A French Book Reading Resource

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DaveAgain
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Re: TOTW: A French Book Reading Resource

Postby DaveAgain » Mon Apr 27, 2020 6:41 pm

MorkTheFiddle wrote: In recent French cinema a film appeared about two young women who fall in love. Perhaps someone can remember the name of it?
Portrait de la jeune fille en feu ?

http://frenchfilmfestival.org.uk/FFF201 ... arch-2020/
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Carmody
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Re: TOTW: A French Book Reading Resource

Postby Carmody » Mon Apr 27, 2020 8:29 pm

Many thanks to you folks for visiting; I wonder sometimes if anyone is out there.

As a person who is very reluctant to ever deal with Amazon, I would like to suggest two alternatives for your consideration:

https://wordery.com/

https://www.ibiservice.com
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Carmody
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Re: TOTW: A French Book Reading Resource

Postby Carmody » Mon Apr 27, 2020 8:52 pm

Not sure I ever saw a review like this one:

Are we allowed to say: "fucking wonderful"?

Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Movie Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDRBOMPZxFQ
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Carmody
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Re: TOTW: A French Book Reading Resource

Postby Carmody » Tue Apr 28, 2020 12:24 am

Portrait de la jeune fille en feu ?

It was a good film. I am still trying to figure it out. The photography excellent.
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MorkTheFiddle
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Re: TOTW: A French Book Reading Resource

Postby MorkTheFiddle » Thu May 14, 2020 7:07 pm

DaveAgain wrote:
MorkTheFiddle wrote: In recent French cinema a film appeared about two young women who fall in love. Perhaps someone can remember the name of it?
Portrait de la jeune fille en feu ?

http://frenchfilmfestival.org.uk/FFF201 ... arch-2020/

Thanks, but no, that's not what I was thinking of. IIRC there is the name of a color in the title.
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MorkTheFiddle
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Re: TOTW: A French Book Reading Resource

Postby MorkTheFiddle » Thu May 14, 2020 7:08 pm

Carmody wrote:Not sure I ever saw a review like this one:

Are we allowed to say: "fucking wonderful"?

Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Movie Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDRBOMPZxFQ

Apparently we are! :)
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jonm
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Re: TOTW: A French Book Reading Resource

Postby jonm » Thu May 14, 2020 7:20 pm

MorkTheFiddle wrote:
DaveAgain wrote:
MorkTheFiddle wrote: In recent French cinema a film appeared about two young women who fall in love. Perhaps someone can remember the name of it?

Portrait de la jeune fille en feu ?

Thanks, but no, that's not what I was thinking of. IIRC there is the name of a color in the title.

Maybe La vie d'Adèle, based on the graphic novel Le bleu est une couleur chaude? The English title is Blue Is the Warmest Colour.
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MorkTheFiddle
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Re: TOTW: A French Book Reading Resource

Postby MorkTheFiddle » Thu May 14, 2020 7:32 pm

Exact. Merci!
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Carmody
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Re: TOTW: A French Book Reading Resource

Postby Carmody » Sat May 23, 2020 8:15 pm

Hi Folks,

Anyone out there?

Haven’t posted recently but have definitely continued my daily reading of contemporary French literature. If anyone has an interest in the topic and would care to discuss it, I would enjoy the sharing of ideas on same.

First book to mention is:
Passion simple by Annie Ernaux which is 77 pages long and describes her longing for her lover who is from another country. It enumerates or catalogues all the sensations related to missing him during the absences. No real discussion of sex but lots of mention of longing.

It is also similar to Un Pedigree P. Modiano that I read earlier wherein he enumerates or catalogues what he has to say.
For my tastes, this style where the author enumerates or catalogues is a drag.

I give it a 4/10.

Next book is Chemins de fer by Benoit Duteurtre which is 186 pages long and which discusses his nostalgia for past way of life and especially for trains the way they used to be. Lots of mentions of trains.

Again not much plot but lots of cataloguing of what was.

I would give it at 2/10.

Finally, and I definitely want to end on a high point, is the book La Chambre Rouge by Françoise Mallet-Joris which is 290 pages. It describes the coming of age of an eighteen year old and her taking of a lover. It is actually a continuation of her other book mentioned above that is called Le Rempart Des Beguines Françoise Mallet-Joris.

I think they are both good books but I enjoyed La Chambre Rouge the most.

I would give it an 9/10.

A couple of observations on my readings in general. I have learned French in order to read from its wonderful literature and I am finding it well worth the effort. It is a true treasure chest that rewards richly.

Also, this book ends with the heroine truly finding her own identity and with it her freedom and with that being truly alone. Very alone. As with Thérèse Desqueyroux by François Mauriac, the main character fights fiercely for her freedom, wins it and then in her freedom finds herself very alone. Neither loving someone or being loved by anyone. I could follow this same theme through many of the French books I have read. No one does social outcast and being alone as well as the French. I love them.
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MorkTheFiddle
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Re: TOTW: A French Book Reading Resource

Postby MorkTheFiddle » Wed May 27, 2020 9:39 pm

Carmody wrote:Hi Folks,

Anyone out there?


Nope. Nobody here but us chickens. :)
Carmody wrote:A couple of observations on my readings in general. I have learned French in order to read from its wonderful literature and I am finding it well worth the effort. It is a true treasure chest that rewards richly.

100% agreed :!: :!: :!:

Keep on truckin, Carmody, I admire your persistence.
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