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Le Comte de Monte-Cristo
A French reader for intermediate through advanced students
"Le Comte de Monte-Cristo" (Dumas) is a thrilling story of Edmond Dantes that remains as fascinating to today's students as it was to 19th-century French readers. This reader is softcover, 6" 9," and 144 pages in length.
"Le Comte de Monte-Cristo" (Dumas) is a thrilling story of Edmond Dantes that remains as fascinating to today's students as it was to 19th-century French readers. This reader is softcover, 6" 9," and 144 pages in length.
135 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 15, 2016
De Sales's Easy French Reader was such a lovely book, that I was left wishing there was more. And, voila!—there is. Whoever this de Sales character is, they have a genius for writing and editing pedagogical texts. Both in this book and in the Reader, the writing somehow manage to be both simple and interesting. Although constructed for students, they never feel dumbed down; you are not reduced reading the silly, stultifying stuff commonly encountered in language textbooks—vocabulary lessons in disguise. Rather, de Sales quickly has you reading dialogues, histories, stories. And even though the sentences are straightforward and the vocabulary kept on a tight leash, all of these texts are genuinely engaging—not just as learning tools, but in their own right.
This same talent is at work in this book, which is an adapted and heavily abridged version of Dumas's famous novel. The book is divided into bite sized chapters, and each chapter has several review questions at the end. A few words are defined in the margins; but mostly the reader is left on their own, thrown into the water to swim about and, with any luck, to touch the bottom with their tiptoes. Despite being compacted, crunched, and crushed, the plot still remains, albeit in skeletal form; and enough excitement endures to make you half-forget that this book is meant for business, and not for pleasure.
I wish that there were more books like de Sales's. The more I attempt to learn foreign languages, the less patience I have for grammar charts, for dry exercises, and for vocabulary tests. I find it much more effective, as well as more pleasureful, to throw myself into the language, learning through conversations and novels. I have memorized German grammar charts a hundred times; and it has helped me not a whit, as the charts don't give me a sense for which situations call for which grammatical case. It's like memorizing a multiplication table instead of learning to multiply.
Forgive the digression. To force myself back to this book, I only repeat that I give it a hearty recommendation. Who doesn't like their French served with a side of well-earned revenge?
This same talent is at work in this book, which is an adapted and heavily abridged version of Dumas's famous novel. The book is divided into bite sized chapters, and each chapter has several review questions at the end. A few words are defined in the margins; but mostly the reader is left on their own, thrown into the water to swim about and, with any luck, to touch the bottom with their tiptoes. Despite being compacted, crunched, and crushed, the plot still remains, albeit in skeletal form; and enough excitement endures to make you half-forget that this book is meant for business, and not for pleasure.
I wish that there were more books like de Sales's. The more I attempt to learn foreign languages, the less patience I have for grammar charts, for dry exercises, and for vocabulary tests. I find it much more effective, as well as more pleasureful, to throw myself into the language, learning through conversations and novels. I have memorized German grammar charts a hundred times; and it has helped me not a whit, as the charts don't give me a sense for which situations call for which grammatical case. It's like memorizing a multiplication table instead of learning to multiply.
Forgive the digression. To force myself back to this book, I only repeat that I give it a hearty recommendation. Who doesn't like their French served with a side of well-earned revenge?
March 30, 2012
My all time favorite book that I've read 7 times since I was 14....and will read it again
May 22, 2018
I recently read this book as an assignment for my high school french class. With this being the abridged version, it is a lot shorter than the original version of the book. While it definitely made the workload a lot easier, it made the book a bit more confusing to follow. I have not read the original book but I have seen the movie adaptation for it. I would say that the ending did not do the book justice and definitely felt rushed. Because of the length of the book, a lot of the dramatic build up was not there and I just didn't feel sucked into the story. The basics were there, but there was no sustenance.
However, looking at it from the perspective that this book was made with the intention of teaching the french language, I believe that it accomplishes that job extremely well. I am currently in my fourth year of french at my school and although there was some vocabulary that was new, it was not hard to grasp the story at all. If you are looking for a book to help expand your foreign language skills, starting off with Le Comte de Monte-Cristo adapted by Sales is a great place to start!
However, looking at it from the perspective that this book was made with the intention of teaching the french language, I believe that it accomplishes that job extremely well. I am currently in my fourth year of french at my school and although there was some vocabulary that was new, it was not hard to grasp the story at all. If you are looking for a book to help expand your foreign language skills, starting off with Le Comte de Monte-Cristo adapted by Sales is a great place to start!
June 16, 2013
One of the best books I've ever read.
August 13, 2023
Excellent, une histoire classique, je l'ai lu avec mes étudiants et ils l'ont adoré. C"est probable que je lirais encore.
October 17, 2025
No comment.
June 9, 2014
Everything was going so well until those last two chapters. The abridged version, I'm sure, does not give the ending any justice. That ending could've been so much better - but I'm sure I would've appreciated it at least a bit more if I was reading the full-length novel! The rest of the book was great. Loved the drama between Caderousse, Danglars, Fernand, and Edmond Dantès. I also really enjoyed how the story was about treasure and vengeance. At least that was a little different from the abridged version of Les Mis that I read last year. Otherwise, I could see a lot of similarities.
Very enjoyable novel that is worth the read for intermediate French students! Just wish the ending was a bit better. Haydée was definitely not as good as Mercédès. Can't wait to give the 1000 pg novel a try! :)
Rating: 4 stars
Very enjoyable novel that is worth the read for intermediate French students! Just wish the ending was a bit better. Haydée was definitely not as good as Mercédès. Can't wait to give the 1000 pg novel a try! :)
Rating: 4 stars
August 25, 2015
Real rating: 2.5 stars
I had to read this book for my literature class, and oh god, this book was so small, unlike the original version, and yet it took me so much time to read...
There were so many names and things, and basically, i barely understood anything.
I am sure if i had read the original version i would have enjoyed this book a lot more, but i just don't have time for it right now.
After all, the book was okay, it even got interesting at some moments.
p.s i read it in bulgarian, not french.
I had to read this book for my literature class, and oh god, this book was so small, unlike the original version, and yet it took me so much time to read...
There were so many names and things, and basically, i barely understood anything.
I am sure if i had read the original version i would have enjoyed this book a lot more, but i just don't have time for it right now.
After all, the book was okay, it even got interesting at some moments.
p.s i read it in bulgarian, not french.
February 7, 2017
Awesome!
March 26, 2013
I'm sure there are worse adaptations out there, but I would hardly recommend this one outside of an easy enough practise French reader. C'est trop simple! J'avais besoin d'expliquer l'intrigue à mes pairs.
June 9, 2014
Not the best adaptation I'm sure, having never read the original or watched the movie I can only speculate major points in the plot that were left out, however this has inspired me to one day attempt reading the original in it's original French.
January 26, 2009
French Class!
May 9, 2012
French class... pretty much a terrible edition I think. But I don't think I would be a fan if I read the full 1000 pages.
January 3, 2013
god will give me justice :)
November 30, 2013
This was truly a great novel. I hope to read the full version in order to really understand the story, since this is an abridged version in French, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
May 3, 2016
Good for students. Used to use it in class.
October 24, 2019
Хүн төрөлхтний хамгийн цэцэн мэргэн ухаан итгэх найдах гэсэн үгэнд оршдог!
August 4, 2024
Very bad attempt at abridging a book
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews