What I'm Reading Now

I'm feeling just the tiniest bit bogged down at the moment with Victor Hugo's Les Misérables.  I'm slowly nearing the end of the second section, but he does tend to go off on these tangents.  Now I like details, and I love losing myself in the story, and no doubt this is all going to be tied together at some point, but really, do I need to know so much about French convents?  Things were moving along quickly, Jean Valjean made a narrow escape with little Cosette, as Javert was hot on their trail.  He scaled a wall, managing to bring Cosette with him and he landed in the garden of a convent.  And what happens?  Things come to an abrupt standstill as he spends the next 40 or so pages talking about the convent.  It makes me a little leery when I read:

"Since we are engaged in giving details as to what the convent of the Petit-Picpus was in former times, and since we have ventured to open a window on that discreet retreat, the reader will permit us one other little digression, utterly foreign to this book, but characteristic and useful, since it shows that the cloister even has its original figures."

Okay, I will indeed permit you these little digressions, but please can I find out what happens to Cosette soon? 

I decided to start with Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility for my 1% Challenge.  I know for many Austen fans this is not their favorite book of hers, but so far I am enjoying it.  Certainly that sparkling Austen wit is present.  No doubt you already know the story of Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters who lose their home when Mr. Dashwood dies leaving nearly everything to John Dashwood, their half-brother.  John's wife is that certain Austen type--greedy and unfriendly behind that genteel facade.  She manages to talk her husband down from giving the Dashwood girls three thousand pounds to just the china, and then nothing at all.  The whole scene is just wonderful, but here's the tail end.

"That is a material consideration undoubtedly.  A valuable legacy indeed! And yet some of the plate would have been a very pleasant addition to our own stock here."

"Yes; and the set of breakfast china is twice as handsome as what belongs to this house.  A great deal too handsome, in my opinion, for any place THEY can ever afford to live in.  But, however, so it is.  Your father thought only of THEM.  And I must say this: that you owe no particular gratitude to him, nor attention to his wishes; for we very well know that if he could, he would have left almost everything in the world to THEM."

This argument was irresistible.  It gave to his intentions whatever of decision was wanting before; and he finally resolved, that it would be absolutely unnecessary, if not highly indecorous, to do more for the widow and children of his father, than such kind of neighbourly acts as his own wife pointed out.

She's quite the dissembler!  I don't think anyone does a scene like this better than Jane Austen!

And for something completely different I've been reading Michelle Moran's Nefertiti.  It is coming out in paperback later this month, and she has a new book, The Heretic Queen, coming out in the Fall.  Although I love historical fiction, I don't read many books set so far back in history.  The only book I can think of is Anita Diamont's biblically set The Red Tent, which I was very hesitant to read (it was for a book club), but surprised myself by enjoying much more than I expected.  I guess this period is outside my comfort zone, since I know so little about the time.  I've been enjoying the book, however.  I love the the descriptions--like how they used gold dust to powder over their bodies.  Or the beaded wigs that the women wore.  It's so hard to imagine the people and how they lived or what they thought and dreamed.  Perhaps I need to find some other book about Nefertiti to get more of a mental imange.  Of course this tast of another culture is why I love historical fiction so much!

Comments

[Strategy Node]

You may also enjoy these books, which I've finished recently. Although, they are non-fiction reads, they are fascinating.

Ghost Map by Stephen Johnson
Devil in a White City by Eric Larson

[Jaimie]

I'm so glad you're enjoying Sense and Sensibility. One of the reasons I love this and Persuasion is Jane Austen's ability to convey very negative people in a light, non-bitter manner. I heard once that "humor destroys evil without malice" and she certainly succeeds at it. And John's greedy little wife is an excellent example.
I keep hearing about Nefertiti and know it will soon be on my TBR list. I am looking forward to your thoughts on that.

[Petunia]

Sense and Sensibility is such a terrific book. For me, it is in a three-way tie for my favorite Austen with P$P and Emma. The characters are so colorful.

[SFP]

Persuasion, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility are my favorite Austens.

I HAVE to start reading Les Mis again. I think I'm way behind everyone else.

[Kay]

Well, I will confess that SENSE AND SENSIBILITY is my favorite Austen book. I didn't read any Austen until after I saw Emma Thompson's version of this book and then I was enraptured. So, I pictured the people from the movie as the characters. Fanny is a wonderful character. So very self-absorbed. But, you don't hate her.

