Pick-a-Shelf discussion

May's shelf is French:

http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show?s...

What will you read?

Here's my list so far:

1. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo.

2. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert.

3. Candide by Voltaire

I just started The Elegance of the Hedgehog, so I am going to stop and read it in May. I am also interested in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer and Epileptic.

I'm just going for one, 'cause May looks like a busy month and these are big books. I'll read The Man in the Iron Mask OR The Count of Monte Cristo

And I'm going to watch The Scarlet Pimpernel

Here is my list for the month:

1. Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser
2. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind
3. Claude & Camille: A Novel of Monet by Stephanie Cowell completed 5/9 ****

and if I have time:
4. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
5. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo
6. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
OR 7. Chocolat by Joanne Harris

BJ - I am 150 pages away from finishing The Count of Monte Cristo and would highly recommend it!

Who was it that said last month or the month before that Harry Potter was on every shelf? It is also on this shelf. How is Harry Potter french?? That one is beyond me.

Lyn M wrote: "
Who was it that said last month or the month before that Harry Potter was on every shelf? It is also on this shelf. How is Harry Potter french?? That one is beyond me..."

That was me! I saw the H.P. books - one of them was shelved as 'French' 9X! When I saw the first one listed, I thought - Wow, they really are on every list. UNREAL

I thought it was you, but I couldn't find the comment. I thought the same thing when I saw them on the list. I laughed so hard. Maybe our next challenge should be to read books off of any list that DOES NOT have Harry Potter listed on it.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Harry Potter books, it's just cracking me up the lists they show up on.

Lyn M wrote: "I thought it was you, but I couldn't find the comment. I thought the same thing when I saw them on the list. I laughed so hard. Maybe our next challenge should be to read books off of any list t..."

I noticed that too, and had a chuckle. Maybe that reader read a french translation. LOL

Alright, I'm going to read at least one of these books in May:

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
Don Juan by Molière
My Life in France by Julia Child
Justine by Marquis de Sade
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy

Another good 'stretcher' shelf! Here's my starter list:

1. Marie Antoinette: The Journey
2. Suite Française 5/22/10 **** stars
3. The Count of Monte Cristo
4. The Elegance of the Hedgehog 5/29/2010 *** stars

Interesting Shelf choice, I have found a couple that I want to read:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Fahrenheit 451
Sophie's World
The House of the Spirits

I'm going to try and get hold of a copy of The Elegance of the Hedgehog. It seems people either give it one star or four, so it must be unusual. And no brownie points for me- in English.

Tina - are you reading Marie Antoinette with the HoR group.

*My Life in France by Julia Child
*The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

I'm hoping for
Papillon By Henri Cherriere

BTW - Although it is HUGE, I recommend The Count of Monte Cristo to everyone!

I'm hoping to read Candide by Voltaire next month. French authors' names strike some serious fear cause they all sound so smart!

Lyn M wrote: "Tina - are you reading Marie Antoinette with the HoR group."

I am! You too, I take it?

On my ereader I'm going to go with
The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers

for proper books I'll start with
Suite Française , Murder on the Eiffel Tower and Papillon

I have Suite Française on my shelf, maybe I will get to it this month, the French shelf is as good a reason as anything.

Tina wrote: "Lyn M wrote: "Tina - are you reading Marie Antoinette with the HoR group."

I am! You too, I take it?"

Definitely!

The Little Prince
Journey to the Centre of the Earth

I'm going to read either Les Liaisons Dangereuses or The Count of Monte Cristo, depending on how ambitious I feel.

Tara wrote: "I just started The Elegance of the Hedgehog, so I am going to stop and read it in May. I am also interested in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer and Epileptic."

Oh Tara you will love Hedgehog - I just adored it.

Hi, everyone. This is my first month, and I’m reading Swann's Way (completed 5/20 ****), the first volume of Marcel Proust’s seven-volume series In Search of Lost Time. I’ve wanted to read Proust for years because of a glowing recommendation by the late authors Shelby Foote and his friend Walker Percy.

This is my first month too. I'm reading Madame Bovaryby Gustave Flaubert.
And I've only (struggled with) Little Prince in French, at highschool, so I'll try it in English.

Welcome, J. Travis and Liz! It's great that you're jumping right in!!

I am going to keep it simple this month as I am still reading "King Leopold's Ghost" for my Africa group (also on the favorites shelf). From the French self I will try:

My Life in France by Julia Child

and

The Little Prince.

Lyn M wrote: "Here is my list for the month:

1. Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser
2. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
3..."

