Review: Le Fils Du Forçat, by Alexandre Dumas

This book really took me by surprise, for the fact that I did not like it.  Not rating this because I did not finish it. Normally, I adore Dumas’ work, but this was so boring from the start that I could not get through more than half of it.  The fact that in some places it is listed as a collaborative work with another author, of whom I’ve not heard, may explain why this book is not up to Dumas’

usual standard, for me at least.

My updates:

The text is here:  /  Le text est ici: https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Le_Fil…
du cite https://www.litteratureaudio.com/livr…”
February 9, 2023 – page 2, 1.02% “interesting …”

February 10, 2023 – page 3, 1.53% “3 types “cabanons” …”

March 18, 2023 – page 4, 2.04% “cette pauvre femme !!”

April 26, 2023 – page 45, 22.96% “les riches… les idees recu…
/
rich people… preconceived notions…”

April 26, 2023 – page 75, 38.27% “using a traumatized woman’s adoring son for your personal petty revenge on the neighbors from hell?”

Shira

Action Items:

1.) Dear Readers, share your thoughts on this book, please.

2.) Write a story, post or comment that uses those thoughts.

*****************

Click here for:

Learning through story:

                                                   Babylon5, Hakan: Muhafiz/The Protector, Sihirli Annem,  Lupin,  La Casa de Papel/Money Heist, or El Ministerio del Tiempo Reviews

Learning via Holistic College Algebra & GED/High School Lesson Plans,

           or

 Learning from Long Range Nonfiction, or Historical Fiction Writing (including Ann & Anna…)

Fellow  Polyglots, please consider telling others about #ProjectDoBetter.

Shira Destinie A. Jones, MPhil, MAT, BSCS

ShiraDest

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Review Robin Hood le proscrit by Alexandre Dumas

        I didn’t know that Dumas, Sr., had written about Robin Hood, nor that this book was the second of the two.  So, I may write a fuller review of this book after reading the first one, and perhaps after reading this one again.  /  Je ne savais pas que Dumas, Père,    avait écrit sur Robin Hood, et non plus que ce livre-ci c’est le deuxième dû par. Donc, mon revu viens après que j’écoute le premier, et peut-être aussi une deuxième écoute de celui-ci.

Listened to via Cocotte, a very good reader, on litterature audio /
Je l’ecoute, bien lu par Cocotte ici: https://www.litteratureaudio.com/livr…”

    It is your duty to marry…the rich need cannon fodder!  /  Se marier est obligatoire … les riches ont besoin de chair à canon !
/
(my comment, btw, that marriage is obligatory … the rich need cannon fodder!)

Interesting: a bit like the return of the headless Knight in the King Arthur stories… / Interesant: c’est un peu comment le retur du Chevalier sans tete des histoires du Roi Artur…
/
Interesing: it’s a bit like the return of the Headless Knight from the stories of King Arthur…”

 “Le roi regard et mesure les belles femmes et fille, c’est stupide. Est-ce que nous sommes des chevaux, faites pour passer devant les hommes pour faire voir notre beauté, et non pour avoir des pensées, des idées, des projets propres, dignes d’etre cru intelligentes ?”
January 5, 2023 –
93.0% “tire d’arc aux fleche aux mort, tout comme le Roi Artur
/
an arrow loosed at the time of death, just like King Arthur”
January 6, 2023 –
99.0% “Oops ! Je ne savais pas que ce livre etait le ‘sequel’ aux premier: Robin Hood, Le Prince des voleurs, lu par Cocotte.

https://www.litteratureaudio.com/livr…”

Shira

*****************

Click here to read, if you like:

B5, Hakan: Muhafiz/The Protector, Sihirli Annem,  Lupin, or La Casa de Papel/Money Heist Reviews

Holistic College Algebra & GED/High School Lesson Plans,

           or Long Range Nonfiction, or Historical Fiction Writing (including Ann & Anna…)

Thoughtful Readers, please consider reading about #ProjectDoBetter.  This work is my personal way (as opposed to founding the Project, overall) of contributing to building tools that can help increase empathy and compassion in our world.  Story, as part of how we see our world, helps us make sense of and define our actions in this world.  And remember how important story is also as part of this project. Let’s Do Better.

Shira Destinie A. Jones, MPhil, MAT, BSCS

ShiraDest

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Review: Les Mille et Un Fantômes, By Alexandre Dumas

    (English is right below …)

     « Ah ça ! me dit Legros (le bourreau) en me regardant fixement, vous croyez donc qu’ils sont morts, parce qu’on les a guillotinés, vous? … vous ne leur voyez pas tordre les yeux et grincer des dents pendant cinq minutes encore après l’exécution. … voyez-vous, qui ne veulent pas se décider à mourir, et je ne serais pas étonné qu’un jour quelqu’une d’elles se mit à crier : Vive le roi ! […] »

Il m’a fallait lire ce livre, apres avoir vu cet exerpt, et je n’etait pas decu ! / I had to read this book, after seeing this excerpt, and I was not disappointed!

C’était très intéressant, ce livre des histoires en forme d’un “frame”. Je l’ai écoutée sur le lit. / The stories in this book were very interesting, in the form of a “Frame” Story.

Listened to via:

https://www.litteratureaudio.com/livr…

     This was actually a far better book than I had expected.  The story told by the narrator ends up being a series of stories, but this is not a mere anthology, as some reviewers describe it.  The stories are all part of the larger overall story, even if they are separate shorts.  Le Bracelet de cheveux/ The Hair Bracelet, for instance, runs straight into the story of La Dame Blanche/The Pale Lady, and they flow together very well, with each story leading into one more macabre than the last  he stories have more in common than, say, those within the frame of the 1001 Nights, for example, though they are also less complex, they remain engaging.  The tragedy of many of the stories, especially that of The Pale Lady, starts in the very beginning of the set up of the frame, with the author again, as in The Corsican Brothers,  inserting himself into the story, amusingly enough.  In fact, the timing of the French rendition of the 1001 Nuits makes me wonder if that frame story inspired this one.

   

Shira

Action Items:

Dear Readers, what are your thoughts on this book, and Mr. Dumas’ works in general?

*****************

Click here to read, if you like:

B5, Hakan: Muhafiz/The Protector, Sihirli Annem,  Lupin, or La Casa de Papel/Money Heist Reviews

Holistic College Algebra & GED/High School Lesson Plans,

           or Long Range Nonfiction, or Historical Fiction Writing (including Ann & Anna…)

Thoughtful Readers, please consider reading about #ProjectDoBetter.  This review is my personal way (as opposed to founding the Project, overall) of contributing to building tools that can help increase empathy and compassion in our world.  Story, as part of how we see our world, helps us make sense of and define our actions in this world.  And remember how important story is also as part of this project. Let’s Do Better.

Shira Destinie A. Jones, MPhil, MAT, BSCS

ShiraDest

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

French Fridays Review: The Corsican Brothers (Les Frères Corses), by Alexandre Dumas, Pere

    Wow, this is a book worth listening to and then reading, several times!  I love this comment from the summary on a site called Fabula, an org that appears to promote public domain books in French:

“Ce roman est destiné à deux catégories de lecteurs : les Corses, et les autres. / This novel is for two types of readers: Corsicans, and everyone else.”

    Still waiting on pins and needles, argh!

 as I schedule this post, for Lupin Part 3  to start up again, with Omar Sy (whose revenge takes a slightly more dapper and modern turn than that of the Spartan style brother from Napoleon’s home island…)!!! 

I listened to this one via litteratureaudio, a free Public Domain ebook service not unlike Librivox.org, but I still do not know why it is a dot com rather than a dot org.  It seems to have many more of Dumas’ books, and the readers seem to be far better, but it is more difficult to listen to the books, at least so far, even logged in as a Follower of several readers.  

—

(Just ask if I forget any translations from my reading updates…):

J’ai écoutée, gratuitement, bien sur, la version de littératureaudio lu par Juliette. C’est très intrigant ce livre, avec les jeaumeaux identiques, les visites des morts qui ne mens pas, et surtout la vendetta. Très intéressant comment histoire et aussi pour connaitre les habitudes des Corses. Et la dernierre ligne ! Incroyable !!

/
I listened to the litaudio version read by Juliette. It was a very intriguing book, with identical twins, visits from the dead who do not lie, and above all, The Vendetta. Very interesting as a story and also to see the customs of the Coriscans. And the last line of the story! Incredible!!

and La guerre entre deux familles durant 4 siecles !  /  and a 4 century long family feud!

