Publisher's Synopsis
""The Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau"" is a novel by Honore de Balzac that tells the story of a successful Parisian perfumer, Cesar Birotteau, who rises to great heights in the world of commerce only to suffer a devastating fall from grace. Through Birotteau's story, Balzac explores the themes of ambition, pride, and the corrupting influence of wealth.The novel begins with Birotteau's rise to success as a perfumer, earning him the title of ""the king of perfumers."" However, his ambition and desire for social status lead him to invest heavily in a speculative real estate venture, which ultimately fails, leaving him bankrupt and ruined.As Birotteau struggles to rebuild his life, he is forced to confront the consequences of his own pride and vanity. Through his experiences, Balzac paints a vivid portrait of Parisian society, with its complex social hierarchies and the allure of wealth and power.""The Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau"" is a compelling tale of one man's rise to greatness and subsequent downfall, offering a powerful commentary on the human condition and the dangers of unchecked ambition.Eight days after his ball, the last dying flash of a prosperity of eighteen years now about to be extinguished, Cesar Birotteau watched the passers-by from the windows of his shop, thinking over the expansion of his affairs, and beginning to find them burdensome. Until then all had been simple in his life; he manufactured and sold, or bought to sell againThis scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.