Audiobook The Elixir of Life, a Short Story by Balzac. The Elixir of Life is a fantastic tale by the French novelist and writer Honoré de Balzac in which he gives a satirical version of the legend of Don Juan. This early short story was originally published in 1830; like all the component pieces of Balzac's Comédie Humaine, it is considered a stand-alone piece of literature.