Iamthesword’s Comments (group member since Nov 28, 2021)

Iamthesword’s comments from the Language Learners and Polyglots group.

~G~ wrote: "Just finished my first book in Japanese: ふしぎな図書館 (The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami)!
I'm still at a beginner level so going through this book was a challenge but I'm glad I didn't postpone it..."

That's really impressive

Number 4 and 5 in French: Two plays by Jean Cocteau. An ok version of the classic play ANTIGONE and a fun absurd comedy called LES MARIÉS DE LA TOUR EIFFEL which was more fun to read. Overall, the highlights of Jean Cocteau's work might lie elsewhere (in his film version of LA BELLE ET LA BÊTE for example).

Third book in French this year: LA PLUS SECRÈTE MÉMOIRE DES HOMMES by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. A wild ride over 570 pages that I really liked. Not an easy read, but masterfully constructed

@Berengaria: The journal publishes in French and German, because it's about French and German historiography and scientists from both countries review books in it. My review will be in German.

So far, there have been to:
Eugène Ionesco's play LES CHAISES which I really liked (surprisingly melancholic for an Ionesco) and Jean-Philippe Dumas' biography of 20th century French politician Alexandre Millerand that I reviewed for a historical journal (and didn't like very much).

Late to the party, but still:
I have no fixed goal for this year exceot for one reader each in Spanish and Japanese. And I will report on any French book I read.

Just finished Kamel Daoud - Meursault, contre-enquête (it was a mixed experience), so I finish at 12/11 in French + 5 comics in French.

Thank you, Berengaria for organizing the challenge. I enjoyed it a lot (so much that next year I'll try easy readers for Spanish and Japanese).

Have a great 2023 everyone.

The difficult thing is that the French title can be read in two way: Paul described the first way perfectly in message 7. But there is also a more violent meaning hidden there. It can also be translated as TO FINISH OFF EDDY BELLEGEULLE. This level of meaning reflects (a) the violent nature of the world surrounding Eddy, a world that is hostile and can (figuratively) kill a child. It also reflects (b) the interior hatred the protagonist sometimes shows for his self.
I think a good translation needs to keep that ambiguity as well as possible. Therefore I think ON ENDING EDDY might be the best one.

11/11: Annie Ernaux - Le jeune homme
Fresh from the printing presses after the French bought every book of her after the announcement of the Nobel prize. It's very short (only 40 pages) and therefore not as rich as her other works. But for a quick, post Nobel update it was fine.

I still have two on my list that I didn't replace - let's see whether I get through them, too.

10/11: Emilienne Malfatto - Que sur toi se lamente le tigre
A collections of vignettes describing a femicide in Iraq from different perspectives. The core experience works and is quite enraging, but the execution felt flawed (especially the French disease of over the top poetical parts).

It's not on my list for this year, but I don't replace one from the list with this one, because I still want to read the two remaining entries this year.

I just realized that I marked two books as 6/11 (and changed it). So this is already 9/11: Édouard Louis - Histoire de la violence. Sexual violence is a tough topic, but I liked the sociological perspective Louios induced in this autobiographical story. A very nuanced and often surprising book about trauma and the reasons for violence (in a highly specific setting). The day might come when I get annoyed with Louis always writing about himself, but today is not that day.

8/11: Claude Simon - Le tramway. I didn't like this one very much. It's pieces of memory floating in what I'd call stream of conciousness extreme. Very long sentences, describing anything, but no plot to give it any kind of structure. Perhaps I shouldn't have started with his last book.

Berengaria wrote: "Iamthesword wrote: "I did a lot of rearrangement of my list of French books to read due to what I took with me to France and what I acquired here (I'm here for a month for work)
So, 6/11: Amélie No..."

Yes, Folio does a lot of classics, but they have a fair share of contemporary authors, too (like my beloved Leïla Slimani -> CHANSON DOUCE might be to your liking). But yeah, Points, Pocket and J'ai lu are better for crime novels.

I did a lot of rearrangement of my list of French books to read due to what I took with me to France and what I acquired here (I'm here for a month for work)
So, 7/11: Amélie Nothomb - Cosméthique de l'ennemi: Quick read, quite engaging, nice twists, but way to much explaining of everything. Not bad, but could have easily been made more complex.

Berengaria wrote: "I just discovered that the French publisher "Points" puts out very economical editions of some really great novels. And rather recent ones at that!!!

Points prices are as low as 6.50 euros which ..."

France has a vast paperback market with several important publishers, you should especially check out Folio.

5/11: Leïla Slimani - LE PARFUM DES FLEURS LA NUIT. I just like Slimani's writing style, so I did also like this collection of short reflections bound together by a short narrative, too. Not one of her major works, but still very nice.

6/11: Guillaume Apollinaire - ALCOOLS. Very beautiful poems in very elaborated French (he even invented a couple of words for it). Took some time, but it was absolutely worth it. My volume also contained LE BESTIAIRE and VITAM IMPENDERE AMORI which were both fine.

Jane wrote: "Iamthesword wrote: "Jane wrote: "Berengaria wrote: "Jane wrote: "Just finished Blassblaue Frauenschrift by Franz Werfel."

Toll! 👏 That's such a great title. I haven't heard of that one before, but..."

That's great. Thak you

After a long time of other stuff: 4/11 Honoré de Balzac - Le Colonel Chabert. Not terrible, but a bit of a drag (like a less interesting COMTE DE MONTE-CRISTO). But I'm proud to have made it through early 19th century French...

Also: I changed the book by Leïla Slimani to LE PARFUM DES FLEURS LA NUIT), because LE PAYS DES AUTRES got a second volume and I want to read them back to back once the second one comes out as paperback.

Jane wrote: "Berengaria wrote: "Jane wrote: "Just finished Blassblaue Frauenschrift by Franz Werfel."

Toll! 👏 That's such a great title. I haven't heard of that one before, but I see it was originally publishe..."

How did you like 40 DAYS? It has been on my shelf for a while (it was gifted to me) and I'd like to get your opinion on it.

3/11: Françoise Sagan: Bonjour Tristesse. Kind of a coming of age thriller (?) in the heat of Southern France. Very nice one.