against reading in French. I just about never do it. It doesn't help that I have a subscription to the Economist which wasn't cheap and I'm always behind on the issues.
Toulouse has a neat thing called "Chèque Toulouse Jeunes" which costs 12€ for the culture version and gives you a number of discounts/freebies. A year membership at the library is one of the "chèques". There are two free entries with guided visit, and among other things, 6€ off the purchase of a book, cd, or movie ticket. The local movie theaters already have discounts for -26 or students, so I decided to use it to buy some books and work on my prejudice.
I chose three "édition poche" books, which are small paperbacks that are relatively cheap: Une gourmandise by Muriel Barbery (author of L'Élégance du Hérisson), Bonjour tristesse by Françoise Sagan, and Au bonheur de lire: Les plaisirs de la lecture par Daniel Pennac, Marcel Proust, Nathalie Sarraute...
So far I've read 1 page.
I took Une gourmandise with me to lunch yesterday to read a page or two in case I was alone. A lot of people ended up eating on the patio and the women next to me asked about my book, so I explained how I was trying to read more often in French so I would understand the jokes in the plays.
One thing led to another, and everyone around the table started participating in a list of good, easy to read, books by contemporary French authors.
Here's what my collegues came up with:
Tonino Benaquista
- Saga
- Malavita
Daniel Pennac
- La Fée Carabine
- Au bonheur des ogres
- La petite marchande de prose
Amélie Nothomb
- Stupeur et tremblements
Eric Emmanuel Schmitt
- Odette Toutlemonde
- La part de l'autre
- M Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran
Emmanuel Carrere
- La Moustache
Frédéric Beigbeder
- 99 Francs
I already used up my book discount, so I think I'll check these books out from the library. Anyone read a book on the list? What'd you think of it?
4 comments:
If "La Moustache" is the book the film was based on, then it's really weird. But weird in the French way, lol.
Not sure what genre you were looking for, but Fred Vargas write policiers and I like the style a lot, very easy!
Yeah I didn't really get La Moustache...I left the theater feeling very confused. I imagine the book has to be even more complicated.
I used to love reading French books that I had already read in English..
Oooh what a fantastic idea! I am moving to Toulouse in September so this was a great tip too :-) I love reading and films but find they speak far too fast in the movies for my amateur level in Francais! Time well tell though.. :-)
I love Daniel Pennac. I recommend him highly.
I did read one weird but interesting book by Amélie Nothomb--the one about the journalist interviewing a bizarre recluse. Can`t remember the title, but it was worth reading.
Although I'm plowing through a novel by Fred Vargas currently, I've actually decided that I can't stand her. I LOVE mysteries, but Vargas is a total bust as far as I'm concerned. I think mystery writing should be left to the experts: the Brits (and a few Americans).
I certainly don't read enough in French. I moved from French-speaking Quebec back to English-speaking Ontario a few years ago and find it hard to motivate myself to read in French. I listen to French radio, but rarely watch French TV or read much in French. Fortunately, I work in French so that keeps my French relatively good.
God, I'd love to spend some time in France!
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