tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post1718488975661128054..comments2024-02-29T02:54:19.767-05:00Comments on Babbling Books: The Red and the Black by Stendhal Brian Josephhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-27032202870167059532019-03-11T00:58:07.165-04:002019-03-11T00:58:07.165-04:00Hi Hila - I also think that this is an interesting...Hi Hila - I also think that this is an interesting train of thought. I really want to read On Love. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-5327978809063385562019-03-11T00:07:15.919-04:002019-03-11T00:07:15.919-04:00I would love to see an exploration of the differen...I would love to see an exploration of the different kinds of love. Physical love I'm assuming is lust, but I wonder what he means by the others. This book sounds wonderful. It's going on my to-read list.HKatzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17653570160517335758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-41622464038813641792019-03-10T18:34:41.454-04:002019-03-10T18:34:41.454-04:00Thanks Naida - I am also curious about On Love now...Thanks Naida - I am also curious about On Love now. Perhaps I will give it a read soon.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-12827956474707956402019-03-10T14:11:23.858-04:002019-03-10T14:11:23.858-04:00This one sounds good and Julien Sorel sounds like ...This one sounds good and Julien Sorel sounds like an interesting, if at times unlikable character. Now I'm curious about "On Love".<br />Fantastic post as usual. Enjoy your week!The Bookwormhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10217390642323530030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-37591861423003265592019-03-08T14:04:38.478-05:002019-03-08T14:04:38.478-05:00Hi Andrew - If you read this I would love to know ...Hi Andrew - If you read this I would love to know what you thought about it. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-4499500178762855432019-03-08T13:31:37.854-05:002019-03-08T13:31:37.854-05:00Ah, that's funny - I've had this book on m...Ah, that's funny - I've had this book on my to-read list for ages, and lately I've been seeing it crop up everywhere. It was recommended in one of the books I read last month - either How Fiction Works or Reading Like a Writer. I think your review is the nudge I needed to finally read it :)Andrew Blackmanhttps://andrewblackman.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-45585914464850646462019-03-06T19:51:05.663-05:002019-03-06T19:51:05.663-05:00Hi Sheree - Whenever there are multiple translatio...Hi Sheree - Whenever there are multiple translations available, I now do a t least a little research. Translators are indeed impactful. I think that you would like this book. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-5513061026007658262019-03-06T19:49:25.970-05:002019-03-06T19:49:25.970-05:00Hi Susan - Julian was very cynical, I think torso ...Hi Susan - Julian was very cynical, I think torso then the author. I think that during the original French Revolution, as well as during subsequent revolutions in France, at times, religion came under heavy criticism. However, I think that passage would have been scandalous in a British novel.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-15451023946075156122019-03-06T19:07:39.000-05:002019-03-06T19:07:39.000-05:00Good on you naming the translator, Brian! It never...Good on you naming the translator, Brian! It never ceases to amaze me how much the translator can affect our experience of a story, and our understanding of it, and yet they're so often overlooked in the literary world and in reviews. This one sounds like a cracker, I'll have to check out some Stendhal at some point! (Might need to brush up on my French history first though, by the sounds... ha!)Sheree @ Keeping Up With The Penguinshttps://www.keepingupwiththepenguins.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-29403720253971174072019-03-06T18:10:40.378-05:002019-03-06T18:10:40.378-05:00Julien's opinions about God seem quite interes...Julien's opinions about God seem quite interesting or modern for the times? .... I wonder how well that went over (or the book) in 1830 France. ... He seems quite eager for social advancement.thecuecardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08870323589682197091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-2160451385386943402019-03-06T12:24:51.470-05:002019-03-06T12:24:51.470-05:00Hi Rachel - If you read this I would love to know ...Hi Rachel - If you read this I would love to know what you thought of it. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-66168948342805346632019-03-06T09:52:35.362-05:002019-03-06T09:52:35.362-05:00Glad you enjoyed it! I haven't read it myself,...Glad you enjoyed it! I haven't read it myself, but you make it sound very interesting. Rachelhttp://hibernatorslibrary.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-71288410032977753132019-03-06T05:15:29.278-05:002019-03-06T05:15:29.278-05:00Thanks Baili. Julian’s desire to advsnce in life i...Thanks Baili. Julian’s desire to advsnce in life is one of his overriding characteristics..<br />I also would like to Read Stendhal’s On Love. <br /><br />It looks like wil have about another week of cold weather here on Long Island. I am glad things are nice where you are. <br /><br />Have a great week!Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-6053811249321309962019-03-06T05:08:04.877-05:002019-03-06T05:08:04.877-05:00Hi Paula - The novel truest became great in the ni...Hi Paula - The novel truest became great in the nineteenth century. Julian has some of Becky Sharp’s characteristics, but despite his flaws, he has a lot more redeeming attributes. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-59094828428338394902019-03-06T03:35:57.380-05:002019-03-06T03:35:57.380-05:00inspite of being written in 18th century book is...inspite of being written in 18th century book is lively and not much heavy vocabulary or idea which can help me to digest it easily <br /><br />terrific commentary as ever dear Brain .i cannot resist saying this that your blog is great for people like me who starve for reading but find no time for specially peaceful reading <br /><br />i found types of love mentioned by writer in another work little strange though <br /><br />to me love is basically just love if there is one <br /><br />it is inexplicably deep and overwhelming <br /><br />Julien sounds complex character due to it's desperation for advancement in aristocratic society <br />yet i would love to read the writer's analogy and what has he tried to put out <br /><br />thank you so much for wonderful wonderful blog and recommendations Brain!<br /><br />hope weather is better and spring is around :)<br />blessings!bailihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06498012175058870980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-74089811938689251432019-03-06T02:41:29.059-05:002019-03-06T02:41:29.059-05:00Thanks for the recommendation. 19th century novels...Thanks for the recommendation. 19th century novels are great, and this one slid under my radar. It sounds like a great character study indeed, and social commentary. Just from what you've written, Julien sounds a bit like a male version of Becky Sharp. Paula Vincehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02079952414990463270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-37950925204458601662019-03-05T05:08:02.335-05:002019-03-05T05:08:02.335-05:00Hi WG - We do expect some older authors to be a bi...Hi WG - We do expect some older authors to be a bit dry. However, this was a time when some of the more interesting writing techniques were invented. <br /><br />Picking the right translation can be so important. It is striking as to how much they can vary. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-12118489182069114012019-03-05T05:02:31.101-05:002019-03-05T05:02:31.101-05:00Hi Sharon - Having a classic book such as this con...Hi Sharon - Having a classic book such as this connected to a murder mystery is very neat. I think that you would like this. Have a great week. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-1248251782621528302019-03-05T04:29:29.265-05:002019-03-05T04:29:29.265-05:00This is another classic that I want to read one da...This is another classic that I want to read one day. I've not been good with European classics I must say. I love the sound of this when you say that the prose is playful and lively. It's interesting how surprised we can be by something like this in earlier periods. Somehow we expect them all to be dry and serious, but I don't think they are are they?<br /><br />I remember many years ago, when I was an active member of online bookgroups, we all shared the first paragraph of our different translations of a Russian novel - I think it was Anna Karenina. The difference between them was quite eye-opening - we had at least 4 different translations I think.Whispering Gumshttp://whisperinggums.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-83613313096965356402019-03-04T23:10:39.959-05:002019-03-04T23:10:39.959-05:00Hi Brian,
This book has been on my TBR pile for a...Hi Brian,<br /><br />This book has been on my TBR pile for a while. It was in a murder mystery I watched. It was the key that exposed the culprit.<br /><br />Hopefully I'll get around to it this year.<br /><br />Have a good week. Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-7543023657725190822019-03-04T10:14:51.496-05:002019-03-04T10:14:51.496-05:00Hi Simon - So much of it was indeed about social p...Hi Simon - So much of it was indeed about social power and dynamics. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-23143683322241904242019-03-04T10:14:06.782-05:002019-03-04T10:14:06.782-05:00Hi James - I found the Raffel translation really g...Hi James - I found the Raffel translation really good. Thanks for the tip as I am often looking for good translators. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-64801807913327269142019-03-04T09:17:35.062-05:002019-03-04T09:17:35.062-05:00As others have said, I read this long ago, but rem...As others have said, I read this long ago, but remember it being a powerful and penetrating account of social power frictions. Nice to be reminded of it.Simon at Tredynas Dayshttp://tredynasdays.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-34645717527353212672019-03-04T09:15:22.053-05:002019-03-04T09:15:22.053-05:00The Burton Raffel translation is my favorite. He i...The Burton Raffel translation is my favorite. He is dependable and his translations of other books are also fine. I agree with your assessment of the novel. One of the many superb aspects of Stendahl is his ability to portray different psychological types. In Julian Sorel he has created a memorable protagonist even if, as you point out, he is unlikable at times.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00561320676355168336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043273283783489008.post-14050229263616080992019-03-03T21:53:28.347-05:002019-03-03T21:53:28.347-05:00Thanks Kathy. Some parts of this books were funny....Thanks Kathy. Some parts of this books were funny. <br /><br />Some modern translations are so good. However, some older translations work wavy well too. I am currently reading a Constance Garnet translation of Fathers and Sons which is very good. Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.com