The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion
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Bel-Ami
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I had posted a link to the Hunchback ND, thinking it had won! Here is one for an online searchable version of BEL AMI:http://www.online-literature.com/maup...
Mod
Here is a link to the Gutenberg edition, which can be read online (HTML) or downloaded in all the common ebook and smart phone formats. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3733
They look to be the same unidentified translation. On my computer, the gutenberg copy is formatted better for reading online.
Mod
Feedbooks offers a somewhat upgraded version of the Gutenberg Bel-Ami in English (epub and kindle).And a French epub with old illustrations by Ferdinand Bac can be found here.
I use onlineliterature.com because their online version is searchable, which I find useful for using quotes here. Searching in the box provided brings up a list of chapters with the phrase etc searched for, from which you can choose, copy and paste or just refer. (Edited to clarify.)Nice illustration Wendel, shame about the language:)
MadgeUK wrote: "I use onlineliterature because their online version is searchable, which I find useful for using quotes here. "In Gutenberg you can also do full text searching simply by the standard search function in your browser or ereader. I often bring the Gutenberg version up in another tab of browser and search it (Control-F). In Firefox, don't know about other browsers, a search brings up the number of instances of the word or term, lets you continue the search up or down, lets you highlight all the instances of the search term, and lets you match case or ignore case -- helpful when you're searching for the name of a person which is also a common word.
MadgeUK wrote: "I use onlineliterature because their online version is searchable, which I find useful for using quotes here. "Whichever version one uses, I agree that being able to search the text and, when appropriate, cut and paste from the book into a Goodreads post, is very helpful, and a skill which I hope all participants here are using or at least know how to use.
Mod
Deborah wrote: "I type mine out as I prefer an actual book. :)"Bless you. We come in all forms. I have an on-going argument with a friend who won't mark a book, but will print out its stories for her marginalia, at a cost that soon exceeds that of a book -- even despite not being adverse to purchasing used books.
Wendel wrote: "...And a French epub with old illustrations by Ferdinand Bac can be found here..."Wendel -- I don't reach the epub with the illustrations from the link you provide.
Mod
Bless you. We come in all forms. I have an on-going argument with a friend who won't mark a book, but will print out its stories f..."
Lily, I won't write in mine either. I make notes on old fashioned paper, and I do shop in used bookstores, but if written in or underlined, I most likely won't buy that one. I find it distracting.
Deborah wrote: "I type mine out as I prefer an actual book. :)"I do, too, but even when I'm reading it as a book, I usually have an e-version open on the computer since it's a lot faster to find things from a few chapters back than to page through the book looking for them.
Deborah wrote: "Lily, I won't write in mine either. I make notes on old fashioned paper, and I do shop in used bookstores, but if written in or underlined, I most likely won't buy that one. I find it distracting."I enjoy good marginalia from an earlier reader. Not all is good, of course, but it's fun for me to see what another reader thought important.
A marked book is a major plot element in the glorious Goudge book A City of Bells.
Lily wrote: "Wendel wrote: "...And a French epub with old illustrations .." Wendel -- I don't reach the epub with the illustrations from the link you provide."Sorry, I could not post a direct link, but I might have added some instructions.
Select "Recherchez les e-books" (Browse the books) in the upper right-hand corner. That brings you to the next screen (here), where you may select 'Maupassant' in the field "Auteur". After pushing the "Recherchez" button, the available titles, some of them illustrated, will be listed.
This is a great place for well edited out-of-copyright titles in French (but in a few cases the year of the author's death is indicated, implying that for that author, according to the 70+ rule followed by most countries, copyrights may still be in force).
Wendel wrote: "...Sorry, I could not post a direct link, but I might have added some instructions..."Wendel -- thx. I sort of tried to figure it out, but hadn't succeeded.
I just paged through the PDF to see the illustrations. Absolutely delightful. Worth going through all 545 pages (although I did recently have faster Internet connection installed).
I have a request...Would you add the the book title to the title of the threads as well as the folder? Even if it's just BA for Bel Ami. I try to follow via my phone, and am reading several group books so it gets confusing to keep the conversations straight.
Mod
Would you add the the book title to the title of the threads as well as the folder? Even if it's just BA for Bel Ami. I try to follow via my phone, and am reading several group ..."
Renee This is not always possible as there is a limited number of characters. However, our title this month is short enough to accommodate your request. I've changed the discussion thread
Thanks that's really helpful.
Can anyone shed light on different translations? I see: * Douglas Parmee (Penguin)
* Margaret Mauldon (Oxford)
* A.E. Henderson (Collier)
* "The original English translation of 1903"
And (I see online) some words of warning for some of the free ebooks--sub-par translations a/o actual parts of the book skipped or missing.
Bonnie... I am using The Margaret Mauldon translation and find it enjoyable reading as if it was written in 2005 not 1885, if this helps.
Mod
* Douglas Parmee (Penguin)
* Margaret Mauldon (Oxford)
* A.E. Henderson (Collier)
* "The original English translation of 1903"
And (I see ..."
I'm using the Douglas Parmee edition. The intro contains spoilers, and was frustrating to me. The novel's language is very easily read.
I have a version that was in the public domain and there is no indication of the translator.I just finished the reading and I have no idea what rating I will give this book. I am trying to digest it still. I do hope the discussion will help me to put my thoughts and feelings in order. I seldom have any problem deciding how I feel about a book, but this one reminds me of how I felt when I saw Pulp Fiction at the theater. Part of me recognized that there was brilliance in there somewhere, but most of me was just repulsed.
Mod
I just finished the reading and I have no idea what rating I will give this book. I am trying to digest ..."
Sara, I'm finding the book frustrating. Not because of difficulty, but the shallowness of the characters bothers me. I am also repulsed by the choices the characters make.
Poked around on the Internet last night and compared some samples, found some tidbits on the translations. * Douglas Parmee (Penguin - 1975)
* Margaret Mauldon (Oxford - 2001)
* A.E. Henderson (Collier - 1910/1911)
-Parmee for an effortless translation.
-Mauldon is best (says someone who read Bel-Ami in French first)
-a Yale working paper references Mauldon
-Free Gutenberg translations, but the Penguin (Parmee) version is better.
The Oxford version has loads of footnotes with contextual information on places, streets, historical references, cultural differences in France. (You can see them with Amazon’s “Look Inside” feature.)
And now a definite warning: The free copy I got from iBooks is something to stay away from. I compared it to samples of Penguin/Oxford translations - it is awful. 1) Missing words, colorful phrases, descriptive phrases, even entire paragraphs.
2) I wonder if it is not a purposefully “Readers Digest Condensed” type version? because 2.5 paragraphs about our dude’s lustful thoughts and history with prostitutes – entirely missing.
3) Incorrect translation. His buddy Forestier is not asking if Duroy is married, he's asking if he got his [roughly equivalent to] high school diploma!
-Es-tu bachelier?
-Non. J’ai echoue deux fois.
-Ca ne fait rien, du moment que tu as pousse tes etudes jusqu’au bout.
“Did you get your ‘baccalaureat’?”
“No: I failed it, twice.”
“That doesn’t matter, since you stayed on at school long enough to sit it.
“Are you a bachelor?"
"Yes, though I have been smitten several times."
"That makes no difference.”
=========
...since you stayed on at school long enough to sit it. If someone mentions Cicero or Tiberius, you know more or less what they’re talking about?"
"Yes, more or less."
"Fine, that’s all anybody knows…"
iBooks. https://itun.es/us/Gv79D.l
Mod
I think Mau..."
I agree he did this on purpose. I just find it annoying,
Deborah wrote: "Dagny wrote: "Deborah wrote: " I'm finding the book frustrating. Not because of difficulty, but the shallowness of the characters bothers me. I am also repulsed by the choices the characters make. ..."I am also aware that they are intentionally written as they are, but I kept searching for someone/anyone who had one redeeming characteristic and couldn't find one. I suppose we are forewarned about DuRoy...less than a page in "A smile hovered about his lips at the recollection of an escapade which had cost three men their lives, a foray which had given his two comrades and himself seventy fowls, two sheep, money and something to laugh about for six months." This shows his complete lack of morals and proves money as his greatest motivator.
Bonnie wrote: "And now a definite warning: The free copy I got from iBooks is something to stay away from. I compared it to samples of Penguin/Oxford translations - it is awful. 1) Missing words, colorful phras..."
Ah, this is the version I read. The following line about Cicero and Tiberius makes a lot more sense in light of the question regarding education instead of marital status. Makes me feel as if I should get another version and read again, but I'm not sure I could do it.
I wonder if the free version from Amazon and IBooks are the same. I followed a link to the Gutenberg project and the first chapter was the same as my free Amazon. I didn't check the other chapters. What version is best?
The one my library had is the Parmee version. It sounds like the Oxford edition would be nice if it has all the footnotes with additional information.
Bonnie wrote: “Are you a bachelor?"
"Yes, though I have been smitten several times."
"That makes no difference.”."
Crikey. That's appalling. That's not a question of nuance in translation; it simply has not been translated.
Maybe he was in love at college!
Mod
“Are you a bachelor?"
"Yes, though I have been smitten several times."
"That makes no difference.”."
Crikey. That's appalling. That's not a question of nuance in translation; it sim..."
Pip, we are lucky you are reading it in French to help clarify things.
Cindy wrote: "I wonder if the free version from Amazon and IBooks are the same. I followed a link to the Gutenberg project and the first chapter was the same as my free Amazon. I didn't check the other chapter..."This translation error is in the free Amazon version I downloaded, so I believe they are the same.
Wendel wrote: "And a French epub with old illustrations by Ferdinand Bac can be found here."I love the illustrations Wendel, thank you for posting that.
Week 2 - March 9 - Part 1, Chapters 5-8
Week 3 - March 16 - Part 2, Chapters 1-4
Week 4 - March 23 - Part 2, Chapters 5-10
I've made Week 1's reading to be a bit less than the remaining weeks in order to allow time for everyone to obtain a copy of the book. In addition, please note there is a link for the book under the March 2015 Nomination thread. Thank you Madge for providing the link.