The First Ten Tales An enduring classic, Droll Stories offers a highly animated and entertaining portrait of life in 16th-century Europe. Jaico Classics presents its first edition of 10 lively tales by the inimitable and irreverent novelist, Honoré de Balzac. Written with the author's trademark wordplay, stories such as The Maid of Thilouse present the good-humoured licentiousness of Balzac's times. Tales like The Merry Jests of King Louis the Eleventh and The Venial Sin that once scandalized the public now simply delight modern readers. Full of exquisite charm and colour, Droll Stories by Balzac is a must-read for any fan of the Classics. Honoré de Balzac was a pioneer of Realism in European literature and an inspiration to the likes of Oscar Wilde, Dickens and Dostoyevsky. He continues to influence the work of artists and filmmakers even today. He is famously known for his extensive collection of short stories entitled La Comédie Humaine.