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the count of monte cristo

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Kveto from Prague
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Location: Prague, Bohemia

the count of monte cristo

Post by Kveto from Prague » Sun March 7th, 2010, 6:41 pm

one of my favourite classic novels. still the ultimate revenge story.

did you know it was inspired by a true story. an man named pierre picaud who was wrongfully sent to prison, came into a fortune through unknown means and carried out meticulous revenge against those who had framed him (including the one who stole his fiancee)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Picaud


truth is always stranger than fiction

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Sun March 7th, 2010, 7:01 pm

I love this book and highly recommend it - but don't settle for an abridged version. Amazing how different the novel is from all the film versions. I find Dumas adds quite a bit of history into his books and oftentimes when you think he's gone OTT with a bizarre character (see Joseph Balsamo) and you google him/her and there they are.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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Amanda
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Post by Amanda » Sun March 7th, 2010, 10:05 pm

The Oxford World Classics series include a lot footnotes, pointing out the true history and were Dumas varied the story a bit.

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Nefret
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Favourite HF book: Welsh Princes trilogy
Preferred HF: The Middle Ages (England), New Kingdom Egypt, Medieval France
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Post by Nefret » Tue April 6th, 2010, 11:17 pm

Finally picked this up over the weekend. I think I have the Bantam version.
Into battle we ride with Gods by our side
We are strong and not afraid to die
We have an urge to kill and our lust for blood has to be fulfilled
WE´LL FIGHT TILL THE END! And send our enemies straight to Hell!
- "Into Battle"
{Ensiferum}

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Michy
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Post by Michy » Fri May 21st, 2010, 3:06 am

This is a book I definitely want to read, but am scared off by the size of it. Maybe one of these days when I feel like spending a month (or two?) in just one book......

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Nefret
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Favourite HF book: Welsh Princes trilogy
Preferred HF: The Middle Ages (England), New Kingdom Egypt, Medieval France
Location: Temple of Isis

Post by Nefret » Fri May 21st, 2010, 4:35 am

[quote=""Michy""]This is a book I definitely want to read, but am scared off by the size of it. Maybe one of these days when I feel like spending a month (or two?) in just one book......[/quote]

It seems rather on the short side too me. Compared to other classics I want to read.
(Since I still want to tackle War and Peace at some point.)
Into battle we ride with Gods by our side
We are strong and not afraid to die
We have an urge to kill and our lust for blood has to be fulfilled
WE´LL FIGHT TILL THE END! And send our enemies straight to Hell!
- "Into Battle"
{Ensiferum}

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Misfit
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Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Fri May 21st, 2010, 12:28 pm

[quote=""Michy""]This is a book I definitely want to read, but am scared off by the size of it. Maybe one of these days when I feel like spending a month (or two?) in just one book......[/quote]

Dumas always has a lot of dialog so his book read quicker than you would think. Don't get a *truncated* version either you want to read it all. Also, careful with translations out there - there are some bad ones (aiyee, the newer releases of his French Revolution series :mad: :mad :) . A bad translation can make for a mediocre dumas novel.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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Nefret
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Posts: 2994
Joined: February 2009
Favourite HF book: Welsh Princes trilogy
Preferred HF: The Middle Ages (England), New Kingdom Egypt, Medieval France
Location: Temple of Isis

Post by Nefret » Fri May 21st, 2010, 2:31 pm

[quote=""Misfit""]Dumas always has a lot of dialog so his book read quicker than you would think. Don't get a *truncated* version either you want to read it all. Also, careful with translations out there - there are some bad ones (aiyee, the newer releases of his French Revolution series :mad: :mad :) . A bad translation can make for a mediocre dumas novel.[/quote]

I think I have either the Signet or Bantam versions of his novels. How do those compare?
I am pretty sure my copy of The Three Musketeers is unabridged.
Last edited by Nefret on Fri May 21st, 2010, 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Into battle we ride with Gods by our side
We are strong and not afraid to die
We have an urge to kill and our lust for blood has to be fulfilled
WE´LL FIGHT TILL THE END! And send our enemies straight to Hell!
- "Into Battle"
{Ensiferum}

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Michy
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Joined: May 2010
Location: California

Post by Michy » Thu July 22nd, 2010, 2:50 pm

I recall seeing Misfit say somewhere, that the best translations of Dumas are Collier's. I'm assuming Collier's is the publisher? (I assume that because I have several "old" books my mom bought in the '50s, and the publisher is Collier's).

My library has a zillion copies of COMC, and I want to be sure I get the best one. I've never read Dumas before (gasp!) so I want to start on as good a footing as possible.

Assuming my library doesn't have any Collier's versions available, is there a second-place translation you could recommend?

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Thu July 22nd, 2010, 3:38 pm

I actually read the Penguin Classics of this (all 1100 pages I think it is?). Colliers were all published in the very early 1900's and for those odd-ball Dumas books (i.e. the French Revolution series) I recommend hunting them down over these newer quickie publications from unknown publishers. I know there are lots of editions of Count out there, and many abridged and you miss the full story.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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