tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post237989362116879626..comments2023-10-10T20:43:00.969-04:00Comments on Books and Chocolate: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo: Book One, FantineKaren K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-43552034130020873542020-03-03T10:49:00.786-05:002020-03-03T10:49:00.786-05:00Waterloo went on for a looong time. I was listenin...Waterloo went on for a looong time. I was listening to the audio which really helped, the narrator was good and I was walking the dog. I will admit my mind wandered more than a few times! I'm a visual person so I'd really need to see a video or maps or something like that. I'm sure there's a documentary on YouTube or the History channel which would really explain the battle to me. I'm just really glad I'm not reading this for a class, if there were a test I would definitely fail.Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-31548244485941282812020-03-03T10:47:03.749-05:002020-03-03T10:47:03.749-05:00I've made it about 500 pages through so I thin...I've made it about 500 pages through so I think I might really finish it this time! Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-24577810672720263432020-03-02T23:20:38.733-05:002020-03-02T23:20:38.733-05:00Waterloo defeated me... I have good intentions of ...Waterloo defeated me... I have good intentions of trying to go back one day, but there are so many other things I'd rather be reading!<br /><br />I've attempted several longer books in the past, but according to Goodreads the longest I have finished is probably "The Red Queen" by Isobelle Carmody at 1120 pages. Some of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon came close, hovering around 1000 pages but I gave up on those half-way through the fourth one (1200 pages) as I just wasn't enjoying it that much...Aspiring Scribblerhttps://musingsofanaspiringscribbler.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-72549535838461689992020-02-29T13:04:41.039-05:002020-02-29T13:04:41.039-05:00Good luck! I've never made it through this one...Good luck! I've never made it through this one. My longest read is probably Atlas Shrugged which has around 1168 pages. Happy reading Les Miserables! :DLark https://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-12594835783013051772020-02-28T09:49:29.515-05:002020-02-28T09:49:29.515-05:00I've been looking at that 365 readalong and so...I've been looking at that 365 readalong and sorry I didn't participate -- but I know I could never stretch out a book for that long! I'm in the Waterloo section and it may, indeed, be my Waterloo. Now I need to look at your posts! Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-56539034994983869202020-02-28T09:47:56.927-05:002020-02-28T09:47:56.927-05:00Reading it as a teenager is impressive! Was it for...Reading it as a teenager is impressive! Was it for school or for pleasure? Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-64492144023575340172020-02-27T16:43:12.639-05:002020-02-27T16:43:12.639-05:00I read Les Mis in 2018 as a chapter-a-day book (it...I read Les Mis in 2018 as a chapter-a-day book (it has exactly 365 chapters!)<br />I came to love the asides, and the battle chapters of Waterloo were made easier by reading them one at a time. I will never forget this book. I read the hardback Penguin Norman Denny translation, which worked well for me. I found the Rose version too colloquial for my liking. I also really liked the Donougher and the softcover book was easier for me travel with, when I needed to.<br /><br />My posts throughout the entire year of reading, are all at the bottom of this post - http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com/2019/01/les-miserables-by-victor-hugo.htmlBronahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11110584237325026052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-62622022073676707242020-02-27T12:47:47.646-05:002020-02-27T12:47:47.646-05:00I read Les Mis way back as a teenager and have bee...I read Les Mis way back as a teenager and have been wanting to reread it as an adult. Great idea to break it up!Heather G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/18051840056392247706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-33238060459928944422020-02-27T09:44:27.299-05:002020-02-27T09:44:27.299-05:00I'm really enjoying it so far -- I didn't ...I'm really enjoying it so far -- I didn't mind most of the asides in Moby Dick either. I'm hoping this book will give me the courage to tackle DQ and maybe Zola's La Debacle. Not quite as long but it's longish for Zola and it's all about war! Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-68455538912777975632020-02-27T09:40:36.938-05:002020-02-27T09:40:36.938-05:00I've just started the Waterloo section, alas! ...I've just started the Waterloo section, alas! I generally have a tough time with extended action and battle scenes, so I may end up skimming parts. I did read W&P for a college class over 10 weeks, but that was the entire reading list! I've also read most of the GRRS but it's a different type of long book, I think a lot of contemporary fiction is easier. <br /><br />Still haven't read Don Quixote! I do have a copy of "And Ladies of the Club" which I may take a crack at someday. Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-69197242091688104382020-02-27T08:52:09.193-05:002020-02-27T08:52:09.193-05:00I loved this book so much, and listened to it on a...I loved this book so much, and listened to it on audio too (the Julie Rose translation). The sewer part is what people always talk about, but it's not long and it's actually very interesting. Much more interesting than all the ABC club politic stuff. Those parts bored me to tears. But otherwise I liked all the sidenotes about culture and architecture and religion from the time period. The parts about the nunnery were particularly awesome.<br /><br />As for the longest book I've ever read, Good reads says it is indeed Les Mis, followed by The Count of Monte Cristo, then Oathbringer (and then a bunch of Brandon Sanderson and George RR Martin books with Don Quixote thrown in there for good measure).Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07026099426503180472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027299943447728658.post-49878508411300034082020-02-26T14:57:04.006-05:002020-02-26T14:57:04.006-05:00I read Les Miserables in 2018. Using Goodreads, I...I read Les Miserables in 2018. Using Goodreads, I am able to confirm it is indeed the longest novel I have ever read as well. I read the Penguin movie tie in paperback which is 1232 pages. The runner sup from my read books are "And Ladies of the Club" by Helen Hooven Santmyer at 1184 pages and then "A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin" at 1117 pages. <br /><br />I have War & Peace and Don Quixote on my TBR still...both are pretty long. But long books are doable. It is all in the approach and motivation really. There are 200 page books that have been real slogs for me to read, you know? <br /><br />I look forward to your posting as you go along. I read all the "boring bits". I didn't like the sewer part as much as I thought I would. And the Waterloo section was almost MY Waterloo in defeat! LOL. But otherwise, I didn't mind his digressions too, too much. Ruthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.com