NEFERTITI sounds quite interesting. I have never read anything about her before. I'll look forward to hearing your final impressions.

[Dorothy W.]

S&S isn't my favorite Austen, but it's still a very, very good book! Second best Austen is still wonderful. I love those opening passages you quote -- she can be quite vicious in her satire, can't she?

[Danielle]

Hi--Thanks very much for the suggestions.
Jaimie--Yes, Austen definitely does those less than appealing characters so very well! That's what I love about her prose--it's so elegant despite the nastiness that comes out of some of the character's mouths! And I am enjoying Nefertiti and will write about it more when I finish.
Petunia--So far I've enjoyed everything I've read by Austen! My favorite is Persuasion, but I would happily read or reread any of them. I've not read all her novels and am working my way through them this year.
Susan--Persuasion is also my favorite. I still have Emma and Mansfield Park to read when I finish S&S. And I don't think it will take you long to catch up to me--I'm reading really, really slowly!
Kay--The first time I watched S&S I didn't really like it, but then I recently watched it again a year or so again and loved it. Reading the book is long overdue! Nefertiti is good so far--I need to read more about her!
Dorothy--I'd be happy reading anything by Jane Austen! Her prose is just so gorgeous you can't help appreciate it, even if the story isn't a favorite. Yes, her satire was totally biting--don't you just love it! :)

[Literary Feline]

It has been so long since I picked up Les Miserables. I will have to start over again when I do. I well remember his little digressions!

I haven't yet read Sense and Sensibility, but as I hope to read all of Jane Austen's work, I will get to that one. I enjoyed the movie--but I am not sure if that counts for anything. :-)

I am looking forward to reading Nefertiti. It's sitting here on my shelf. I have a couple of other books I need to get to first though. I loved The Mummy movie (should I be ashamed to admit that?), but that's about the extent of my knowledge of that time period. At least for now.

[Litlove]

I sympathise about Victor Hugo. When he first published Notre Dame de Paris it came out in five big installments - only his publisher made him take one out because he considered it too dull. When the book came out as we know it, all bound together, Hugo had insisted that this part be put back in! I can assure you the publisher was right.

I love Sense and Sensibility, so glad to know you are enjoying it, and I also want to read Nefertiti having heard lots of good things about it!

[Eva]

I just reread S&S, and it was much better than I remembered! :D I have so many dogears w/ Austen's wit, I think for my review I'll just type them all out and let it stand on its own!

[Vipula Gupta]

Since you enjoy historical fiction , I thought I might recommend books by Mary Renault.I've just read one 'Funeral Games'( really liked it!) wherein she traces the future of the Greek Empire after Alexander's death.
What I really liked was the almost movie like dramatism the book had. I know it will be different from the Victorian setting novels you enjoy , but you could probably give it a shot.

[tara]

This is the second place I've 'been' today that mentions that S&S isn't a favorite - which I think is interesting. I think of Mansfield Park in that way. Glad you are enjoying it.

[BooksPlease]

I am so behind with reading Les Mis. I was enjoying it despite all of Hugo's digressions, but I have been waylaid by other books. Sense and Sensibility is not my favourite Austen, but it's still a great book. I enjoyed the recent BBC version with David Morrissey - it made me want to read it again - there I go again - I'm so easily sidetracked by books.

[Catherine Delors]

Wow, Danielle, you have been reading Les Miz, Sense and Sensibility and Nefertiti.
Great mix!
I too love S&S, on a par with Pride and Prejudice, though less than Persuasion or Emma.

[Michelle Moran]

Oh... Sense and Sensibility is one of my favorites!!!!

And thank you for mentioning Nefertiti ;] I hope you enjoy the rest of it. If you're interestedin the facts of Nefertiti's life, I have a "Behind-the-Story" section on my website here:

http://www.michellemoran.com/nef_story.htm

Joyce A. Tyldesley has a wonderful comprehensive biography on her, and I really enjoyed Joann Fletcher's controversial biography as well. Ms. Fletcher claims to have discovered Nefertiti's mummy, and her arguments are very convincing. Unfortunately for her, she announced the discovery without first telling the powers that be in Egypt (I won't mention any names, but he's pretty big), and he's tried to discredit her in every way he can think of. But it's a great book if you or your readers are interested in ancient Egyptian culture/mummies/life.

