Reading the Chunksters discussion

As we are enjoying our break week where some participants can focus on other reading projects, others read ahead, and some play catch-up, I am opening this discussion thread for general topics.

How difficult for you to stay motivated and keep reading?

If you are slightly behind, why do you think it is happening? Has it something to do with the style of the book, our discussion, its intimidating size (it is a doorstopper, after all:-)), or disappointment with the plot.

What is the future for this book? Do you think people will read this book in future because it gained literary momentum and people keep reading it out of habit?

Is there anything in the book that irritates you: historical excursuses, spiritual deliberations, historical allusions, numerous plot-lines, deaths of characters to whom we seem to be attached: Bishop Bienvenu and Fantine?

While Balzac mostly wrote about the rich and the powerful and the people aspiring to be so, Hugo never made pretenses about his characters: the poor, the miserable, the wretched, the condemned. Why would one avoid writing about glamor when glamor sells so well? Do you think numerous French Revolutions piqued the public's interest because they were slightly afraid of the proletariat and what it could do during the time of trouble?

To sum it up, ignore the questions if you do not like them or find them too intrusive and just post your general impressions.

Well, I have never had the intention to read Les Miserables. Not because I was avoiding it, but because I never gave it much thought for whatever reason. When it came up as a potential read for this group, I flipped through a copy of the book to see what it was like. First, I had no idea it was a 1400+ page book, longer than any book I had read so far, so I was surprised by the length. Second, when I read some bits in the book, I frankly thought it sounded boring ... and then I voted for The Once and Future King in the poll. :) But with this group choosing it as a side-read, and with it being a classic, I thought this was my chance to give it a shot. If it were to be a difficult read, at least I would have a group to help out. Anyway, I have been pleasantly surprised by how the story has grabbed my attention. Yeah, some of the descriptions and such are pretty long-winded, but for the most part I find them adding to the story for me.

So far the "worst" part, and I put that in quotes because I think when I was trying to read this part I was a bit tired and not putting in my full effort, was the description of the battle of Waterloo. I found myself skimming that section.

I was surprised and saddened by both the bishop's death and more so by Fantine's death. I had thought Fantine would be a central character throughout more of the book. So clearly Jean Valjean is the central character at this point. It will be interesting with still ~1000 pages to go, what will make up the bulk of the remaining pages.

Linda wrote: "So far the "worst" part, and I put that in quotes because I think when I was trying to read this part I was a bit tired and not putting in my full effort, was the description of the battle of Waterloo. I found myself skimming that section."

I found myself doing the same thing. I really tried to stay focused, but military tactics bore me. Reading that section made me incredibly tired.

Overall, I have really enjoyed this book, which has allowed me to stay caught up with the group. The characters are fascinating, and Hugo has created a very compelling plot. The excursions into history have been slow, but manageable so far. After all the farming lectures I suffered through when I read Anna Karenina last year, these really didn't feel that bad. Most of the frustrations I have had during this book were related to translation issues, and those I can't blame on Hugo.

Anne wrote: "After all the farming lectures I suffered through when I read Anna Karenina last year, these really didn't feel that bad."

Ha ha. Good point. I also read Anna Karenina last year and could not believe the extent of the writing dealing with farming.

I my case, I'm a bit behind because continuing eye problems seriously limit the amount of time I can read during the day, and I simply have too much reading to do. I look at the reading pile and LM looks intimidating, but when I actually pick it up to read for awhile, I get engrossed and involved. But before I'm ready to leave it, my eyes tell me it's time to stop for a few hours.

As they say, getting old is not for sissies.

I feel bad, i gave up reading this book. I will try to pick it back up sooner or later but i kept getting bored with it.
:(

There are some places where I struggle, and some parts do seem somewhat longer than they should be, but I can not say that it is boring. Again, it is totally personal. What exactly made you feel apathetic about the book.

Is it its overwhelming size? Historically somewhat annoying references? Religious allusions?

To be honest, there were moments when I was ready to 'strangle' Hugo, but there are also brilliant passages and chapters.

Everyman wrote: "But before I'm ready to leave it, my eyes tell me it's time to stop for a few hours.

As they say, getting old is not for sissies. "

Everyman, do you like audiobooks? I often listen to them when I cook, clean the house, do laundry or exercise, but I do feel they work well for me if the story is plot-driven. Sometimes, when the language is more important than the plot, I somewhat struggle and often either have to listen to some passage again or give up on audio and find a ebook or an actual book.

Zulfiya wrote: "There are some places where I struggle, and some parts do seem somewhat longer than they should be, but I can not say that it is boring. Again, it is totally personal. What exactly made you feel ap..."

well, it could have been that i am taking a stat class right now and that is overwhelming on its own, so it could have been i wasn't up for something so engrossing. anyways, i will pick it back up, i just wasn't in the mood for it yet or right now.

Zulfiya wrote: "Everyman, do you like audiobooks?"

I do listen to them from time to time, but mostly only for very light "reading" while I'm walking for exercise. I'm fine listening to short stories -- Kipling and Maugham, for example, are great, as are the Rumpole stories -- but for serious literature I don't have a good enough auditory memory to remember who is who, and of course I can't go back and check.

When I was in law school in Seattle and driving home every weekend (90 minutes on the road, 2 hours on the ferry) I listened to a lot of audiobooks (back then, on cassette). But since them, not so much.

I do have LesMis in audiobook, and I started listening to it, but it was very slow, and since I was also reading normally I soon got well ahead of my listening, and it's very hard to find where I am in an audio book to synch with my reading.

The good thing is that my library has free audiobooks for download, so I have my Sansa player loaded with several dozen books, but the bad thing is that I don't know really when I'll ever get them listened to.

I have been enjoying Les Mis in audio, partly because it's easier to continue with those long-winded sections (I do know I'll get through them eventually if I just keep listening) but partly because I love hearing French words and names pronounced. But it just makes it easier to do sections at a time, and before I know it, I'm already done with the week's selection.

Zulfiya wrote: "What is the future for this book? Do you think people will read this book in future because it gained literary momentum and people keep reading it out of habit? "

I hope people will continue to read this book. I'm a huge fan of the musical, but it only tells a small part of the story. Much of Hugo's social and political commentary are still relevant today. I like to think that's why people still read it. When you strip away all the dated parts, it's 1) a good story, and 2) says so much about how people behave and relate to each other.

I used the break to catch up. I'm now almost finished with this week's reading, and I hope I can stay caught up. I'm really enjoying this re-read.

I'm still reading!

?

Everyman, was it your reply to my question about the future of this book?

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm still reading, or trying to. I started a new job this week and have been crazy busy with training, travel, commuting and more! And exhausted at the end of every day. So I apologize in advance if my participation dwindles even further than it already was.

Zulfiya wrote: "Everyman, was it your reply to my question about the future of this book?"

Sort of. I did catch up, but then I've gotten a bit behind again. I know I've been deficient in posting, but pretty soon I'll get the book and computer together and post some thoughts. Though I'm finding it hard to find things I want to post about because so much of what I love about it is the language and the way he puts things, which are hard to write much about.