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| I picked up my holds from the libraries today. And this is only the paper books - I have 4 on CD in my car. They are being added to the pile of previously checked out ebooks, audios, and paper books. All those 'best of 2012' lists came out at the same time! What's a gal to do? |
I dreamed a dream....
So, back in my youth (that was a LONG TIME ago, but let's not digress...), I saw the London production of Les Misérables, and I've been listening to the 1985 London original cast album ever since. As I type, Colm Wilkinson is declaring that Jean Valjean is nothing now. So obviously I pre-purchased Christmas Day tickets to the Tom Hooper-directed film, and dragged my family along. That, too, I loved (not as much as the theatrical version, but more than enough to make me happy.) But afterwards, as my son Wikipedia'd the plot of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel, I realized how remiss I've been. I've never even tried to read it, and as I think we established, I am fond of reading. My husband had the idea of reading it over the course of a year.
Now, there are 365 chapters (from 950-1500 pages in translation), so I was going to do a chapter per day, but it's also broken into five volumes, each with several books. After spreadsheeting the thing (my other favorite hobby) (stop laughing at me), I broke it down into 12 sections of 4 books each, or 4 books per month. My plan is to post each week about one of the books, giving myself a couple of weeks leeway to get through the whole thing in a year. I downloaded the free version for Kindle and would be delighted if any of y'all want to read along with me. I'm just about done with my first assignment: Volume I: Fantine, Book 1, which is all about the priest with the silver candlesticks, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Hugo writes with a lot of human insight, and wit, and ease. It's an incredibly easy book to read - so far. 1/48th of the way through.
Interested? Go on, download it, it's free! You don't need a Kindle, though you may need to get a Kindle app or something. Here's the breakdown of my intended reading schedule, January in orange, etc.:
| Vol 1: Fantine | Book 1 |
| Vol 1: Fantine | Book 2 |
| Vol 1: Fantine | Book 3 |
| Vol 1: Fantine | Book 4 |
| Vol 1: Fantine | Book 5 |
| Vol 1: Fantine | Book 6 |
| Vol 1: Fantine | Book 7 |
| Vol 1: Fantine | Book 8 |
| Vol 2: Cosette | Book 1 |
| Vol 2: Cosette | Book 2 |
| Vol 2: Cosette | Book 3 |
| Vol 2: Cosette | Book 4 |
| Vol 2: Cosette | Book 5 |
| Vol 2: Cosette | Book 6 |
| Vol 2: Cosette | Book 7 |
| Vol 2: Cosette | Book 8 |
| Vol 3: Marius | Book 1 |
| Vol 3: Marius | Book 2 |
| Vol 3: Marius | Book 3 |
| Vol 3: Marius | Book 4 |
| Vol 3: Marius | Book 5 |
| Vol 3: Marius | Book 6 |
| Vol 3: Marius | Book 7 |
| Vol 3: Marius | Book 8 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 1 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 2 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 3 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 4 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 5 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 6 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 7 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 8 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 9 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 10 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 11 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 12 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 13 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 14 |
| Vol 4: St. Denis | Book 15 |
| Vol 5: Jean Valjean | Book 1 |
| Vol 5: Jean Valjean | Book 2 |
| Vol 5: Jean Valjean | Book 3 |
| Vol 5: Jean Valjean | Book 4 |
| Vol 5: Jean Valjean | Book 5 |
| Vol 5: Jean Valjean | Book 6 |
| Vol 5: Jean Valjean | Book 7 |
| Vol 5: Jean Valjean | Book 8 |
| Vol 5: Jean Valjean | Book 9 |
Nothing to it, right!? I'm looking forward to rewarding myself in December for a job well done.
OK, I'm in, although I read a great chunk of it during my French phase. . .
ReplyDeleteRead it in High School and don't think I'll read it again. Too much out there that I haven't read.
ReplyDeleteDid enjoy the movie - http://boggythicket.blogspot.com/2013/01/les-miserables-est-formidable.html