Zoladdiction is hosted by Fanda at Fanda Classiclit.During the month of April (Zola's birthday month) Fanda encourages us to read and review Zola's novels.
I have Germinal half read on my epad (I dislike reading on a screen which is the only reason it is taking so long).
I have Nana on my Classics Club list & I have a copy of The Ladies' Delight (Au Bonheur des Dames) on my TBR pile (translated by Robin Buss).
That should be plenty to get on with on!
I know very little about Zola or his particular period of French literature, so I'm looking forward to learning a lot more. Are there any recommended translators or preferred editions?
The introduction to The Ladies promises me that
"Zola was really an emotional writer with rare gifts for evoking vast crowd scenes and for giving life to such great symbols of modern civilization as factories and mines. When not overloaded with detail, his work has tragic grandeur, but he is also capable of a coarse 'Cockney' type humour."
There seems to be a lot of Zola love out there in blogger land. Have you tried to read Zola? Do you have a favourite Zola? Or an interesting Zola story?
If you answered 'yes' to any of those questions then Zoladdiction could be just the thing for you!
Happy reading.
This is the challenge I've been waiting for! I've been reading Zola in French since June 2013. BTW Ladies Delight was disappointing. La Fortune des Rougon was much better. It is the first of 20 books in the Rougon Macquart series!
ReplyDeleteAhh - lucky you - you don't have to tackle the translation issue for this one!
DeleteShould the Rougon-Macquart books be read in order?
Enjoy! I loved Therese Raquin and The Ladies's Paradise, and have a couple more on my Classics Club list.
ReplyDeleteI love all of those! Glad you're joining :D
ReplyDeleteYay! Good! You're joining in! I want to read Germinal but I'm reading the series in order so I must wait until I get to it. :-(
ReplyDeleteWow! In order - that's very impressive!
DeleteWhat number are you up to so far? Do you have a favourite yet?