ORR #1: Old Goriot by Honore de Balzac

Title: Old Goriot
Author: Honore de Balzac
Genre: Classic
Pages: 328

The story takes place in Paris in the year 1819, in a decrepit, dirty, ill-smelling boardinghouse on the left bank of the Seine. Mme Vauquer, a stingy old widow who owns the place, rules over her tenants. They are people with modest means and desires, like Mlle. Michonneau, the old maid; Poiret, a puppet-like human being; and a young orphan, Victorine Taillefer. Three tenants stand out in this company: Eugene de Rastignac, a young student from the provinces, of noble origin, but poor and eager to try his luck in the capital; Vautrin, the "strong" man, bon vivant and humorous, but mysterious and alarming; and Pere Goriot, a retired merchant, who seems to be suffering from a mysterious sorrow. Rastignac soon discovers that strange events are taking place at the seemingly respectable boardinghouse: Old Goriot pressing silver dishes into ingots, Vautrin furtively returning to the house in the middle of the night in spite of the bolted doors, Goriot being visited by pretty girls whose bills he pays.

I chose my mother for this particular project, because she seemed like she had time, and I thought that this would be a bonding moment between us. My mother usually really likes to read, as she said that "literature takes her to places that she could have only dreamed of going". I have never really asked my mother about reading or what in particular she likes, so this was something new I found out about her, and I thought that it was really cool. I can't wait to start reading the book with her!