The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

I will be putting out a schedule soon. There are no chapter titles, so I will give you the sentence at the end of a section, or a place where there is a break in the text. Because translations will vary, the exact wording of a sentence could differ in your edition. The book is about 230 pages in my edition, so we can easily finish in 4 weeks.

Here's what I've come up with

Week 1 - through the end of the letter signed "Victor-Ange-Guillaume Grandet"

Week 2 - through "This makes the third time since we were married that your father has asked anyone here to dinner." The next section starts "It was nearly four o'clock in the afternoon"

Week 3 - through "The six francs given to Nanon were perhaps in reality the payment for an immense service which the girl had unwittingly done her master". My edition has a space here before the next paragraph, starting "Oho!"

Week 4- to the end

I have difficulties finding the sections. And my translation is to Danish. Could you please tell me the page numbers in your edition? Then I can make a calculation and find the sections. Thank you in anticipation.

Charlotte wrote: "I have difficulties finding the sections. And my translation is to Danish. Could you please tell me the page numbers in your edition? Then I can make a calculation and find the sections. Thank you ..."

I thought that might be a problem. I will actually be reading in French, but I took out a library version in English, and I'll be referring to that for the discussion. The copy I got is the Everyman's Library edition with 237 pages.

The first section is page 1-56, so you can get an idea of the proportion. I think you will be able to find the end of the letter with the signature, as that is very distinctive.

The 2nd section is tricky. It is at the bottom of page 114 in my edition, that is a little less than halfway through. Again, I think the quote about 4:00 in the afternoon could be a tipoff in any edition.

The 3rd section is page 172 in my edition. There is actually a space between paragraphs there. I didn't notice that elsewhere in the book, so it may be a flaw rather than a deliberate division, and it may not be in every printing.

If in doubt, just divide your edition into 4 somewhat equal parts and you will be close. This is an issue we've had before with Balzac and some others who didn't use chapters. Thanks for your flexibility!

Thank you, I have found the sections now! I may be a little behind schedule when we are reading the book, because I am joining two other discussions. But I am looking forward to reading it with you!

My Oxford World Classic paperback translation has the book divided into 6 un-numbered chapters that could have served as 4 weekly readings, with the first and last 2 chapters comprising one week each.

It totals 192 pages and the chapters with page range and where the Group Read breaks are:

Portraits of Bourgeois; 3-34
My Cousin From Paris; 35-53; (at p. 45)
Provincial Love; 54-89; (at p. 93)
A Miser's Promise and Lover's Vow; 90-133; (at p. 139)
Family Sorrows; 134-168
The Way of the World; 169- 192

The Group Read breaks are more equally divided, but I do find it interesting that a translator would add chapter breaks and titles, The Penguin edition did not have a Table of Contents, suggesting a lack of chapters. I chose the Oxford over the Penguin based on both price and a review when I researched the best translation. Now I wonder whether it best shows Balzac's intent or whether it's just more reader friendly.

I also found similar chapters in a French version so that probably is what Balzac intended. That was after I had put out my schedule, which is arbitrary. I don't know why a translator would take them out.

My French edition has no chapters and seems to have been carefully edited. It is free, though: http://efele.net/ebooks/livres/c00001...

Balzac wrote so fast that he may have forgotten to add chapters. Or maybe he just ran out of coffee.

Wendel wrote: "My French edition has no chapters and seems to have been carefully edited. It is free, though: http://efele.net/ebooks/livres/c00001...

Balzac wrote so fast that he may have forgotten to a..."

:D lol

For the break between Part 3 and 4, it may just be a flaw in the one English edition, since it doesn't exist in my French version. In general you will want to read up to the scene on New Year's Day.