That book sounds intriguing, Rivendell_librarian. I may add it to my list. I just finished re-reading Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer and started a novel called Miss Iceland by Audur Ava Olafsdottir. It's about a young woman writer who comes to live in Reykjavik during the '60s. I've never read a novel set in Iceland before, so the setting interests me as much as the characters.Right now I'm reading a book I was given in a reading group I'm part of.
It's Let me tell you about a man I knew by Susan Fletcher. The man is Vincent van Gogh during his time in the asylum and the narrator of the book is the wife of the warden of the asylum who got to know van Gogh while he was painting outside, Now you could say this is a woman's novel but I'm enjoying it: it captures the feeling of Provence very well and the human story of the characters is quite fascinating.
Recently finished Les Miserables. I think it's better than War and Peace
Spoiler alert!
Why?
1. The exciting action sequences that often come at the end of each book. My favourite is the escape to the convent with Javert and his men closing in but there are many others e.g the confrontation in the Gorbeau house when Valjean sticks the hot iron (meant for his torture) into his forearm.
2. The time taken to describe the life of the bishop of Digne - skipped over by the dramatic versions but so important to what Hugo is saying.
3. The religious themes combined with scepticism of the Catholic church e.g. Valjean carrying Marius on his back and the description of life in the convent
4. The darkness of the relationship between Valjean and Marius: so important to Hugo's message about prejudice against convicted criminals
5. Fewer characters than W&P yet each one is an essential building block to the story.
6. Gavroche and what Hugo is saying through him e.g. the moment when Gavroche asks
"This word, Hercle, struck Gavroche. He sought all occasions for learning, and that tearer down of posters possessed his esteem. He inquired of him:—
“What does Hercle mean?"
7. Javert is not a monster but a believable character who has taken a wrong path
8. Hugo even evokes pity for the Thenardier parents though he paints them much darker than the musical! They also are Les Miserables.
9. Eponine's teenage love for Marius and its consequence - tissues required
10. The digressions
There is one moment in the film of the musical that scores for me: when Javert puts his medal of honour on the dead Gavroche. That's not in the book as we next see Javert chasing Thenardier who escapes into the sewers which plays an important part in Hugo's story.
No need to be sad, Alice.Oh. It is a bit sad to hear that War and Peace is worse
Oh, I understand. I just was a bit sad because I considered War and Peace the greatest russian classic in high schoolNo need to be sad, Alice.
I've read neither book. but have heard and read a little about both, and both are considered absolute classics.
And it is a matter of taste, anyway.
So while librarian may consider Les Miserables better that War and Peace, that may easily "even better" than tis great book, not necessarily putting down W&P. librarian may still consider W&P better that a whole lot of other books.
Well, even there, some people might prefer say Dostoevsky to Tolstoy. And comparing authors from different cultures, writing in different languages, is difficult. I'd have to read anything originally written in Russian, French, Italian, Spanish etc. in translation. As I have read books by JRRT in both of my native languages, English original and German translation, I know that even for these closely-related languages, some things get lost in translation. How much more gets lost when translated from more distantly related languages like the Romance or Slavic ones I can only guess.Oh, I understand. I just was a bit sad because I considered War and Peace the greatest russian classic in high school
I didn't mean any criticism of War and Peace! Les Miserables is very big in France.Oh. It is a bit sad to hear that War and Peace is worse
Well, even there, some people might prefer say Dostoevsky to Tolstoy. And comparing authors from different cultures, writing in different languages, is difficult. I'd have to read anything originally written in Russian, French, Italian, Spanish etc. in translation. As I have read books by JRRT in both of my native languages, English original and German translation, I know that even for these closely-related languages, some things get lost in translation. How much more gets lost when translated from more distantly related languages like the Romance or Slavic ones I can only guess.
I didn't mean any criticism of War and Peace! Les Miserables is very big in France.
That's an understatement. At Hugo's funeral, the crowds of mourners were so huge, several people were crushed to death.I didn't mean any criticism of War and Peace! Les Miserables is very big in France.
That might be overstating it a bit - but then again, I can only judge for books I've read in both English and German (almost all English originals and German translations). I bought "The Children of Húrin" back in 2007 in the German translation first, as it was readily available in almost all bookstores. I had to order the English original (as I have had to do for every JRRT-themed book in the English original since then). The difference, I felt, was in fine points that many would miss.Yes. So I rarely read anything which isn't written in Russian or in English. Because translation spoils a book
I commented on Rateliff's HoTH earlier after having read it:Currently I am reading a great hefty book on the subject of the Hobbit and it's developmental stages - "The History Of The Hobbit & The Return to Bag End" by John D. Rateliff. It has the unfinished 1960 Hobbit rewrite manuscript text included inside with essays and tons of other stuff. A great book and so very interesting
I started The Hobbit on the 22nd, too! I'm curious--when you mentioned "reading in a leisurely fashion," how much do you usually read a day (or a week)? This time around, I find that I'm just reading one chapter per evening, and I'm enjoying that slower pace.LotR again. 😂
Started my annual re-read on 22 September, and reading in a leisurely fashion.
I'm reading a chapter a day, too. I agree it's a really nice pace, although it's difficult not to hurry ahead to favourite bits.I started The Hobbit on the 22nd, too! I'm curious--when you mentioned "reading in a leisurely fashion," how much do you usually read a day (or a week)? This time around, I find that I'm just reading one chapter per evening, and I'm enjoying that slower pace.
I commented on Rateliff's HoTH earlier after having read it:
Rateliff certainly matches the standard set by Christopher Tolkien in the latter's HoMe - including being at times overwhelming in his detail, so a treasury trove for trivia nerds. 🥴 😃
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Are you happy to accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Are you happy to accept cookies and these technologies?