Archive for French literature
Jean-Claude Mézières (1938-2022)
Posted in Books, Kids, pictures, Travel with tags 1970s, BD, French literature, graphical novel, Jean-Claude Mezières, Pilote, science fiction, space opera, Star Wars, Valérian et Laureline on January 30, 2022 by xi'anSandremonde [book review]
Posted in Statistics with tags book review, Cayenne, fantasy, first novel, French literature, high fantasy, religious order on January 15, 2022 by xi'anA somewhat original fantasy book (in French), by Jean-Luc Deparis, found by chance on a shelf of La Case à Bulles bookstore in Cayenne, with a nice if traditional cover, a first half I enormously enjoyed and read within a day!. and a second one less appealing to my tastes and which took me longer to complete, despite eventually skipping some passages… Presumably because this second part involved more magic, [dreaded!] endless subterranean domains, and the unsurprising revelation of a predestination for the central heroine, which was till then doing well by herself, thank you very much. Although with early and heavy hints of a unique destiny. The beginning has flavours reminding me of The Lies of Locke Lamora, Hobbs’ Assassin series, and the more recent Red/Gray/Holy Sister trilogy. Despite its flaws, the non-magical universe of Sandremonde is fascinating, with an overwhelming Church of monk-soldiers that has the monopoly of (magical) protections and as such promotes or demotes local lordlings… The end is both predictable and of little interest. More editing and advice from the publisher would have considerably improved the outcome. May a prospective second novel by the author keep the imagination and avoids the clichés!
Dom Juan’s opening
Posted in Books, Kids with tags 17th Century theatre, Aristotle, Australia, Bizet, Carmen, Dom Juan, French literature, Molière, opera, tobacco on March 22, 2015 by xi'anThe opening lines of the Dom Juan plan by Molière, a play with highly subversive undertones about free will and religion. And this ode to tobacco that may get it banned in Australia, if the recent deprogramming of Bizet’s Carmen is setting a trend! [Personal note to Andrew: neither Molière’s not my research are or were supported by a tobacco company! Although I am not 100% sure about Molière…]
“Quoi que puisse dire Aristote et toute la philosophie, il n’est rien d’égal au tabac: c’est la passion des honnêtes gens, et qui vit sans tabac n’est pas digne de vivre. Non seulement il réjouit et purge les cerveaux humains, mais encore il instruit les âmes à la vertu, et l’on apprend avec lui à devenir honnête homme.”
Dom Juan, Molière, 1665
[Whatever may be argued by Aristotle and the entire philosophy, there is nothing equal to tobacco; it is the passion of upright people, and whoever lives without tobacco does not deserve living. Not only it rejoices and purges human brains, but it also brings souls towards virtue, and teaches about becoming a gentleman.]