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The Elixir of Life: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition

The Elixir of Life: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

Published by Pop Culture Files••2 min read•Automatically generated · review not guaranteed
AI-generated editorial illustration — not a photograph of the subject
AI-generated editorial illustration — not a photograph of the subject

The Elixir of Life is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Balzac, Honoré de (1799–1850). The listed translation credits are Bell, Clara (1834–1927); Waring, James.

Catalogue synopsis

Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:

"The Elixir of Life" by Honoré de Balzac is a short story published in 1830. Set in 16th-century Italy and Spain, it follows Don Juan Belvidero, who receives from his dying father a mysterious liquid that can restore life. When Juan disobeys his father's final instructions, he sets in motion a dark chain of events involving forbidden knowledge, debauchery, and atheism. Years later, his own deathbed command to his devout son leads to a horrifying miracle that shocks an entire community.

Book and edition facts

  • Title: The Elixir of Life
  • Author credits: Balzac, Honoré de (1799–1850)
  • Catalogue language: English
  • Translator credits: Bell, Clara (1834–1927); Waring, James

Catalogue subjects

  • French fiction -- Translations into English

Gutenberg collections

  • Category: French Literature
  • Category: Philosophy & Ethics
  • Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
  • Category: Short Stories

Read this edition

View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.

Source notes

Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.

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