Madame Bovary Readalong - crinolines, carriages and lovers this way, 1 October

[StColumbofNavron]

Following the successful Anna Karenina readalong (almost coming to a close), Emma Bovary has come up in conversation as a comparison piece. You don't need to have read Anna Karenina though to join in.

We start on 1 October, mark your spot.

The goal is to read one chapter per day. There are three parts, 35 chapters and we'll take a day break between each part. It is fine to post as we go along but no further than the chapter for that day.

I have opted for the Aveling Marx translation (Wordsworth Classics) as that is what is on my shelf, however, more on translations below.

https://welovetranslations.com/2022/04/08/whats-the-best-translation-of-madame-bovary-part-1/
https://welovetranslations.com/2022/04/08/whats-the-best-translation-of-madame-bovary-part-2/
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/21/translating-madame-bovary-adam-thorpe

Part 1
1 01-Oct
2 02-Oct
3 03-Oct
4 04-Oct
5 05-Oct
6 06-Oct
7 07-Oct
8 08-Oct
9 09-Oct

BREAK 10-Oct

Part 2
1 11-Oct
2 12-Oct
3 13-Oct
4 14-Oct
5 15-Oct
6 16-Oct
7 17-Oct
8 18-Oct
9 19-Oct
10 20-Oct
11 21-Oct
12 22-Oct
13 23-Oct
14 24-Oct
15 25-Oct

BREAK 26-Oct

Part 3 27-Oct
1 28-Oct
2 29-Oct
3 30-Oct
4 31-Oct
5 01-Nov
6 02-Nov
7 03-Nov
8 04-Nov
9 05-Nov
10 06-Nov
11 07-Nov

Checking in. Quite excited!

Thank you StColumb, fantastic work setting up the thread! 💐

I'm in, thanks StColumb

Thank you! I actually reread it last year so I might not read along but I am interested in the discussion. For anyone thinking of reading it in French, I actually found it much easier to read than I thought - and my French is very rusty.

I'm up for this, thanks StColumb.

Lovely!

I've read it before but I would love to read it again and discuss it. I have a copy in French but will get a translation on Kindle. Thank you for setting this up StColomb.

I read it 16 years ago when I was questioning my choices and felt my life was one long domestic roundabout .... I'll leave it there until we get into it, but I am interested in seeing if I relate differently this time.

Thanks StColumb, looking forward to this.

I’ve managed to borrow a French copy and also 3 library/charity shop translations to decide between when we get started. My french is v rusty and not sure it was ever up to MB anyway, but hoping to do a bit of reading French/English alongside each other. I guess the ‘best’ translations for that purpose might be different from the ‘best’ standalone.

I’m definitely in as I’ve finished Anna K and I miss my daily chapter of a proper classic. I also miss reading the summary and finding out all the bits I missed - how did I miss that Vronsky and Karenin have the same first name?

I have an old version of the book but I think I will need to download it to the kindle. The print in the classic version isn’t compatible with middle aged eyes.

I'm in thanks @StColumbofNavron looking forward to getting started! Just wading through the last few chapters of AK now...a pot off the boil.

I will probably get the Wordsworth as it's cheapest. But, oh the horrible new font they are using for covers! And the ugly ugly artwork!

Would love to see covers as you get them, even the Kindle ones.

Here's my French copy from college days long ago.
She's lovely in her black bonnet.

Lovely! Is that Isabelle Huppert? My kindle cover was not very interesting.

Why yes it is! The film goes back to 1991.

Sounds great! I will give it a go in French but have downloaded a Marx Aveling translation too.

This is my Wordsworth copy. It’s ok. Print is teeny so I will probably end up with a Kindle version.

This is the cover of the Penguin version which I've reserved from the library. Hope it doesn't have teeny writing also, really can't be dealing with that.

Oo lovely! Not a spoiler I don’t think but I remember the first few chapters are scene setting, the narrator is a friend of her husband? It’s a weird trope in literature to waffle about scene setting. See you in October!

I want to participate.

I read it in my independant 20s and found Emma to be a real nightmare. I had no empathy at for her.

I have been tossed around by life since then, the arrogance of youth has most definately been tempered. I wonder what I will see now!

@EnoughIsay welcome. I am the opposite, I got married young and had children immediately and felt caged (we are very happily still together 20 years later) but when I read Madame Bovary I felt like she resonated with me, not in a romantic way, but in an underlying way.

I'd love to do this. Need to get my hands on a copy first, I'll have a good look at the link on translations that you posted

Also checking in - I've never even considered reading Mme Bovary, but I've enjoyed the Tolstoy read-along threads so going to stay with you all :) I've bought a copy of the Marx-Aveling translation on Kindle.

Great, Sadik!