Average customer rating:
- Masterpiece Mangled by Atrocious Translation
- You've Seen the Movie, Now Read the Book!
- The battle of the sexes is evil
- Intelligent, witty and thoroughly engaging
- Absolutely sinful...and so much fun to read
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Les Liaisons dangereuses (Oxford World's Classics)
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos , and
Douglas Parmee
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0192838679 |
Book Description
The complex moral ambiguities of seduction and revenge make Les Liaisons dangereuses (1782) one of the most scandalous and controversial novels in European literature. Its prime movers, the Vicomte de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil--gifted, wealthy, and bored--form an unholy alliance and
turn seduction into a game. And they play this game with such wit and style that it is impossible not to admire them, until they discover mysterious rules that they cannot understand. In the ensuing battle there can be no winners, and the innocent suffer with the guilty.
This new translation gives Laclos a modern voice, and readers will be able to judge whether the novel is as "diabolical" and "infamous" as its critics have claimed, or whether it has much to tell us about a world we still inhabit.
Customer Reviews:
Masterpiece Mangled by Atrocious Translation.......2007-08-31
I purchased the Oxford Classic edition of Les Liasons, translated by Douglas Parmee, and much to my chagrin, found the text to be riddled with poor writing and literary anachronisms.
Parmee may be accurately transliterating the French original; I of course cannot read it. But the book he has produced borders on the unreadable. Cecile, an aristocratic French girl of 15, speaks like a besotted 60-year old English gentleman. "Fortunately Mummy's feeling much better today and Madame de Marteuil is coming with the Chevalier Danceny and somebody else but she never comes until late and when you're all alone for such a long time, it gets jolly boring." (pg. 32) Yes, you read that right, "jolly boring." In Parmee's translation, Cecile uses "jolly" quite often, but somehow I cannot imagine a beautiful if naive French girl ever saying "jolly" anything.
Also gone is the tense sophistication of the Vicomte and the Marquise's dialogs in the movie--in its stead it seems that Parmee has elected to give them the voices of two American High School students, void of all intelligence, charm and wit, leaving them with just enough arrogant cunning to move the plot. Throughout all the letters, there are a great deal of run-on sentences which require a great deal of effort to understand, a characteristic of bad writing.
I've read a few pages of the Lièvre translation and can plainly see that it is much improved. I recommend you purchase that version and leave this one well alone, as I plan to do.
You've Seen the Movie, Now Read the Book!.......2007-04-04
Whether or not you've seen the movie with Glen Close, Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon or ,by chance, the asian subtitled version; if you loved those then you can't afford to ignore the original that spawned them all. What a devilishly guilty pleasure it is, just take care not to blush too strongly or they might suspect what you're reading is not quite so innocent;-}
The battle of the sexes is evil.......2007-02-08
In this novel, the ingeneous author juxtaposes two forces of evil--the Vicomte de Valmont as the mysoginist who exploits female sexuality in order to ruin women, and the misanthropic woman--the Marquise de Merteuil, who is brilliant and evil enough to beat men at their own game. That is, until she locks horns with the Vicomte. In each other they meet their match, only this is far from a love match. I think that in each other, they see embodied the very things they each hate about the opposite sex. So, very aptly, their relationship may be called a hate match.
In discussing the wicked deeds of these two characters, critics have attributed them to boredom. One critic said that the two antagonists display a sort of pride in their skill at sexual intrigue. I think that this assessment misses the point. Everything that the Vicomte and the Marquise do in the story is a game leading only to one goal--they each have a burning desire to destroy the other. This may not be readily apparent, but I think that when you realize how much they both hate each other, it is not possible that they could have had any other end for each other in mind. The relationship is one of hate, and their goal is mutual ruin. The people they hurt and destroy are not the point. The point is they want to ruin each other, and they use anyone and everyone to accomplish this goal. Poor Cecile and Danceny are tertiary damage.
The Madame de Rosemonde, who is the Vicomte de Valmont's aunt in the story, described the affair perfectly toward the end of the book. In a letter to Madame de Volanges she states, "I recoil from entering into the least detail concerning this pack of horrors." A pack of horrors it is, but one worth studying. Rarely does a novel provide such a profound and thorough examination of hatred, in particular the hatred between the sexes. However, brace yourself. It is not a comfortable experience to look at hatred this up-close.
