Had Balzac been a less masterful novelist, the disreputably profligate fraud in him might have overwhelmed his artistry. Still, the other Balzac, the artist, is tainted by his well-earned reputation for what has been called artistic license or dishonesty...
The French novelist Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) was the first writer to use fiction to convey the total social scene prevailing within one country at a particular period in its history. Commonly regarded as the founder of social realism, he also...
This week's look at what's new, bountiful or mysterious in the produce aisles: Kids who live in tropical and subtropical lands -- from Havana to Maui to Rangoon -- love to chew on fibrous sugar cane for a taste of the flavorful syrup....
Stadel Charon, of Inverness, Fla., has developed an unusual vocation--carving walking sticks. In this era of mass-produced look-alikes, hand-carved canes are unusual, and would hardly seem to be a marketable item. However, there is a market for these original sticks, and today Charon...
