Reading the Chunksters discussion
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The Man Who Laughs
The Man Who Laughs
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The Man Who Laughs - Who's in??
Victor Hugo? A rarely read novel of his? French culture? A chunkster? Good company? I'm in! 
Haaze wrote: "Victor Hugo? A rarely read novel of his? French culture? A chunkster? Good company? I'm in! "
yay! and seriously where do you get all these great pictures??
Serendipity!I'm really looking forward to reading Hugo! :)
Haaze wrote: "Serendipity!I'm really looking forward to reading Hugo! :)"
it's really good so far
Are you reading a Gutenberg version? Who is the translator?
I am for the time being. Waiting for my hard copy. No idea on the translator but Gutenberg version says 'etext prepared by Steven desjardins' . Which is French sounding so must be good right? ;) Although etext preparation may just be some techie wizard that did zero translating, I have no idea! Usually I do vet the translators but for now I just went with this version.
I believe my hard copy is a Joseph Blamire translation. Isabel Hapgood has another English translation.
Hmm, my Delphi classics version is translated by....*drumroll*.. Anonymous!!!
In case one is in a hurry with this classic.... the graphic novel version! I can't find a newly translated version, but this one popped up! Hmm!
https://smile.amazon.com/Man-Who-Laug...
Yeeps that picture seriously freaks me out!
Unfortunately, it reminds me of some of the recent Penguin Classics covers.....E.g. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Clrk-HD7-2w...
Ohhhhh I hate those. Penguin!! No!!
Did you buy one of the reprints, Dianne (the Hugo novel)? Oh, this one?https://smile.amazon.com/Man-Who-Laug...
Pretty expensive....
I'm in! I have the Joseph L. Blamire translation from 1889. Oddly, my entire county library system had one copy, and they delivered it to me heavily bound in rubber bands. The specific book I'm reading was published in 1991 and it looks like it's been read and re-read many, many times. I've never even hear of this book, which makes this read especially interesting for me!
Hi everyone... been a member of this group for ages but haven't participated in a while. Going to try to get back into things by joining for this book. Was planning to use the Gutenberg version!
That's great, welcome back Denise!!
To all, I've read the first two chapters. I think this is going to be deliciously weird.
Greg wrote: "To all, I've read the first two chapters. I think this is going to be deliciously weird."deliciously weird is great! so glad you are joining Greg!
Hi Dianne, I'd love to think that I could participate, but realistically I probably can't. I'm STILL limping along very slowly with 'Of Human Bondage' from the archives and I also have several other books on the go. I shall have a look at Gutenberg and see if it's just going to be too challenging. Realistically this would be too much at the moment though I hate saying 'No' and I've never read any Hugo. Great choice though!
Hilary wrote: "Hi Dianne, I'd love to think that I could participate, but realistically I probably can't. I'm STILL limping along very slowly with 'Of Human Bondage' from the archives and I also have several othe..."hi Hilary! Thanks for checking it out, and feel free to chime in later if the timing fits at another time. I have heard that this is a 'quick read' and one of those hard to put down books so maybe you will be convinced :)
Hat tip to Ami for the book selection, I had not heard of it either but everything I have read about the book makes it clear that it will be amazing! (and deliciously weird)
I plan on joining! I have not read anything by Victor Hugo. So, I am certainly looking forward to reading it.
Most excellent! Glad to have you JJ!
Thank you, Dianne, I shall certainly have a look at it. :-)
I'm happy to see this group coming back to life. Thanks for the invite to rejoin Diane. I just ordered a copy of this. It will be here Friday so I'm going to be a tad behind but plan on jumping in once I get it.
Awesome welcome back Amanda! This looks to be a great, emotionally charged and powerful novel.
My autocorrect just doesn't want you to have that second "n" in your name. Sorry about that!
I will try to keep up. I did finish War and Peace finally.
I'm a bit late, but I'm in. I'll start tonight.
Mod
Hugh wrote: "Sorry - I have just realised I have not been paying attention to this one - I may try and catch up but I don't have a copy yet but if I find one I may catch up later in the month..."please do if you get a chance hugh! You may be able to read it online by googling: the man who laughs gutenberg
Ann Helen wrote: "I'm a bit late, but I'm in. I'll start tonight."Excellent, Ann Helen! Welcome and looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Peg wrote: "I will try to keep up. I did finish War and Peace finally."That is a huge feat Peg, congrats! Welcome and glad to have you with us!
JJ wrote: "I plan on joining! I have not read anything by Victor Hugo. So, I am certainly looking forward to reading it."fantastic JJ glad you joined! Appreciated your thoughts on the first section :)
Haaze wrote: "In case one is in a hurry with this classic.... the graphic novel version! I can't find a newly translated version, but this one popped up! Hmm!https://smile.amazon.com/Man-Who-Laug......"
I HATE THIS PICTURE!!!! ok, I feel better now.
Just got my book and i am hoping to start soon...
Yay so glad you are joining Tanya!
I really wish there was a new translation in a well-published edition. I would have joined in for sure. Too bad none of the mainstream publishers are willing to pick it up.
Peg wrote: "I will try to keep up. I did finish War and Peace finally."Hi Peg, I thought the same thing when I finished reading "War and Peace": it's over, finally. I had so looked forward to reading it, but Tolstoy kept stepping in with chapters and chapters of very dry history, much of it already told, or about to be told, by the characters in the story. I loved Pierre's career arc, and I loved all the big, beautiful set pieces, but Tolstoy is a master at bringing great action to a screeching halt. I am glad I read it, but I could only give it two stars, because if someone asked, I would have to say "It was just okay." It's been a must read for a hundred years now, but in another hundred years, I think it will fall from our "must read" lists. What do you think?
Andrea wrote: "I really wish there was a new translation in a well-published edition. I would have joined in for sure. Too bad none of the mainstream publishers are willing to pick it up."Andrea, I agree. The translation I am reading is from 1889, but still I'm enjoying this book. As a side note, my library system (Palm Beach County) has only one copy of this book, and they delivered it to me bound in rubber bands: it is falling apart so I'm reading it by sitting it on a table and turning the pages one at a time to do the least amount of damage possible.
Hi All! I've read as scheduled and have finished Part One: Book the First and Book the Second. This is absolutely a page-turner: it's hard to stop with such final chapter lines as "...in half an hour, we [those on the ship] shall founder." or "They knew not what it was. It was the Ortach rock." Or "The child saw this nightmare...he took this flight, leaving behind that torment in the night." I was unable to become emotionally involved with "Les Miz" but this book is having the opposite effect on me: I'm hooked on this story!
That's awesome Greg! I need to get back to posting later today and read week 3!
Greg, about you question about War and Peace: I spent lots of hours getting into the battle scenes. I had always thought I could not understand the movement of armies but Tolstoy enticed me to try. For that reason I would rate War and Peace the best book I have ever read. I liked Tolstoy's philosophy additions too. Some was long winded but I was in no rush. And Hugo has him beat for the length of detail to say that the hooker foundered in the storm and sunk.
Curious that somehow the word "hooker" was deleted from my post.
Late getting in for this one, but just joined the group. My first Hugo.
Dan wrote: "Late getting in for this one, but just joined the group. My first Hugo."Welcome Dan! So glad you can join us !
Hilary wrote: "Hi Dianne, I'd love to think that I could participate, but realistically I probably can't. I'm STILL limping along very slowly with 'Of Human Bondage' from the archives and I also have several othe..."Did you finish Of Human Bondage? I soaked that book up like a sponge in an ocean! It was such a fast read, I loved it.
I loved it too, Biblio. I don't know now how I got sidetracked because when I got back to it I thought it was fabulous. Nice sponge imagery!
I have only finished the first week of this Hugo, so I must get back to it!
Who will be joining? Looks like a great book and looking forward to discussing with you all!
I'll post each week's thread starting November 1 but feel free to discuss any background, thoughts, or Hugoisms as you wish!