At the Sign of the Cat and Racket cover art

At the Sign of the Cat and Racket

At the Sign of the Cat and Racket

By: Honoré de Balzac
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 Step into the enchanting world of Balzac’s early work, At the Sign of the Cat and Racket, first published in 1830 and later refined. The title, which translates to La Maison du Chat-qui-pelote, refers to a whimsical sign above a Parisian fabric shop where a cartoon cat plays racquetball. The shop is run by a family steeped in the narrow confines of bourgeois propriety, their lives upended by the arrival of a gifted young artist from an aristocratic background who charms their daughter. This beautifully woven tale captures the complexities of domestic life and the tensions that arise when contrasting social classes collide in romance and marriage. - Summary by Bruce PirieCopyright Fiction Classics Art Literary History & Criticism Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 004 - Section 4

    004 - Section 4
    Feb 20 2026
    Step into the enchanting world of Balzac’s early work, At the Sign of the Cat and Racket, first published in 1830 and later refined. The title, which translates to La Maison du Chat-qui-pelote, refers to a whimsical sign above a Parisian fabric shop where a cartoon cat plays racquetball. The shop is run by a family steeped in the narrow confines of bourgeois propriety, their lives upended by the arrival of a gifted young artist from an aristocratic background who charms their daughter. This beautifully woven tale captures the complexities of domestic life and the tensions that arise when contrasting social classes collide in romance and marriage. - Summary by Bruce Pirie
    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • 003 - Section 3

    003 - Section 3
    Feb 20 2026
    Step into the enchanting world of Balzac’s early work, At the Sign of the Cat and Racket, first published in 1830 and later refined. The title, which translates to La Maison du Chat-qui-pelote, refers to a whimsical sign above a Parisian fabric shop where a cartoon cat plays racquetball. The shop is run by a family steeped in the narrow confines of bourgeois propriety, their lives upended by the arrival of a gifted young artist from an aristocratic background who charms their daughter. This beautifully woven tale captures the complexities of domestic life and the tensions that arise when contrasting social classes collide in romance and marriage. - Summary by Bruce Pirie
    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
  • 002 - Section 2

    002 - Section 2
    Feb 20 2026
    Step into the enchanting world of Balzac’s early work, At the Sign of the Cat and Racket, first published in 1830 and later refined. The title, which translates to La Maison du Chat-qui-pelote, refers to a whimsical sign above a Parisian fabric shop where a cartoon cat plays racquetball. The shop is run by a family steeped in the narrow confines of bourgeois propriety, their lives upended by the arrival of a gifted young artist from an aristocratic background who charms their daughter. This beautifully woven tale captures the complexities of domestic life and the tensions that arise when contrasting social classes collide in romance and marriage. - Summary by Bruce Pirie
    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
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