Welcome to Litsy!

First of the 20-novel sequence and despite being set in what might seem a far-off era Zola's tale of doomed love, idealism, and political maneuvering still strike a chord.

Any readers of Les Rougon-Macquart here? 🙋🏻‍♀️ I started reading the series last year, and I follow Zola‘s recommended reading order. Although each book can be read independently, the reading order gives me better understanding about this messy family. I‘m on my 8th book now, and I cannot stop! Some said that it‘s not wise to read Zola back to back, but I‘m quite enjoying the experience 😅

4⭐️ I have started my Rougon-Macquart journey, and I love this first book of the series. I can understand why my friends asked me to pace myself, and not to be greedy as to read all 20 books in one go. Zola is pretty extreme; his bad is terribly bad, and his good is angelic good - everything is accentuated, and there‘s nothing in between. I do enjoy his social chronicle; human behaviour is indeed determined by heredity and environment

So here‘s the start of my Rougon-Macquarts journey. How long will it take me to complete all 20 novels? 😅

This first book of the series about the Rougon-Macquart family is just great. Zola's writing is fluid, it makes us plunge into the plot. His characters are memorable. It's a classic worth reading. From what I read, the first English translation was no good, as it kind of censored the original work. I would then recommend you choose the new translation by Oxford University Press.

I've discovered two of my favorite writers ever in the last 3 years and one of them is Zolá. So I decided to read the first on his 20 volume series, Les Rougon-Macquart to test the waters and see if I could try to read the whole thing. This is a great book. Zolá writes wonderfully about absolutely awful people. He's the very best at that. And his endings, just wow. Give him a try.

A morning at the art gallery #whiterabbit followed by #whitetea #yinzhen & #dumplings - Zola & I are in heaven!! #zoladdiction2017

End of the Easter long weekend & enjoying some time with Zola #zoladdiction2017

And so we begin....#rougonmacquart número uno #zoladdiction2017

"There are some situations which benefit only persons of bad repute. These lay the foundations of their fortune where men of better position and more influence would never dare to risk theirs."

Just as I'm reading this book, I get into a plane where they're showing "Cezanne et moi", a movie I didn't even know existed about the friendship and falling out of Paul Cezanne and Émile Zolá. It's not a perfect movie by no means but such a gorgeous one! And it was amazing getting a glimpse into the lives and relationships of these great men in such a trascendental period in art history. I loved it.

"Lorsque'on sort de Plassans par la porte de Rome, situeé au sud de la ville, on trouve, à droite de la route de Nice, après avoir dépassé les premières maisons du faubourg, un terrain vague désigné dans le pays sous le nom d'aire Saint-Mittre." #firstlines