/lit/ - Literature

i understand your pains anon. none in my life read. my mom collects books as collectables for a shelf. my dad sticks to newspapers and the economist. 2 of my brothers have not to my opinion even read 5 books. i don't understand how ppl can live like this/that.

>>6247802
It is tough. I try to recommend books to my friends when they are going through hard times or something as a way for them to be able to think about how they feel.

But hey, that's life. I think I'll be moving more books than furniture when I move out actually.

What do you think is the best translation?

>>6247921
I like the MacAfee version by Signet Classics.

I've read the original in French, and I think that version is pretty close to the original.

I have the book on my shelf. I'm going to read it after I finish The Dark Tower. Is it worth reading the tangents where he talks about the France and Paris and the sewage system or should I stick ot the narrative?

Julie Rose's translation is incredible, if you've the mind to try it.

>>6247778
>Greatest novel and play written?
hahahahaha

>>>/tumblr/

>>6247921
>translation

>trying to impress french girl in my class by mentioning I read the novel
>tore my adam's apple trying to pronounce the book's name
>she just laughs

>>6248050
I thought it was very liberal.

If I could only name one book as my favourite, Les Miserables would be it. Mere Christianity and Les Miserables were the two most influenced books shaping my decision to become a Christian.

>>6248768
she can already speak french anon, she was never going to be impressed with whatever shitty american accented french you were gonna throw out.

you dont impress women by relating to them but by demonstrating your superiority.

>TOMORROW WE'LL BE FAR AWAY
>TOMORROW IS THE JUDGEMENT DAY
>TOMORROW WE'LL FIND OUT [retardando] WHAT OUR GOD IN HEAVEN HAS IN STOREEEEEEEEEEEEE
>ONE MORE DAY
>[doo-dooo-do-doo motif violin motif starts]
>ONE MORE DAWN
>ONE DAAY MORRRRRRRRRRR
>RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
>RRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

shit now you got me on that shit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IddP8AAIGTQ

>>6249616
Come on guys, this post is better than the lack of replies its received

>>6249616
the best song is "on my own"

>>6249688
You fucking twat, I bet you think Gavroche was supposed to be cute

Has anyone read the Wilbour translation?

someone on /r/books recommended his translation to me

>>6249616
>>6249688
I've always had Prologue: Work Song as my fav

>>6249699
We did it in high school and it was fun to sing. Those fourths: *look downnn, look downnn.... you'll always be a slave*

>>6248768

>Lay misaiwable

>>6249720

>>6249616
I personally like the duels between Javert and Valjean

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0SWaGfkPxA

>>6249717
>>6249829
The 25th Anniversary production was amazing

>>6249854
Twas dope

>>6247778
I'm halfway through the novel and I can unhappily say that I'm not impressed at all; the writing seems bland - pleasant - but nothing special, and holy christ he shoves his themes down your throat so fucking hard. Like the first thirty or so pages, I get it that Monsigneur bienvenue is a good christian, you convinced me at page two, you don't have to fucking show me in full detail how he's basically jesus reincarnated. The same goes for papà madeleine, for how socjety was cruel to jean valjean, to fantine and I imagine for many others character i still have to meet.
I'll finish it because it's considered a must read, but a decent editor would never have left it the way it was published.

>>6247961
The sewage system is the best part you absolute pleb. The whole story leads to the sewage system.

>>6247778
>They read 1500 pages of text

>>6249903
I feel the same way now that I have 100 pages of The Count of Monte Cristo. The marriage subplots are so obviously there for fluff in an attempt to keep serializing it to magazines.

Les Miserables on the other hand did a pretty good job of keeping me entertained, I personally liked the recollection of Waterloo and other reflections on Napoleon and the Bourbons.

It's a phenomenal musical but I wouldn't say it(or any musical) is the best play.

>>6248665
>Shitposting instead of providing counter-points and arguments.

>>6247778
Started this week and I am still on Fantine. Just finished first book, the Myriel's part. I am already into it.

>>6249866
I see very good described characters just as another rich part of the book. Why is it a bad thing?

>>6249871
appreciated post

>>6250062
I don't think they are not goodly described, I think they're bad as characters, they are so idealized that they become a parody of the very ideals they should represent

>>6250102
Do you even speak english?

How would you say that the characters become a parody of themselves? So Inspector Javert is supposed to be mocking the idea of a man who is stone set in carrying out his duty as the law?

Or am I not following what you're saying?

>>6250562
I said they become a parody of the ideals they represent; and yes, someone so extremely set in stone carrying out his duty as the law can become a parody of exactly that thing, in fact he quite is

is any spanish speaker in here? what translation do you recommend? i found one book with 200 pages and another with 1700 pages LOL

>>6250598
p.s. I'm not saying that this was Hugo's intention, quite the contrary: he tries so hard to represent some ideals that his characters ends up being a parody of those ideals

Fuck now I'm going to have to get drunk and watch the movie.

>>6250607
>LOL
The 200 pages one is aimed for people like you.

>>6251166
>tfw
>y u do this to me
> i cried
>plz no more
>help me

>>6249616
At the end of the day

>>6249616

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmZ5RvmInko

>>6249871
...but dayum, did he have to go into the long winded intricate pages of detail about its foundation and construction? It seems Hugo could have summarised that given how little it adds to the actual plot. I found that to be the case with the descriptions of places and events...

>>6247778
I finished it about two months ago and it took me three months to read - Epic; It was a long slog but worthwhile, good on you for sticking with it OP - I trust you finished it, annexes and all!

Javert and Thenardier are both extremely memorable characters that haven't already been named; the way their ingrained contrasting morals and personalities are depicted is something else. I'm itching to see it at the Queen's in London now as at least I'd have a clue as to what the hell was going on.

>>6251316
I did finish it. Wrapped up The Count of Monte Cristo today, and they have both been struggles.

Another anon said it was because these stories were serialized in magazines, so there was incentive for Hugo and Dumas to make the stories longer.

I did enjoy both of them though, almost gave up on The Count but I was 800 pages in and almost lost it at the matchmaking scenes.

>>6247778
>have 17 yo
>in that time there was no internet where I live
>average student so don't give a fuck of grades
>bored because tv has nothing to offer
>live in a little town, with no guys of my age
>read only comix till saturated
>never read a book in exception of lord of the rings when 13yo
>one day on bus a thought comes "maybe books can offer some entertainment, they were used for this since at least 3000 years..."
>think of what book read "I could chose the longest and famous one that comes in my mind. So, even if drop, it can leave me something"
>chose WaP
>read it in 2 weeks, school-eat-read-eat-read-sleep-repeat
>fucking unbelievable, want more
>think others famous titles
>"les miserables"
>harder prose but again, school-eat-read-eat-read-sleep-repeat
>3 weeks later
>THESE ARE THE BOOKS? WHAT THE FUCK I'VE DISCOVERED!
>again, this time comes in my mind "the comte of monte cristo"
>CUM BUCKETS for 1 week

Today, hundreds of books later, I'm so glad with how I started.
I've re-read les mis 3 times after years and every time is better that the last one.

>>6251338
lmao why do you people torture yourself with books. grand you it's noble to finish les miserables, and i have a copy but listen-
i have 30 war books coming in from amazon this month,

we're going back to hurtgen