"The Wrong Side of Paris, the final novel in Balzac's
"The Human Comedy, is the compelling story of Godefroid, an
abject failure at thirty, who seeks refuge from materialism by
moving into a monastery-like lodging house in the shadows of
Notre-Dame. Presided over by Madame de La Chanterie, a noblewoman
with a tragic past, the house is inhabited by a remarkable band of
men--all scarred by the tumultuous aftermath of the French
Revolution--who have devoted their lives to performing anonymous
acts of charity. Intrigued by the Order of the Brotherhood of
Consolation and their uplifting dedication to virtuous living,
Godefroid strives to follow their example. He agrees to
travel--incognito--to a Parisian slum to save a noble family from
ruin. There he meets a beautiful, ailing Polish woman who lives in
great luxury, unaware that just outside her bedroom door her own
father and son are suffering in dire poverty. By proving himself
worthy of the Brotherhood, Godefroid finds his own spiritual
redemption. This vivid portrait of the underbelly of
nineteenth-century Paris, exuberantly rendered by Jordan Stump, is
the first major translation in more than a century of Balzac's
forgotten masterpiece" L'Envers de l'histoire
contemporaine. Featuring an illuminating Introduction by Adam
Gopnik, this original Modern Library edition also includes
explanatory notes. "From the Hardcover edition.
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