First published in 1833, Le Medecin de campagne presents in fictional form Balzac's social and political philosophy. It is the story of a country doctor who transforms the lives and social and economic structure of a community in the Savoie region of France. The novel also presents the life and loves of the doctor as well as a populist vision of the Napoleonic era. This new edition of Le Medecin de campagne is edited by Andrew Oliver, a well-known Balzac scholar. The text is that of the 1833 edition. This is the first time that the novel has been published in its original text since its first publication."