Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

Anyone in the mood for an historical fiction French comic? This month we are featuring Asterix the Gaul by René Goscinny. Feel free to read behind the first issue. Discuss the story, characters, history of long ago featured herein. Have fun!

I love these books!

I’ve never read them but they sound very interesting. My library has various volumes, so I’ll check them out sooner or later.

Astérix is one the the first comics I read as a child. I read some of them every year and both my kids are fans now.

Astérix chez les gaulois, is not the best of the serie but it put the table for the other books.

I own two Asterix books, the first one and #6, Asterix et Cleopatre. The books where he meets Julius Caesar are a lot of fun.

I had a set but don't have any now. Asterix is great craic!

I have just read the first book in the series, Asterix le Gaulois. We learn about his village and how they are able to keep the Romans away. Plus, it is funny and Julius Caesar has a cameo role.

The jokes and puns are of course best if one reads the Asterix books in French, but the late Anthea Bell really did do a great job both translating the original French texts into English but also staying true to the original spirit and sense of humour.

I wonder how they translate the names of the gauls since they mostly are all puns too.

Here is the list of the main characters in French:

Asterix-our hero
Obelix - his menhir carrying side-kick
Panoramix - the druid
Assurancetourix - the tone-deaf bard
Abraracourcix - the chief

Here is the list of towns:
Aquarium
Babaorum
Laudanum
Petitbonum (pun on petit bonhomme -little man)

I am curious as to the English versions as well. I know some don't change.

So with regard to the names, while Asterix and Obelix are the same in most of the languages into which the comics have been translated, the names of most of the supportive characters have different and punny names in different languages.

The druid is named Panoramix in the original French text, while in English he is called Getafix and in German Miraculix.

The very untalented bard is called Assurancetourix in French but in English his name is Cacofonix and in German Troubadix.

And the chief is named Abraracourcix in French, but Majestix in German and Vitalstatistix in English.

Thanks for the info, Manybooks.

I want a menhir for my garden!

Bernard wrote: "I want a menhir for my garden!"

Stone Henge would look great and also be a nice time piece.

The first of the Asterix books has never been my favourite but it still does a pretty good job setting the scene for the following and often much more humorous instalments and certainly introduces the main movers and shakers of the series (except for Obelix’s dog Dogmatix, or Idefix in French and German, who does not yet appear in the first few books).

Manybooks thank you for the info

Fannie wrote: "Manybooks thank you for the info"

If you type in Asterix Names in other languages, you can find a pretty cool Wikipedia article on this.

I guess in many ways, the Asterix comics are often quite politically incorrect and stereotypical. However, the difference between the Asterix comics and say the Tintin books is that while in the Tintin books, the stereotyping is often specifically targeted and Tintin himself usually seems to escape this, in the Aterix comics, EVERYONE usually faces stereotyping and political incorrectness, including Asterix, Obelix and company, that everyone is a target for satire. And I think that herein lies a pretty major difference.

The Asterix books also take place more than 2000 years ago!

My next to-read is Asterix et Cleopatre.

Will you get more or just read the two you have, Rosemarie?

I have ordered two from the library, Jazzie.

No. 9 Astérix et les Normands/Asterix and the Normans is really funny!



The Normans are Norsemen, otherwise known as Vikings!

No 10 Astérix légionnaire is also funny.

I am going to request some more from the library. I'm glad it's easy to get French books here.

I know what to pick up at the library for a laugh! I just need to catch up on all the library requests I already have & some of my own books I’ve been neglecting and need to get to.

Asterix sounds so much fun!

They are full of puns, so it would be interesting to compare versions. They really are comic relief.

Unfortunately, despite my living in Cajun country for basically my whole life thus far, I know very little French compared to what I could know. I wish I had the capability to read these comics in their native tongue. I could use a language learning database through my library to learn more French, but I had a bad experience learning it in elementary school that makes me lean more towards Spanish. I have enjoyed reading some of the name comparisons in different translations by everyone here, though!

It's a shame when that happens, Samantha. Some teachers really don't know how they affect the kids. But sometimes it's the other kids in the class that ruin things.

For me it was the teacher. She was nice in some ways, but she expected me to just be caught up with everyone. Where I live at that time students studied French from 3rd grade thru 5th grade. I moved to Texas at the start of 3rd and back in the middle of 4th. Needless to say, I was way behind and got zero help to catch up. I passed the class, but morally I shouldn’t have.

And it's not as french was that easy to learn alone. Or maybe it's just me who's not good with language. :)

On Astérix topic, my favorite one that I read at least 15 times is Le Bouclier Arverne.

Astérix et les Goths

Another fun read!

My last Asterix book for the month is Asterix Chez les Helvetes René Goscinny
In which a lot of fondue is eaten!

Rosemarie wrote: "My last Asterix book for the month is Asterix Chez les Helvetes René Goscinny
In which a lot of fondue is eaten!"

One of my favourites!

How many have you read now, Rosemarie?

I read 6 this month. They were a lot of fun.

That’s a good amount! I’m behind on my library books that are checked out right now, but I’ll look into these eventually. Y’all make them sound so fun to read.

Just be warned- they are full of puns!

I love puns!