Le Morte d'Arthur by Malory

[lewelma]

DS the younger is interested in reading this book.  He saw it on the Mensa list and thought it sounded fun.  But OMG it is LONG.  800 pages at least and in 2 volumes.  DS is good at reading difficult *short* books, but difficult long books don't ever get finished.  Does anyone know of a decent abridged version that still uses the good language and is only cut in half rather than down to like 50pages (which I have found).  Also, what is the most readable (and beautiful) translation regardless of abridgement?

 

Thanks,

 

Ruth in NZ

[Jamee]

I listened to the audio read by Derek Jacobi. Very well done.

[8filltheheart]

I don't have an answer to your question, but this is a great link for King Arthur. http://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot-project

 

Have you looked at the copies available online for free?

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1251

http://www.celtic-twilight.com/camelot/malory/index.htm

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=cme;idno=MaloryWks2(original spelling)

[tm919]

I loved this book as a child but I think I saw it more as a collection of stories than one long book. I don't know of a good abridged version, but is there a way for you to present it as the 8 separate books? That way he'd be reading a series of 8 100 page books, most with a different main character. 

[Kate989]

This book was a big 6th grade hit for my ds. We used this edition:

http://www.amazon.com/Morte-DArthur-Arthur-Legends-Classics/dp/0451531493/ref=sr_1_17?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1439645731&sr=1-17&keywords=la+morte+darthur

[lewelma]

Thanks, guys.  I think I could have him think of it as 8 100 page books.  Is it actually separated out that way?  

 

In more reading about this book, it sounds like the translation is pretty important .  So I'm open to more opinions on the most readable one.

 

Thanks!

[lewelma]

8, I can't imagine reading it in its original spelling!  eeeek

 

DS has been trying to read Huck Finn, but he can only do it outloud with a really terrible accent.  I should make a video because it is quite cute.  But he thinks he will wait a bit to read it.  He is definitely a whole word reader, which I think makes the slang even harder to read!

[tm919]

Thanks, guys.  I think I could have him think of it as 8 100 page books.  Is it actually separated out that way?  

 

In more reading about this book, it sounds like the translation is pretty important .  So I'm open to more opinions on the most readable one.

 

Thanks!

In most translations it will have the book numbers, but often more than 8! If you need to line it up with the 8 main "stories" (8 being a subjective number that Caxton introduced, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Morte_d%27Arthur(you may have to search it on wikipedia, I'm having no luck linking it) under the summary. e.g., in Caxton's division, books I - V in this version

 

http://www.samizdat.qc.ca/arts/lit/malory/morte_darthur1.pdf

 

are considered "Book 1" - it's about 125 pages and deals with Arthur becoming king and consolidating his kingdom. 

 

Whatever I read as a child actually divided this up in separate volumes, I wonder what antiquated version that was?! I must be showing my age!