A Passion in the Desert (Creative Short Stories) [Library Binding]

Honore de Balzac (Author)

Book Description

Series: Creative Short Stories | Publication Date: November 1983

A French soldier lost in the desert establishes a dangerous friendship with a panther.

Product Details

• Library Binding: 46 pages
• Publisher: Creative Co (Sd) (November 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871919656
• ISBN-13: 978-0871919656
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,636,283 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent imagery and use of emotion, October 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: A Passion in the Desert (Continental Classics) (Paperback)

This was a story that I read in school and was so impressed that I purchased a book of short stories that this appeared in. The author's use of emotion and imagery is outstanding and this is probably the best short story that I have ever read.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Novelette!!, September 8, 2010

By 

Andrew Beyzman "brooklynlion" (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Passion in the Desert (Kindle Edition)

I have not read the Kindle edition of this work, but this is undoubtedly one of the most controversial stories Balzac has produced. It must have caused one hell of a sensation when it was initially published. It certainly can't be considered "classical" Balzac in terms of the plot, but the imagery and philosophical depth is Balzac par excellence. It may not be "scientifically perfect" (I believe he mentions crocodile - in the dessert????), but what a spectacular idea! One almost gets a feel that Balzac is dipping his brush into "decadent" paint: reading this story I kept thinking of Chimera's words from Flaubert's fantastic "Temptation of St. Anthony" - "I seek new perfumes, larger blossoms, pleasures still untasted." Later, in 1884, J.K. Huysmans, in his masterpiece "A Rebours," has described locomotive viewed as a sort of sexual object by the protagonist Des Esseintes. I wonder if he was influenced to some degree by this novelette. On the other hand, this story superbly illustrates that humans are, mostly, sociable creatures and prolonged isolation will make them behave in a totally unexpected way. The ending is profoundly sad, but unavoidable.
This work really brings up a lot of emotions and questions. It also further solidifies the indisputable fact that Balzac was one of the greatest literary geniuses of all times.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unforgettable setting and imagery, June 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Passion in the Desert (Continental Classics) (Paperback)

An extremely imaginative story. The exoticism and mystery of the setting and characters (one of the main protagonists is a large feline) will fascinate long after you've finished the book. Haunting.