Litsy

The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat in Medieval France | Eric Jager

If any of you don‘t know, @catiewithac is the most generous Litten. Thanks so much for this birthday package. It felt comforting/distracting after a terrible inaugural week. It was fun to open up every little thing - and I loved that the puzzle was from NPR/Invisibilia 😊. Lastly - great wrapping! (For those who can‘t see the little glass vial is matchsticks and says Burn Candles, Not Books)

dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 6h

sarahbarnes Happy Birthday! ♥️ 5h

AmyG Happy Birthday! 4h

Mollyanna That is wonderful! Happy birthday 🎂 3h

catiewithac I‘m so glad you liked it! Take care 🫂❤️ 3h

40 likes5 comments

DrSabrinaMoldenReads

Les Miserables [With Ribbon Marker] | Victor Hugo

She has felt everything, accepted everything, experienced everything, suffered everything, lost everything, cried over everything. (This 🥺)#ReadLesMis

10 likes

DrSabrinaMoldenReads

Les Miserables [With Ribbon Marker] | Victor Hugo

It‘s getting depressing over here with Fantine. I am trying to keep going but I skimmed ahead a bit and saw where this was heading. When I start doing that, it‘s not a good sign. #ReadLesMis

tpixie, Cuilin, TheBookHippie, DieAReader, JenlovesJT47, MatchlessMarie, Dietz123, Andrew65, dabbe, PageShifter

CatLass007 I loved the musical, I saw it twice on Broadway. The movie was meh. There was a mini-series in 1978 with Richard Jordan as Jean Valjean and Anthony Perkins as Javert which I thought was excellent. I tried reading the book and I tried listening to the audiobook but neither one held my attention. You‘ve made it much further than I did. If you want to keep plugging along, that‘s good. If you decide to bail, that‘s good too. Do what‘s best for you. 1d

merelybookish Lol. When I decided to increase the speed on an audiobook, I know it's downhill from there. 1d

TiredLibrarian Tried to read this three times; failed three times. I'm just going to enjoy the musical and the movie versions. 1d

See All 38 Comments

DrSabrinaMoldenReads Yea. I don‘t think it‘s the time for me on this one @CatLass007 @TiredLibrarian (edited) 1d

DrSabrinaMoldenReads I thought it was just me who does that @merelybookish 1d

JenlovesJT47 I‘ve only ever made it about 30 minutes into the Hugh Jackman movie. Never tried to read it or see any other adaptations. I‘m enjoying it so far but just caught up at the moment, haven‘t read ahead yet. But Fantine already gives off vibes as being naive so I‘m sure things won‘t be easy for her. 1d

TheBookHippie @JenlovesJT47 @DrSabrinaMoldenReads that‘s why I only did a chapter a day in 2020 my first time through. I love it but this is what I read- classical literature. Some parts are hard but when it‘s done and you see the whole it‘s so beautiful. That being said- bail if you have to ! I bailed Middlemarch 4 times before I finally accomplished it! (edited) 1d

dabbe I've tried reading LES MIS three times and bailed all three times; I saw the musical on Broadway and in LA and adored it. I'm now trying again for a 4th time and am doing better this time than the other three. I tried to read BLEAK HOUSE by Dickens twice and bailed; I tried a third time, and now it's my 2nd favorite Dickens' novel of all time. Do what is best for you. The book will still be there if you ever want to try it again ... or not. 🩶🩷🩶 24h

tpixie @CatLass007 the mini series sounds interesting! I done know about it! 23h

tpixie I haven‘t gotten that far, but seeing as she is portrayed as an innocent , I‘m anticipating hardship for her. As the others said, if it‘s not for you, it‘s not for you There are other books to be read 🩵💙🩵 23h

DrSabrinaMoldenReads I basically only read classical literature @thebookhippy and all. Some of my favorites are “The Count of Monte Cristo”, “In Search of Lost Time” (I read all volumes last year) and “Anna Karina”. But, I loved the characters. I have not given up yet. It‘s kind of interesting but it is so depressing is the problem. @dabbe @tpixie @JenlovesJT47 @TiredLibrarian @merelybookish @CatLass007 (edited) 22h

CatLass007 Les Miserables can be incredibly depressing. And that‘s without being able to finish the book because I was bored with chapters upon chapters of him going through the sewers of Paris. The Broadway musical is an absolute masterpiece. Maybe I love it so much because I‘m a singer, but I don‘t think so. I don‘t think I‘m spoiling anything when I say bad things happen. But I find the story incredibly inspiring. If I were to talk about (cont)⬇️ (edited) 22h

CatLass007 the theme, I‘d say it‘s about forgiveness and redemption. When you finish the book, and it sounds as if you are intent on doing that, I would love to hear your thoughts on my thoughts. (edited) 22h

CatLass007 @tpixie It‘s a timeless story, so even though the miniseries aired in 1978 it ages well. I have heard that the movie with Liam Neeson is not good at all. But that was one person‘s opinion I haven‘t seen it. 22h

tpixie @CatLass007 @TheBookHippie I think I found it on YouTube https://youtu.be/MWdQO5_XMNc?si=5DONxIHD43YandFJ 21h

TheBookHippie @DrSabrinaMoldenReads I‘m at home in dark 😅🙃 I never thought of it as depressing only as what is. On the other hand I cannot read sappy happily ever after - it annoys me! I‘ve read all of Hugo, all of Shakespeare most of the Russian and French Lit cannon etc etc etc. I hope it gets easier, it‘s a bit dark for a while here. I loathe the movie musical 😅of this. 20h

TheBookHippie @tpixie ooooo 20h

TheBookHippie @dabbe well this isn‘t my precious Shakespeare or Bronte or Whitman ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ it‘s still one of my absolute favorites! Plus if we could read #thebros we can read anything!!! 20h

CatLass007 @tpixie You found it! Are you watching it or planning to watch it? 20h

CatLass007 @TheBookHippie I agree that the movie musical is not very good. Hugh Jackman didn‘t have the vocal range required. Russell Crowe…. What‘s her name who won the Oscar? The Fantines I‘ve seen on Broadway, the Fantines on the original London and Broadway cast recordings, they all have powerful voices. They bring tears to my eyes. What‘s her name? Not so much. Her voice was tiny, wimpy. She made me want to close my eyes and ears. Shakespeare ❤️. 20h

TheBookHippie @CatLass007 Fantine is my favorite in the actual opera London. 19h

CatLass007 @TheBookHippie Fantine is such a crucial character in this story. Are you reading this now also or have you read it before? 19h

TheBookHippie @CatLass007 I‘m leading it and yes I‘ve read it before -it‘s one of my favorite reads of all time. Translation is key in my opinion. 19h

TheBookHippie @CatLass007 chapter a day for 2025 #readlesmis 19h

CatLass007 @TheBookHippie Wow. You‘re a better person than I am. And I just remembered I haven‘t tried it twice, I‘ve tried it three times. When I say that the theme is about forgiveness and redemption, what do you think about that? 18h

TheBookHippie @CatLass007 I think it‘s way more in depth than that. The history in the back ground is important. The historical things that happened and how people responded is why France is not in a dictatorship or under a king. The ways of how people loved, showed mercy, or not, the sacrifice and the calling out of people using religion to control people, all it, lots of layers. It‘s so similar to today it‘s eerie. 18h

CatLass007 @TheBookHippie Okay. I‘ll give it some more thought. Thank you. 18h

DrSabrinaMoldenReads @TheBookHippie @CatLass007 I actually am really interested in the history aspect. That may keep me reading. I actually visited Versailles and actually went down a rabbit hole reading about Marie Antoinette. Plus, The Count of Monte Cristo (which I loved was in this period). I think it‘s about me not liking Fantine. My thing. Don‘t want to do a spoiler. I‘ve found it‘s important to find characters that I like. Will keep y‘all posted. #ReadLesMis 17h

TheBookHippie @DrSabrinaMoldenReads Éponine is my favorite (shhhhhh ?) . There‘s a ton of history -it‘s can you get through the sewer and Waterloo parts for most people. 17h

DrSabrinaMoldenReads @TheBookHippie I‘ve decided to stick with it after this discussion. Actually the sewer part sounds intriguing 17h

TheBookHippie @DrSabrinaMoldenReads I find the sewer fascinating -my brother mocks me alll the time, he wants me to give a tour … clearly he‘s my baby brother… 16h

tpixie @CatLass007 I plan to watch it!! At my sister now and driving back home today . lol 😂 I better stick to an audiobook! 12h

tpixie @DrSabrinaMoldenReads @TheBookHippie @dabbe @CatLass007 here an episode about the sewers by one of my favorite podcasters- but he‘s sick, so it‘s his brother . https://youtu.be/LRo3vNilxvw?si=K2xR4Q5s5mRHaAlw or https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-earful-tower-paris/id1227316154?i=1000... (edited) 12h

dabbe @TheBookHippie Now THAT is an #absolutetruth! #oy! 🤩😂🤗 6h

dabbe @TheBookHippie From just the musical (that you hate), Éponine is my absolute favorite, too. Cosette annoys me. 🤩 6h

TheBookHippie @dabbe loathe Cosette 😅😂🤪 6h

dabbe @TheBookHippie Well, yay! I must have read her right just from the musical! She seems like such a, well, “cosseted“ character! 😂 6h

TheBookHippie @dabbe she annoyed me then I saw the movie and said OH that part they got right 😅😂😂😂😂 5h

24 likes38 comments

GinaKButler

Napoleon: A Life | Andrew Roberts

#chunksterchallenge2025 check in: I‘m 315 pages in. I‘m enjoying reading this…he‘s surprisingly funny in his letters. I do wish the maps (battlefields) were labeled more clearly.

@Amiable

Amiable Ooh, I have this one, too. Glad to hear you are liking it. 2h

26 likes1 comment

RamsFan1963

Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King | Dan Jones

This is my first time doing a Reading Bracket. It's harder than I thought to get the pic of the book just right. Anyway, Henry V was by far my favorite of January. I always learn new things when I read a Dan Jones book.

BethM That was so freaking hard for me that I printed it and wrote my answers in each month 😂 doing the same thing this time 🙃 2d

RamsFan1963 @BethM I might switch to that method, I'll see how it goes 2d

Meshell1313 Ooh I can‘t wait to read that one! I recommend PicCollage app for the perfect alignment! ❤️ 1d

jitteryjane724 No hope for me there! I'd have mine on a whiteboard or something 😆 1d

55 likes1 stack add4 comments

tpixie

Les Miserables: (penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) | Victor Hugo

I‘m a little behind, with work, grandkids, and driving to KC to nurse my sister before and after cataract surgery ( yesterday). This 5 page chapter with NINE pages of notes took me 2 days!
As Hugo writes, “Yet these details wrongly called trivial do serve a purpose. The features of the years are what the face of the century is composed of. “
Next: Two Foursomes
#READLESMIS

TheBookHippie

JanuarieTimewalker13 Great quote!!! 2d

tpixie @JanuarieTimewalker13 Yes! Especially since every sentence in this chapter reflected an historical event. After that heavy reading, he reminded me: Every moment in life is Important. 🩵 2d

dabbe My head ached after getting through it. 😂 2d

See All 11 Comments

tpixie @dabbe 😂 yes!!! 👍🏻 I‘m thankful these next 3 chapters are shorter and easier to read. A palate cleanser between the heavy stuff. People keep telling about the sewers and Waterloo- 😂 what are we in for??!! 😅 2d

dabbe @tpixie IKR? The two times I tried to read this before, I bailed at Waterloo. Here's hoping I can muddle through this time! 😂🤞🏻😂 2d

tpixie @dabbe yes! We need to persevere 🥺😅🤪🤣 2d

dabbe @tpixie 👍🏻❣️🤞🏻 2d

tpixie @dabbe ❤️❤️❤️ 2d

DrSabrinaMoldenReads TBH! I skipped a lot of that part @tpixie 2d

tpixie @DrSabrinaMoldenReads understandable!!! 2d

DrSabrinaMoldenReads @tpixie 😆 2d

55 likes11 comments

Gleefulreader

Versailles: A Novel | Kathryn Davis

so-so

I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did. It is the story of Marie-Antoinette as told through her own voice in a rambling, interior voice. I liked that it attempted to give her some substance but found that it never really found its place. The author has an extensive afterward where she attempts to explain her intent, and I couldn‘t help but think if it required that many pages to explain to the reader, it didn‘t really work.

13 likes

bibliothecarivs

Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King | Dan Jones

Recent acquisitions:

📖 Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King by Dan Jones
📖 South East England (Ancient Peoples and Places) by Ronald Jessup

RamsFan1963 Henry V was excellent! 4d

bibliothecarivs @RamsFan1963 I enjoyed Jones's Summer of Blood, Plantagenets, and Colour of Time. Looking forward to reading it! 3d

4 likes2 comments