Classical Gas-Zola's THE FORTUNE OF THE ROUGONS: RGBIB 164

[@phoenixrises1982]

Germinal is probably my favorite novel. I was so happy when I found out that Germinal is actually part of series of novels.

[@Scottmbradfield]

I know. I haven't even read GERMINAL yet but I love the first three in the series! Stay safe. Scott

[@phoenixrises1982]

@@Scottmbradfield Thank you Scott. Right now I’m reading 4th one “Money”. I’ve read Germinal four times over past 20 years

[@Scottmbradfield]

@@phoenixrises1982 That's on my stack too, near the top! S

[@georgepetroff867]

Germinal is excellent, Hell Yeah. Great characters, interesting plots and well described scenes. Fascinating history about ordinary French people. I’ve read 12 of the Rougons family series. I have read them out of sequence and haven’t felt I have missed anything. You have encouraged me to read more Zola. Who cares about the author’s life philosophy, his novels are generally very good reads.

[@Scottmbradfield]

I'm sure you're right. I may try to work my way through the series to Germinal. Zola is fucking great. S

[@trewens]

George Orwell is a massive 'Hell No', for me. I absolutely can't stand 1984.

[@trewens]

I've never read any Zola. Thank you for the recommendation, though. I'm reading Anna Karenina, at the moment, on your recommendation from your long reads for the lockdown video. It's very good :)

[@lyndao7356]

Orwell is a dour downer but he wrote 'down and out in Paris and London' or title to that effect... I liked that one. It's about Orwell's early days living on the streets, in doorways and such. Trying to get by. Not bad.

[@Scottmbradfield]

@@trewens yeah Anna Karenina is sort of the all-star classical gas. You can't lose. S

[@malcolmthompson9848]

The Rougon novels are wonderful, but then again I'm a historian interested in the French Second Empire. They are fun because each book is stand alone, but the same characters such as Nap. III or Sachard keep popping up. I will confess that I do most of my reading these days through Audible. The Zola books are often read by the late Fredrick Davidson (a.k.a. David Case) or Napoleon Ryan and are very good. I've read "Germinal" and "Money" twice. The latter is particularly good. You might find it worthwhile to listen to the dramatic rendition of the Rougons books, "Blood, Sex and Money" in the Audible collection

[@Scottmbradfield]

Thanks, Malcolm. It's always fun to know that these great books are out there getting read even when I was too stupid to read them myself. I don't listen to audio books much unless I'm driving long distances, but I'll keep that rendition in mind. Stay safe in the bathtub! Scott

[@chrisoleson9570]

Hell yeah, Longfellow is indeed a hell no.

[@algreene2254]

Zola! Fuck yeah! Grew up with Cezanne. Vive la France! Great 1 Sir.

[@Scottmbradfield]

Yeah he had cool friends, including Maupassant (who's actually a lot more like Zola than Flaubert)... stay safe in cool places...

[@lyndao7356]

Germinal. I read and loved it. So hell yeah! So long ago that I may not like it now, so I'm not reading it again. Coal miners, yes indeed, and their lives and families and a down & dirty life (horrors) & symbolism/archetypal IN YOUR FACE! Maybe I'll read another of his before the summer is over to see how I feel about it.

[@Scottmbradfield]

Yeah that's two votes from our bathing buddies for Germinal! I may try reading the series in sequence, so it'll be a while before I get to it... I also really love Orwell, especially the essays (which Down and Out... resembles.) Stay safe! S