I would put "Around the World in 80 Days" last on your list. It ranks only slightly higher than "Old Man and the Sea" for me...and you know what THAT means.

BJ Rose wrote: "Lyn M wrote: "
Who was it that said last month or the month before that Harry Potter was on every shelf? It is also on this shelf. How is Harry Potter french?? That one is beyond me..."

And it's not just Harry Potter. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was first written in Swedish, Fahrenheit 451 was English, House of Spirits was Spanish. The list seems full of translations.

Lynne - Bummer, I was hoping it was good. Is all Jules Verne that way, or just 80 days?

J. Travis and Liz - welcome aboard. May your horizon's widen with each shelf!

Christy wrote: "I'm going to read either Les Liaisons Dangereuses or The Count of Monte Cristo, depending on how ambitious I feel."

The crowd chants "Count, count, count, count. . . " only because I'm reading it too :)

Candiss wrote: "I am interested in reading these, although I don't expect to get to them all:

Life: A User's Manual by Georges Perec
No Exit and Three Other Plays by [auth..."

I thought about the Diving Bell. . . I'll be interested to know what you think about it.

Lyn M wrote: "BTW - Although it is HUGE, I recommend The Count of Monte Cristo to everyone!"

You sold me!

Tina - I hope you like it as much as I did.

I am going to read Perfume: The Story of a Murderer and maybe The Hunchback of Notre-Dame if it comes to me in time.

Admittedly, I saw 'French' for next month and was a little skeptical. After looking over the list and reading some summaries/reviews, I'm excited about it - which is the point of this group, right? Expand and read books I would normally never look at :)

The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Three books listed, but realistically, probably won't get through more than 1. We'll see what's available at the library.

Vivian wrote: "Admittedly, I saw 'French' for next month and was a little skeptical. After looking over the list and reading some summaries/reviews, I'm excited about it - which is the point of this group, right..."

Exactly, Vivian!! Yay! :)

Lyn M wrote: "Lynne - Bummer, I was hoping it was good. Is all Jules Verne that way, or just 80 days?

J. Travis and Liz - welcome aboard. May your horizon's widen with each shelf!"

Lyn, I read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea when I was younger and loved it.. of course that was the abridged version in 4th grade.. but i'm sure the original is even better!

Thanks, Em. I'm hoping its not as bad as Lynne says!

Last month was horrible for me...I didn't make it through one book on my list. I got distracted, and ended up reading several books but did not read one of my selections for the month.

Thus, I will be a little less ambitious this month.

My choices are:

I have been so swamped between school, work and Meetings I feel like I have no life anymore :0(

I found a cool app for my iphone called Stanza were I was able to download free books. Maybe having my phone on me all the time will allow me to fit in some reading ;op

I'm starting with Madame Bovary and we will see if I manage to finish it.

On a side note, I love Jules Verne I have read both Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in 80 days and I gave them both 4 Stars :0)

Once i finish David Copperfield which is a favourite for april, still going but nearly there. Then i am going to start The Tale of Two Cities and if time permits then on to Perfume by Patrick Suskind. Great pick this month as well.

I'm sure I remember posting my list, but can't find it now.

I'll start with The Little Prince.
Then I'd like to try either The Immoralist or Strait is the Gate, sort of companion books by Andre Gide. And I have 3 classics by Albert Camus on my bookshelf it would be nice to get to if I can.

I think The Count of Monte Cristo will turn out to be too much for me this month, with the end of school. Maybe next time it fits a category.

I'm going to read The Phantom of the Opera.
I've had a pretty awful few weeks so I'm not in the mood for a French tragedy - can anyone recommend something light and uplifting?

Sarah I really enjoyed "The Phantom of the Opera" so I definitely recommend it

I've also really enjoyed some French adventure reads as well such as:
Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

and I have on my To Be Read List
The Count of Monte Cristo & The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo because I have heard so many wonderful things about them.

Alright, I'm in the middle of The Scarlet Pimpernel and my roommate just bought me My Life in France for my birthday today- so i'm definately finishing those two this month. I just wish i could read them right now instead of studying for crappy final exams :(

Just think, though Em, it will be summer soon and you will have plenty of time to read!?

Happy Birthday Em, I love getting books as presents :0)

I just joined this group and may have to wait until June to jump on the monthly shelf. But, I do have My Life in France and Eiffel's Tower: And the World's Fair Where Buffalo Bill Beguiled Paris, the Artists Quarreled, and Thomas Edison Became a Count sitting on my shelf at home. I'll try to get to one this month!