Caroline Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 All the talk of reading non-English books in the language they were written has me wondering whether my rarely-used French would be up to the task. One book that stood out for me in my teen years was Camus' 'L'Etranger'. Were I to take up the challenge of reading a non-English book in its original language that might be the one. I was thinking that would be the book I would want to try, too. (Who can resist a book that inspired a Cure song?) I might start with Le Petit Prince, first, though, before I ramped up to Camus. Or I might go across the hall and borrow Le Petit Nicholas from the French teacher first, then St. Exup, and then Camus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I was thinking that would be the book I would want to try, too. (Who can resist a book that inspired a Cure song?) I might start with Le Petit Prince, first, though, before I ramped up to Camus. Or I might go across the hall and borrow Le Petit Nicholas from the French teacher first, then St. Exup, and then Camus. I keep both Le Petit Nicholas and Le Petit Prince on the shelf awaiting the day when I choose to revisit and improve my French skills. But no Camus for me! Reading The Stranger (in English) as a college student I was completely freaked out. I have never had the desire to try anything else by the author given my visceral response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 For those interested in dipping into some of the French classics First French Reader: A Beginner's Dual-Language Book looks like it would be a workable way to visit some of them... "This excellent anthology offers the beginning French-language student a first taste of some of the world's most significant prose. Chosen for both their eloquence and ease of reading, excerpts from such masterpieces as Les Misérables, The Red and the Black, Madame Bovary, Carmen, and The Three Musketeers will open new worlds for linguists. Readers will savor the words of fifty great writers of multiple genres from the seventeenth through twentieth centuries, including Voltaire, Rousseau, Balzac, Baudelaire, Dumas, Proust, and other literary virtuosos. Lucid and accessible, the unabridged English translations by Stanley Appelbaum appear on pages that face the original French text. Literature lovers, French-language students, and other readers will find this volume a fascinating exploration of French literature...and an invaluable aid to mastering one of the world's most romantic languages." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I keep both Le Petit Nicholas and Le Petit Prince on the shelf awaiting the day when I choose to revisit and improve my French skills. But no Camus for me! Reading The Stranger (in English) as a college student I was completely freaked out. I have never had the desire to try anything else by the author given my visceral response. When I heard that the shooters in Paris had Algerian parents, my mind quickly jumped to The Stranger. I think we read that as juniors in high school in English. Or it might have been as seniors. But I know I read it in English, not French. One of the AP English classes at my school was reading it last semester. They, too, thought of the book this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 For those interested in dipping into some of the French classics First French Reader: A Beginner's Dual-Language Book looks like it would be a workable way to visit some of them... "This excellent anthology offers the beginning French-language student a first taste of some of the world's most significant prose. Chosen for both their eloquence and ease of reading, excerpts from such masterpieces as Les Misérables, The Red and the Black, Madame Bovary, Carmen, and The Three Musketeers will open new worlds for linguists. Readers will savor the words of fifty great writers of multiple genres from the seventeenth through twentieth centuries, including Voltaire, Rousseau, Balzac, Baudelaire, Dumas, Proust, and other literary virtuosos. Lucid and accessible, the unabridged English translations by Stanley Appelbaum appear on pages that face the original French text. Literature lovers, French-language students, and other readers will find this volume a fascinating exploration of French literature...and an invaluable aid to mastering one of the world's most romantic languages." Thanks! I will check this out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Link to week two - please continue conversation in new thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epicurean Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Oops, posting in the new thread! :gnorsi: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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