exploration of life in France, characterized by raucous antics and playful insights that often feature various historical figures and common folk entwined in amusing situations. The opening portion of the volume introduces the author, who playfully defends his literary endeavors against criticism, humorously lamenting the difficulties of creating a substantial body of work. Following this prologue, the narrative begins with the first tale, "The Three Clerks of Saint Nicholas," which follows three unscrupulous clerks as they take up residence at an inn, indulging in self-serving tricks and humorous exploits. Their misadventures and manipulations serve as a backdrop for an exploration of human folly, revealing the author's sharp wit as he navigates through themes of deception and cleverness in an engaging and entertaining manner. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright. The novel sequence La Comédie humaine, which presents a panorama of post-Napoleonic French life, is generally viewed as his magnum opus.