[Catherine Delors]

Oh, Michelle, I know who the BIG man is! A bit overbearing, from what I gather. And he nixed some DNA testing, if my memory is correct.
Anyway, I saw pictures of the mummy in question, and thought the resemblance with Nefertiti was striking. And those mutilations. If not her, maybe one of her daughters?
I haven't kept up on Egypt, and you make me realize that I have a lot of reading to do...

[Michelle Moran]

Ha! You're right on, Catherine. All new discoveries must go through him, so that he can take credit, and then announce them on Discovery or History Channel. Of course, for D or THC to have the privilege of filming these announcements, new Land Rovers and other various "gifts" don't hurt.

But this is all archaeological-community drama. And there was just as much drama in Nefertiti's real life. Joann Fletcher's book The Search For Nefertiti is fantastic, and you're right. Her bust and the mummy Ms. Fletcher concluded was Nefertiti look strikingly similar.

[Matt]

I am falling behind on Les Miserables. I didn't bring the huge volume with me to Asia so I'm still at where I first started--at the end of the first section.

Hugo somehow gives a detailed portrait of the landscape in digression from the plot. Hopefully everything will tie up in a nice bundle at the end.

[Danielle]

Literary Feline--I bet it'll all come back to you when you get back to LM. Happily I'm back to the story itself (not that I don't want to read about French convents, but...). And I'll very ignorant about ancient history and know little about Egypt--I liked the Mummy movies, too, though. I have read some of the Amelia Peabody mysteries, but even though they're set in Egypt they're late Victorian early 20th century.
Litlove--I do love detail, but in some cases it can be just a bit too much? At least Dumas's digressions were a bit more exciting (even if they weren't necessary to the story). As for Jane Austen--I think she could have written the information they put on cereal boxes and I would be enraptured by her prose. :)
Eva--Isn't it nice when you read a book a second time and like it even more? I think age sometimes has a lot to do with how much (or little) we might appreciate a book.
Vipula--Mary Renault has been recommended to me before. I really should give her work a try. I think it appeals to me more now than before. Didn't she write during the period between the wars? It seems I've seen her name mentioned in some NF books I've been reading.
Tara--It's so interesting to hear which JA novels are favorites. I'm planning on reading Mansfield Park later this year. It'll be interesting reading all her works and contrasting them. So far Persuasion and P&P are my favorites, though I am enjoying S&S!
BooksPlease--I generally don't mind digressions, but this last one about the convent got a little too far into philosophy for me, and I am sl glad the story is back on track. I'd still not read the abridged version, though! I saw parts of the new adaptation of S&S, and I plan on watching it properly when I finish the book.
Catherine--I can't help myself and always read several books at once (until I reach that point in a book where I can't put it down and then will only concentrate on one until I finish it!). Persuasion is my favorite, too. I'm planning on reading Emma at some point this year (there are three JA novels I've not yet read, so am remedying that this year, plus rereading the others).
Michelle--Thanks for the link--I'll be checking it out. It's hard to imagine such a young woman being thrust into such a position. I'd love to learn more about that period! Joyce Tyldesley sounds familiar--I don't have the Nefertiti book, but I do have one of her others--I must go find it! Unfortunately I'm not at all familiar with current events in Egypt when it comes to archaeology, but I imagine it's all politics! It's all so intriguing! Thanks for the reading suggestions.
Matt--Usually the digressions so have something to do with what's happening in the plot. I suppose it's his way of interjecting his opinions on whatever the subject is. I'm nearly finished with the second section, so I'm not really that much further in the book than you are! You'll catch up in no time.

[Kate]

Let me encourage all reading Les Miz! It's one of my absolute favorites, one of the few books I've finished thinking that I was a better person for having read it. His digressions can be frustrating - especially the Waterloo one - but that one particularly tied together in the last few sentences and left me breathless. Good luck!

[Danielle]

Kate--Thanks for the encouragement. I might spend all summer working on it, but I will finish it! I just finished the section on Cosette and have started Marius this morning. He does digress, but I actually sort of liked the Waterloo section!