End of chapter 12 -excellent suspense, as always, with Mr. Dumas, pere.

–

   Once again, Mr. Dumas does not disappoint.  Interesting how he manages to insert himself, the author, as a character in this frame story.

   

Many thanks to all of the volunteers who read these books in the public domain.

***

Shira

*****************

Click here to read, if you like:

B5, Hakan:Muhafiz/The Protector, Sihirli Annem, Lupin, or La Casa De Papel/Money Heist Reviews,

Holistic College Algebra & GED/HiSET Night School Lesson Plans,

           or My Nonfiction  & Historical Fiction Serial Writing

Thoughtful Readers, please consider reading and sharing about #ProjectDoBetter.

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

French Fridays Litt. Library Review: Black, by Alexandre Dumas, père

    This book was a pretty pleasant surprise, though it required a bit of patience at the outset.  For dealing with such serious subjects, Dumas managed to inject a great deal of humor into the story.   I listened to it with a bit of difficulty as I was unable, for lack of storage space, to download the entire book and listen to it conveniently, so I used the website, which was not always perfect about keeping my place (I prefer Librivox for the ease of listening, although par contre, sorry, on the other hand, this site, Lit.Audio, has far more books, with better reading, and no commercials, while LibriVox is now interrupted by ads after every chapter unless you stop it just at the end of a chapter and then start the next chapter manually).

Waiting on pins and needles, argh!

 as I schedule this post, for Lupin Part 3    to start up again, with Omar Sy!!!

—

This book is well worth the read (or the listen), and has an excellent ending, which I highly recommend: I know that I promised I’d be adding more to the review, originally posted on GR, when I post it on my blog, but time has passed since I read it, and my only new perceptions are that it is hard to find a good friend, and even harder to find a man of sufficient honor to live his values, even at the price of his own death.  Please read my comments below, and then read or listen to this book, freely available in the Public Domain via several sources, in audio or text (links to the Electronic Library of Quebeq).

Mes commentaires pendant que j’ai lu ce livre:

“…et comme tous les esprits
paresseux, au lieu de dominer la scène et de rêver
à sa volonté … il fut bientôt
absorbé par elle et tomba dans cet affaiblissement
intellectuel pendant lequel la pensée semble
quitter le cerveau…d’accrocher un de ses rêves au passage et
de s’y arrêter, finit par produire une ivresse qui
rappelle de loin celle des fumeurs d’opium et des
mangeurs de hachich !”

Wow!!”
December 26, 2022 –
10.0% “chap. 4: “et, Dieu merci ! les monstres sont rares.”

mais, ton bon dieu vous a menti, cars les monstres, ils sont pas rares du tout. Ils sont numbreux, et trés.

chap. 6 (end of ch. 5 ) :

again with jealousy around inheritance and older vs. younger brothers!!”
December 26, 2022 –
24.0% “pauvre cadet…”
December 26, 2022 –
25.0% “On vas avoir des problèmes…”
December 27, 2022 –
35.0% “Où il est démontré que les voyages forment la jeunesse
/
where it is show that traveling trains the young”
December 27, 2022 –
38.0% “Toutes les gens, filles inclus, doivent apprendre nager !
Everyone should learn to swim, girls included!”
December 27, 2022 –
39.0% “#Suspense “Murmura-l-il le nom de Mathilde ?
Nous n’étions pas là pour l’entendre, et nous n’en répondrions pas.”

Ahh ! Je doives savoir !!

Aha, voila la conection: “me confier
la peau du premier chien venu, dans laquelle,
n’importe où je serai, je briserai ma chaîne pour
t’aller rejoindre.””
December 28, 2022 –
49.0% “”Comme tous les esprits faibles, il aimait mieux rester dans le doute que d’avoir à prendre un parti.”  /Aha, ok, thank you, Mr. Dumas.  Seriously, this explains the irritating habit of idiots to prefer to ‘stay in doubt rather than take a side’ of a question -it is stupidity.

(Just ask if I forget any translations from my reading updates…)

–

And, it has been made into a film!

Many thanks to all of the volunteers who read these books in the public domain.

***

Shira

*****************

Click here to read, if you like:

B5, Hakan:Muhafiz/The Protector, Sihirli Annem, Lupin, or La Casa De Papel/Money Heist, El Ministerio del Tiempo  Reviews,

Holistic College Algebra & GED/HiSET Night School Lesson Plans,

           or My Nonfiction  & Historical Fiction Serial Writing

Thoughtful Readers, please consider reading and sharing about #ProjectDoBetter.

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Review of Dumas’ Histoire d’un Casse Noisette, and Surprising Nuts !

Once again, thank you to Librivox.org and reader Ezwa!  Can’t go wrong with Alexandre Dumas, pere!!

C’ettait une jollie conte pour les enfants, mais moi aussi, je l’ai bcp aimee !!

On commence avec le ‘frame’ -cet a dire, avec l’entourage de l’histoire. Ce sont les enfants qu’avaitent capture’s la personne que reconte l’histoire. Ensuite, il y avait un histore de fievre qui termine avec une marriage. Mais, cette fois ci, c’est la dame qui sauve l’homme !
Chouette !

—
We start with the ‘frame’ – that is to say, with the entourage of the story. The children captured the person retelling the story.   Then, there is a story of a fever that ends with a marriage.   But, this time, the lady saves the man!

Cool!

“”Et qui m’aime me suivre !””

October 20, 2022 –

page 30

“et vous
savez pourquoi l’on dit maintenant d’une chose
difficile :
« C’est une dure noisette à casser. “”

–

***

     I loved this story!   Very unexpected.  Held my attention from the very start,  just like his Count of Monte Cristo.

Shira

*****************

Click here to read, if you like:

B5, Hakan:Muhafiz/The Protector, Sihirli Annem, Lupin, or La Casa De Papel/Money Heist Reviews,

Holistic College Algebra & GED/HiSET Night School Lesson Plans,

           or My Nonfiction  & Historical Fiction Serial Writing

Thoughtful Readers, please consider reading and sharing about #ProjectDoBetter.

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Review: La Tulipe Noire, and Surprises On How Reading Can Save Lives!!

    I found this book surprisingly good, and an excellent vindication of literacy, thanks to Librivox.   I almost didn’t bother with it because it seemed like a sappy romance at first, and about flowers!  And this particular reader, Ezwa from Belgium, is exquisite to listen to.   

Boy was I wrong, and boy am I glad I listened to it just to practice my French!  Can’t go wrong with Alexandre Dumas, pere!!

Moi aussi, “je suis trop heureux.”
Quelle histoire. Du meurtre dès innocents, vol, imprisonment injustes, un peu comment Omar Sy d’Arsenne Lupin, d’allieurs , jusqu’au révélation de la vérité. C’était une histoire intéressante et aussi une qui donne de l’espoir au fin. Excellent lecture avec une excellente lectrice sur librivox.org.

/

I am also “very happy.”

What a story.  Innocent men murdered, theft, unjust imprisonments, a bit like Omar Sy’s Lupin, and then the truth revealed.  It was an interesting story that actually gave hope in the end.  Great read and excellent reader on Librivox.org.

–

page 2:     Ah, le suspense fin de chapitre 9!!”

October 4, 2022 –
33.0%”Cet amour du tulipe c’est un peu exagéré non ?”

October 4, 2022 –

63.0%”C’est une belle commentaire du part de Dumas sûr les pauvres: qu’ils ont besoin de la protection de dieu parce qu’ils ont pas la protection de la justice.”

74.0% “Fin de chapitre 25
Oui, c’est bien ça, comment ce monde trait avec les gens vulnérables. Toujours, malheureusement.”

***

     I liked the story, and I gained a bit of hope for loyalty, and thus renewed hope in humankind.  Like , another pleasant surprise from this author whom I am very glad to be able to read in his own words.  #LanguageLearning mattters.

I’ll have to find a larger version of the cover for Tulipe Noire, since WP seems not t like it…

Shira

*****************

Click here to read, if you like:

B5, Hakan:Muhafiz/The Protector, Sihirli Annem, Lupin, or La Casa De Papel/Money Heist Reviews,

Holistic College Algebra & GED/HiSET Night School Lesson Plans,

           or My Nonfiction  & Historical Fiction Serial Writing

Thoughtful Readers, please consider reading and sharing about #ProjectDoBetter.

Shira

Shira Destinie Jones’ work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.