I was searching through your TBR list on Substack and saw you included a lot of French authors. I’ve added some to my list. Have you read anything from Victor Hugo?
I haven't. I don't typically choose a book for any reason more significant than: the plot sounds interesting and the first few pages read well. I'm familiar with Hugo's work but have never been personally interested in reading it, though I recognize and appreciate the importance and popularity.
Likewise. I read Les Misérables this year already pretty familiar with the story only to realize I didn’t know as much as I thought. It’s a behemoth of a book but one of my favorites. As you described Malicroix, Hugo has a great way of depicting love, pain, and beauty very poetically, but probably on different scale to Bosco. I will say the depictions were the French Revolution were a bit of a drag, but I’d highly recommend the book. Hugo depicted the mundane aspects of French history in an engaging, thought-provoking way, and the characters are so greatly human.
I recognized the last name, but I had no idea St. John Bosco had a relative who was a famous writer. This sounds marvelous, I'm putting it on my TBR right now.
Okay, okay! I ordered the book for kindle. With all that I have to read and as negligent as I am in reading regularly, I WILL read it. I ordered it because having watch some of your thoughts on writing, I think I can trust your analysis of IT as a book worthy to be read.
this is beautiful, i will be adding this book to my TBR ; it reminds me somewhat of “walden” by thoreau in the sense that life’s simplicities are revealed through beautiful prose.
I might be mistaken in memory, but I vaguely recall reading passages from this in a French literature class. I am, however, fairly certain that the protagonist's names posses symbolic significance. Martial is obvious enough to English readers, but Mégremut and Malicroix mean 'meager and mute' (I might condense these to timid) and 'encounter with trouble' (lit. evil here crosses/mal y croix). The latter is a bit more my interpretation based on this overview.
The meaning of Malicroix is a very big theme in the book. The "mal" of evil and the redemptive sacrifice of "croix" or cross. But I didn't know the meaning of Mégremut. It is quite appropriate.
For a moment I thought this would be our next book in our book club and was quite excited. Regardless, I’ll have to find time for this, this is the sort of deep thought I love.
I love solitude, poetic prose and random philosophy about every day life, so I feel like this is the sort of book I would chew on for years, and not speak to many about knowing they wouldn’t understand, or maybe that some things are more special when experienced privately
Oh I think this book would absolutely agree with you, some things are more special when experienced privately.
I almost chose this book for the next one in the book club, but it really is a very particular book and not everyone's cup of tea. But I hope more people read it! It's so beautiful!
I'm one of kagillion unpublished writers. I've written about 900 letters to friends and family. I've written short stories years ago(I'm 75), but I'm not a very descriptive writer. Very succinct and void of dialog. I also write spiritual essays and hover from good to "eh...". When I watched some of your videos, the content and reasoning rang true to me. It's like the old saying: "If you don't use it, you lose it." Don't use AI. One classic book, "Dracula" by Bram the slammer Stoker was one that moved me the most. The type of writing, the phrasing, the words, the descriptions, etc. almost overwhelmed me. Several letters I wrote shortly after sounded like I had gone back a century. It sounded and affected me like true love. But I write like me and it entertains, as well as makes a person think, I think. Whether I'll be published someday or not, it matters to me, but not as much as the act of writing and it turns out well. It matters to me that I am writing rather than not. When I don't for a few weeks, it's like I missed a "fix" along the way and I'm restless and finally when I do, the fix fixes me.
I'm intrigued, Hilary. I love books like this.
So do I! I've been on the hunt for more like it this year. But this one set the bar really, really high.
On my TBR list!
I was searching through your TBR list on Substack and saw you included a lot of French authors. I’ve added some to my list. Have you read anything from Victor Hugo?
I haven't. I don't typically choose a book for any reason more significant than: the plot sounds interesting and the first few pages read well. I'm familiar with Hugo's work but have never been personally interested in reading it, though I recognize and appreciate the importance and popularity.
Likewise. I read Les Misérables this year already pretty familiar with the story only to realize I didn’t know as much as I thought. It’s a behemoth of a book but one of my favorites. As you described Malicroix, Hugo has a great way of depicting love, pain, and beauty very poetically, but probably on different scale to Bosco. I will say the depictions were the French Revolution were a bit of a drag, but I’d highly recommend the book. Hugo depicted the mundane aspects of French history in an engaging, thought-provoking way, and the characters are so greatly human.
Thank you! I might just have to add it to the list.
I recognized the last name, but I had no idea St. John Bosco had a relative who was a famous writer. This sounds marvelous, I'm putting it on my TBR right now.
Me neither! I hope you enjoy it, it's such a beautiful, beautiful book.
Okay, okay! I ordered the book for kindle. With all that I have to read and as negligent as I am in reading regularly, I WILL read it. I ordered it because having watch some of your thoughts on writing, I think I can trust your analysis of IT as a book worthy to be read.
I hope you enjoy it! It is such a lovely read.
this is beautiful, i will be adding this book to my TBR ; it reminds me somewhat of “walden” by thoreau in the sense that life’s simplicities are revealed through beautiful prose.
I might be mistaken in memory, but I vaguely recall reading passages from this in a French literature class. I am, however, fairly certain that the protagonist's names posses symbolic significance. Martial is obvious enough to English readers, but Mégremut and Malicroix mean 'meager and mute' (I might condense these to timid) and 'encounter with trouble' (lit. evil here crosses/mal y croix). The latter is a bit more my interpretation based on this overview.
The meaning of Malicroix is a very big theme in the book. The "mal" of evil and the redemptive sacrifice of "croix" or cross. But I didn't know the meaning of Mégremut. It is quite appropriate.
For a moment I thought this would be our next book in our book club and was quite excited. Regardless, I’ll have to find time for this, this is the sort of deep thought I love.
I love solitude, poetic prose and random philosophy about every day life, so I feel like this is the sort of book I would chew on for years, and not speak to many about knowing they wouldn’t understand, or maybe that some things are more special when experienced privately
Oh I think this book would absolutely agree with you, some things are more special when experienced privately.
I almost chose this book for the next one in the book club, but it really is a very particular book and not everyone's cup of tea. But I hope more people read it! It's so beautiful!
I'm one of kagillion unpublished writers. I've written about 900 letters to friends and family. I've written short stories years ago(I'm 75), but I'm not a very descriptive writer. Very succinct and void of dialog. I also write spiritual essays and hover from good to "eh...". When I watched some of your videos, the content and reasoning rang true to me. It's like the old saying: "If you don't use it, you lose it." Don't use AI. One classic book, "Dracula" by Bram the slammer Stoker was one that moved me the most. The type of writing, the phrasing, the words, the descriptions, etc. almost overwhelmed me. Several letters I wrote shortly after sounded like I had gone back a century. It sounded and affected me like true love. But I write like me and it entertains, as well as makes a person think, I think. Whether I'll be published someday or not, it matters to me, but not as much as the act of writing and it turns out well. It matters to me that I am writing rather than not. When I don't for a few weeks, it's like I missed a "fix" along the way and I'm restless and finally when I do, the fix fixes me.
P.S. The Red hair is best.