The movies that have been made from this book do not really do it justice. I think that everyone deserves the experience of reading this book personally. I think you will learn something about the war of the sexes that may make you reflect on your own misoginistic or misanthropic feelings, thereby providing you with a critical view of the fabled "war between the sexes." If you have such feelings, it will make you question why you feel that way and to what end do you harbor these feelings and perspectives.
Intelligent, witty and thoroughly engaging.......2007-01-09
Les Liaison Dangereuses is very simply one of the best stories I have ever read. Its central characters, Vicomte de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteil are despicable human beings, but with a charm, wit and intelligence that endear them to the reader. I could not help but share their joy in deceiving and manipulating their victims, whilst at the same time being appalled by their behaviour.
I first heard of this book whilst reading Robert Greene's, The Art of Seduction. His reasons for choosing this wonderful book as a source of inspiration are obvious! This book is highly instructive for the student of human behaviour, and a pure pleasure to read for those who enjoy a well constructed and interesting story. Is the book truly "dangerous"? Be your own judge.
Absolutely sinful...and so much fun to read.......2006-09-29
What I love about this book, aside from the fact that it maintains a voyeuristic appeal through its epistolary form, is that it is cerebrally sexual.
Laclos' language is gorgeous and his subtlety is sublime. The book is wildly sexual but never crass or disgusting.
Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont are the absolute paragons of villainy you will love to hate.
The book is at its simplest level a study of the total destruction of naivete and innocence, but you can be sure that just desserts will be served all around.
A fantastic novel...if only de Laclos had written more!
Also, the movie version starring Glenn Close and John Malkovich is wonderful as well--but of course, I recommend reading the novel first.
Product Description
"Les Liaisons Dangereuses", A Play by Christopher Hampton, from the novel by Choderlos de Laclos. Produced on the Broadway Stage by James M. Nederlander, The Schubert Organization, Inc., Jerome Minskoff, Elizabeth I. McCann and Stephen Graham in association with Jonathan Farkas.
Book Description
Love . . . sex . . . seduction. Of the three, only the last matters. Love is a meaningless word, and sex an ephemeral pleasure, but seduction is an amusing game in which victory means power and the ability to humiliate one’s enemies and revel with one’s friends. So it is for the Vicomte de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil, two supremely bored aristocrats during the final years before the French Revolution. Together they concoct a wildly wicked wager: If Valmont can successfully seduce the virtuous wife of a government official, Madame de Tourvel, then Madame Merteuil will sleep with him again. But Madame Merteuil also wants Valmont to conquer the young and innocent former convent schoolgirl, Cécile Volanges. Can he do both?
When Les Liaisons Dangereuses was first published in 1782, it both scandalized and titillated the aristocracy it was aimed against, who publicly denounced it and privately devoured it. Today we still recognize its relevance, for what could be more contemporary than its appalling image of everyday evil — small, selfish, manipulative, and mean.
Book Description
A series of intimate letters chronicles the amorous adventures of the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont — rivals who use their bodies as weapons in the war of the sexes. Set in the final days of the ancien régime, the novel paints a revealing portrait of aristocratic decadence.
Book Description
Un panorama des diffÉrentes approches critiques sur le transfert de la page À l'Écran offre ici un contexte À la comparaison entre le roman de Laclos et plusieurs de ses adaptations filmiques: Les Liaisons dangereuses 1960 (1959) de Roger Vadim, Dangerous Liaisons (1988) de Stephen Frears, Valmont (1989) de Milos Forman et Cruel Intentions (1999) de Roger Kumble. Prenant en considÉration le rÔle de la lettre en tant qu'agent narratif, cette Étude compare les techniques narratives employÉes dans l'original et dans les adaptations, avant d'examiner le rÔle de la lettre en tant qu'agent de l'intrigue et d'analyser chacune des oeuvres.
Examinant pour la premiÈre fois les problÈmes spÉcifiques posÉs À l'adaptateur par la forme Épistolaire, ce livre, qui propose aussi bien une historique et un État prÉsent de la relation entre les deux genres que de nouveaux aperçus sur cette relation, ne manquera pas d'intÉresser, par ses analyses comparÉes des diffÉrentes oeuvres et la documentation qu'elle propose dans ses appendices, les spÉcialistes de littÉrature comme de cinÉma. Elle offre aussi un prