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Nobody's Boy
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A compelling story in which orphaned Remi gets hired out to a traveling street entertainer when his foster parents fall on hard times. Going from village to village with its act, ‘nobody’s boy’ has numerous adventures until his boss also falls on hard times and perishes, homeless and destitute. Remi’s life includes a number of surprising twists and turns, leading to a
...more
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Kindle Edition, Annotated Edition, 255 pages
Published
September 24th 2016
by Feedbooks
(first published 1878)
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Ajith Peter
Wonderful books and wonderful narration..never boring..what touches most is the innocence and narration ..surely makes one nostalgic and imaginative.
Cristina
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Sans Famille, Hector Malot
Sans Famille (Translation: Without Family English title: Nobody's Boy) is an 1878 French novel by Hector Malot. The most recent English translation is Alone in the World by Adrian de Bruyn, 2007. The novel was reportedly inspired by the Italian street musicians of the 19th century, in particular the harpists from Viggiano, Basilicata.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: بیست و پنجم ماه دسامبر سال 2004 میلادی
عنوان: بی خانمان؛ نویسنده: هکتور هانری مالو؛ مترجم: روحی ارباب؛ تهران، گلشائی، ...more
Sans Famille (Translation: Without Family English title: Nobody's Boy) is an 1878 French novel by Hector Malot. The most recent English translation is Alone in the World by Adrian de Bruyn, 2007. The novel was reportedly inspired by the Italian street musicians of the 19th century, in particular the harpists from Viggiano, Basilicata.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: بیست و پنجم ماه دسامبر سال 2004 میلادی
عنوان: بی خانمان؛ نویسنده: هکتور هانری مالو؛ مترجم: روحی ارباب؛ تهران، گلشائی، ...more

Dec 18, 2012
K.D. Absolutely
rated it
really liked it
Recommended to K.D. by:
501 Must Read Books (Children)
This is a coming of age story of Remi Barbarin a 6-y/o Italian boy who is adopted by a poor couple when they find him abandoned in front of government building where Mr. Barbarin works. However, Mr. Barbarin's motive of adopting him is with the hope that someday the infant baby in silk clothes (hint that the baby's parents are rich), will be asked back by his parents in exchange of a huge money. Years passed and when Mr. Barbarin feels that it will no longer happen, he sells the boy to a
...more

My mother read this series to us when we were very young. We didn't have a television so our nightly reading sessions were like the best possible TV series. I remember begging and crying for her not to stop! She developed character voices and accents. It was as real as anything.
I think little Remi, orphaned to the circus with his monkey friend really influenced my gypsy lifestyle when I grew older. Reading out loud, try it sometime. It's a very different experience.
These books were antiques when ...more
I think little Remi, orphaned to the circus with his monkey friend really influenced my gypsy lifestyle when I grew older. Reading out loud, try it sometime. It's a very different experience.
These books were antiques when ...more

Hector Malot wrote Nobody's Boy back in the 1870s. It's a very slow, dreamy story, completely lacking in the speed and cliff-hanging and spectacle that define modern writing. I suppose a lot of readers would find his story boring or somewhat maudlin, but I found myself entranced by the combination of word precision and a sensation of something akin to gliding slowly down a river. A river in the French countryside, of course, apropos to the story, gleaming with lazy summer sunlight.
Malot's use of ...more
Malot's use of ...more

Before the age of 10, this was my favorite book of all times. I read it about twenty times between the ages of 9 and 12, or something like that, and I cried every single damned time at it. It's impossible how much feeling I got from that book!
Remi was and I think he still is the perfect child character in a book! And Vitalis was such a good man.. (view spoiler) I wanted to go around the world and have three dogs and a ...more
Remi was and I think he still is the perfect child character in a book! And Vitalis was such a good man.. (view spoiler) I wanted to go around the world and have three dogs and a ...more

Jun 29, 2010
Emilia
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-books,
to-buy
This is the wonderfully moving story of an orphan who hopes to one day find his true family. There are many interesting subplots as well about the general condition of orphan children throughout 19th France, very much like Dickens revealed similar mistreatment of youth through his highly critical and scrutinizing enlightenment.
This story is bound to have you shed a few tears. If you ever the opportunity, watch the tv mini-series of the same title.
If a great tale for children, it remains an ...more
This story is bound to have you shed a few tears. If you ever the opportunity, watch the tv mini-series of the same title.
If a great tale for children, it remains an ...more

Touchy feely. I read it as a kid and loved it. I would have rated it 5 stars if I'd been here on GRs at that time.
I'd say this book is perfect for children, until they grow up and realize there's something wrong with the ending. Malot made a point in Remi's sudden wealth at the end, after all the struggles and tears. The way Remi uses his unexpected, ladylike, generous mother's money to fix things made me feel as if he cannot bring happiness to others if he's not rich.
I'd say this book is perfect for children, until they grow up and realize there's something wrong with the ending. Malot made a point in Remi's sudden wealth at the end, after all the struggles and tears. The way Remi uses his unexpected, ladylike, generous mother's money to fix things made me feel as if he cannot bring happiness to others if he's not rich.

This is actually my favorite book. I read it for the first time years ago when I was in elementary school(I’m now 22) and ever since I've re-read it quite a few times… I totally recommend it to EVERYONE, not because it’s MY fav book, but because the story is wonderful, it never stops being up to date and it ALWAYS manages to make you feel the same things… I can go read it right now, and I will STILL experience the same sadness, happiness, anger, surprise, hearbreak… I will STILL burst into tears
...more

If you're looking for something to read in French to improve your language skills, I recommend this book.
Improving my French was exactly the reason why I picked Sans Famille up. It's a children's book, XIX century classic. Pretty easy to read.
At the center of the plot is an orphaned young boy. I was a little creeped out at first because the book kicked off with Rémi being BOUGHT and taken away from his foster parents by a strange old man. Gosh, this probably looked different to a XIX century ...more
Improving my French was exactly the reason why I picked Sans Famille up. It's a children's book, XIX century classic. Pretty easy to read.
At the center of the plot is an orphaned young boy. I was a little creeped out at first because the book kicked off with Rémi being BOUGHT and taken away from his foster parents by a strange old man. Gosh, this probably looked different to a XIX century ...more

Jun 11, 2012
Rika - (The Unpretentious Reader)
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
books-i-read-for-their-movies
I first saw this as a cartoon when I was 8 years old.. it broke my heart.
I read it 15 years later.. It broke it all over again.
I had to stop at several points to take a breather and dry my eyes.
Even as I write this review I find it difficult to keep my tears at pay.
Remi is a sweet little child who'll capture your heart from his very first moment.. From the very first line I was hooked *I knew I would be since I dearly loved the cartoon, but to read is it, it's a whole another experience*..
I was ...more
I read it 15 years later.. It broke it all over again.
I had to stop at several points to take a breather and dry my eyes.
Even as I write this review I find it difficult to keep my tears at pay.
Remi is a sweet little child who'll capture your heart from his very first moment.. From the very first line I was hooked *I knew I would be since I dearly loved the cartoon, but to read is it, it's a whole another experience*..
I was ...more

This book, though not originally written as a children's classic, has been considered one. This is only one of the traits it shares with Dickens' Oliver Twist. Both novels chronicle the tragic wanderings of foundlings whose only desire is to belong somewhere. In both cases, the boys are pursued by those who wish them ill and in both cases, they are nearly sucked into a life of crime. Remi, though as unlucky as Oliver, receives more kindness and assistance, generally speaking, than his English
...more

Another gift, this one from my sister, which I enjoyed very much (still only gets 3 stars for being heavy-handed). It's a reprint of a classic 19th-century French novel (in English translation; the original title is "Sans Famille"), about the adventures of a boy separated from his family.
According to Project Gutenberg, it is "justly famous as one of the supreme juvenile stories of the world." Apparently it has been translated into about a bazillion languages and made into films in a number of ...more
According to Project Gutenberg, it is "justly famous as one of the supreme juvenile stories of the world." Apparently it has been translated into about a bazillion languages and made into films in a number of ...more

My father read this to me when I was only three years old. My mother told him I was too young to understand but he disagreed. Now it's his favourite anecdote to tell about little me, how I was so intrigued by the story and how I asked him halfway through: daddy, I don't know why, but I can't stop crying?
This story was one of the first books that has made me love stories for the rest of my life. Beautiful!
This story was one of the first books that has made me love stories for the rest of my life. Beautiful!

this is an amazing/extraordinary/spectacular book. It's about the adventure of Remi - a homeless boy. He travelled with his boss - Vitalis. There are so many breath-taking and heartbreaking scene. When Vitalis died,i felt so depressed like Remi :( Beautifully written! Such a must-read classic for everyone!

A nostalgic read. This French late 19th century novel is clearly a tale that aims at teaching children good values and a few moral lessons. I did not read the book in my childhood but I vividly remember watching the Japanese cartoon version after school (produced a century after publication) and discussing the episode with my friends the next day. The plot is a lot longer than I remember, for example, I don’t remember Remi working in the coal mine in the TV series. Remi is loveable for his
...more

I wish I'd read this when I was little - I'd have loved it even more!

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

"The perfect Happy ending! I loved it! In the end everyone got what they deserved...! Surely It's one of my favourite classics I've read which I can't put down before finishing... it made me shed tears of sorrow and happiness with its characters.. oh I'm so reading it again... its timeless.. you can relate to it whenever and at whatever age you read it..."

This is one of my absolute favorite books from my childhood! I think my Mom purchased this for me in a thrift store when I was very young and it became an instant favorite of mine. I still own that same copy and I return to it from time to time when I tire of the "new-age" stuff. It is an excellent story of a young boy's journey to reunite with his family.
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Goodreads Librari...: Should these two books be combined? | 2 | 27 | Jun 04, 2017 04:30AM | |
2015 Reading Chal...: Nobody's boy by Hector Malot | 6 | 26 | Aug 21, 2015 02:54PM | |
easy read classic...: NOBODY'S BOY | 3 | 31 | Oct 10, 2012 07:29AM |
Hector Malot was a French writer born in La Bouille, Seine-Maritime. He studied law in Rouen and Paris, but eventually literature became his passion. He worked as a dramatic critic for Lloyd Francais and as a literary critic for L'Opinion Nationale.
His first book, published in 1859, was Les Amants. In total Malot wrote over 70 books. By far his most famous book is Sans Famille (Nobody's Boy, ...more
His first book, published in 1859, was Les Amants. In total Malot wrote over 70 books. By far his most famous book is Sans Famille (Nobody's Boy, ...more
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