The Old Authors

[smile]

Hi

I'm smile. Who likes the old authors like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, Louisa M. Alcott, etc.etc? I like them a lot and I really enjoy watching a filming of one of these authors. Films like "Little Women", "Emma" or "Jane Eyre". Who else?


smile

[Delfino]

Hi

I'm smile. Who likes the old authors like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, Louisa M. Alcott and alike , etc.etc?
I like them a lot and I really enjoy watching a the films based on works of one of these authors.
I am refering to films like "Little Women", "Emma" or "Jane Eyre". Who else?

smile

This forum has categories. Therefore, may I suggest you choose an appropriate one next time.
A post like this would be placed best in the Chatterbox.

[smile]

Hi Delfino

I'll do that next time. Thank you for correction.

smile:)

[Duckduck (Contributor)]

Hi smile,

yes, I love them.

But not only the well known authors like the Brontes, Dickens, Austen (well, she wrote a little earlier, didn't she) but also those who are a little less known nowadays: George Eliot, Elizabeth Gaskell, William Thackeray, Anthony Trollope etc. And I have read Wilkie Collins' "Armadale" and "The Woman in White" and "No Name" time and time again. (As all the others as well, in fact. The Victorian Age was one of my favourites during my studies). And even now I like to read them from time to time. Wonderful language and not only informative but also hilariously funny here and there.
I was wondering where you live. Is it a bigger town or something? Since you seem to have quite a good library, you know... Maybe you could set up a notice at the VHS or the library about wishing to meet people for English tea and conversation? Don't give up. There must be some wonderful persons around, somewhere!

What's your favourite novel at the moment?

Oh, and by the way: George, Du Guter, könntest Du den thread einfach verschieben ins English Only oder die Chatterbox? Dann hat alles wieder seine gute deutsche Ordnung !!!

Cheers,
Duckduck

[smile]

Hi Duckduck

your right, J. Austen died when the Bronte sisters were born. Nevertheless I like her novels and I laughed about the fact that the ladies in the Romantic Era became red faced when they were reading her novels. Maybe they should try one of the modern stories.
To be honest it isn't that long I'm reading books from the Romantic or Victorian Era. So I started with the well known. But I know the authors and evan the fact that George Eliot was born as Mary Ann Evans.

You were wondering were I live? Actually I live in a very small village. We're just 3.400 inhabitants but with a tiny library. Unfortunately we haven't got any room to store all the wonderful books I like. A few kilometers from here we've got a bigger one. And there I can find all the books, audiobooks, DVDs, magazines or journals I want.

I like your idea about setting up a notice in the library. It's a good idea actually. Why didn't I get such an idea?!

Well, my favourite author is Charles Dickens. I like the characters he created. But at the moment I'm reading more modern stuff, you know. I'm still looking for a favourite one. So what is yours?

I'm planing to buy "Little Dorrit" written by Charles Dickens. As far as I know there is no german translation. I think, that might be a good opportunity to get further with my reading skills.

So, that was a lot of stuff...

Bye, smile:)


Yes please, George could you put my thread into the right place? Thanks.

[Duckduck (Contributor)]

Hi smile!

A very good idea to start reading English classics in the original language. There are translations of all of Dickens' novels, though. "Little Dorrit" is "Klein Dorrit" - who would have thought that . The amazing expertise of this translation?! I don't like this particular novel so very much, it's a little too soppy for my taste, but there you are. We could compare notes, once you've read it.
And anyway, you can't go wrong with reading the Victorians if you want to improve your English skills. Of course, quite a lot of their ways of speaking may be a little dated, but it's still wonderful language. And you can be quite sure that they didn't make mistakes in grammar. Of course, if it's the language of today, viz. slang, you want to learn, you had better read more modern stuff. But even then you will find that there are the better and the not so good authors. I very often feel that a novel written in atrocious English can't satisfy me, may the plot be ever so interesting. Language is very important for me, too important, in fact, to have it treated badly. The same goes for German, by the way. Crazy old Duckduck... .

Well, favourites change from time to time, don't they. My father died not so long ago and left me his book collection. "Thousands" of books - quite a number of English crime novels. And I was surpised to find that I quite enjoy them. Dorothy L. Sayers is great and at the moment I'm into Dick Francis. Not the "highest" literature, but very English and both thrilling (even if to a slightly lesser degree than the average of today's thrillers) and funny. And I enjoy Bill Bryson's travel books a lot. He's American but lived in England for many years and his books are really most interesting, informative and funny - British! Oh, and there so many more I want to read. Books are ... everywhere around me! What a wonderful life!

Cheers,
Duckduck

Btw, would you like me to correct the little mistakes in your postings? Didn't want to be rude, you know...

[smile]

Hi Duckduck

once, I read that there weren't any translations of "Little Dorrit", but you're right. I found at least one. Nevertheless, I'm going to read the novel in English. And I love soppy stories. That should tell you a lot about me. As soon as I'm done with it we can compare notes.


I agree with you, there are lots of novels which have quite a good plot, but they're simply bad written. But sometimes the way German native speakers talk is even worse, you know. That makes me shiver.

I feel sorry that your father's gone. When I was a schoolgirl my mum gave all her old books to me and most oft them I'm still keeping. I think, it hasn't to be the "highest" literature. Some of my oldest books still reminds me on what I was thinking when I read them the first time. I really can't live without books and I like them to be around me. I don't know if my children want to read them one day because the stories are from a different time, you know. Do you have an idea for a modern book which is very British? I like the British cultur. I'm even cooking British recipies. Well, sometimes for Christmas, sometimes when I'm just in the mood. Maybe I should try the one you recommended.

You mentioned to correct my mistakes. I realy would appreciate that.

Bye, smile

[TudorLady]

Oh yes, I LOVE Jane Austen's novels, especially Pride & Prejudice. I read all her novels in German first, and after that, I tried to read Pride&Prejudice and Emma in English (original and unabridged). But it was too difficult for me to understand all the english phrases and vocables of the 19th century, and finally, I gave up. Maybe I should read something easier the next time. But as an Jane Austen-fan, I also wanted to read her novels in original language. But unfortunately, I am not good enough in English.

[smile]

hi TudorLady

you are right. Reading original novels is a really difficult thing. Sometimes I'm loosing my ambition to bring it to an end. Then I take the german version or I just watch the DVD. "Pride and Prejudice" is my favourite one so far, but it's a pitty that I didn't come along with "Little Dorrit" yet .

smile

[TudorLady]

Did anyone read "Utopia" by Thomas More (1478 - 1535) in English ? I'm reading the book at the moment, but in German because I came across it at the bookshop.