Honore de Balzac is my favorite writer of all time. French born, during the reign of Napoleon, he was able to develop fiction to a level digestible for the masses. His plan was to connect his life’s work into one glistening jewel of a story. The result is over 90 novels he called: Le Comedie Humane (The Human Comedy). His stories were raw, funny, realist and unflinchingly parodied the aristocracy. His prolificness was matched with his zest for life. He was a big man and didn’t have time for modesty. He was also caught once escaping the clutches of his debtors dressed as his maid. He also knew his limitations. In this portrait I use his own line of: “I am not deep, but very, very wide.”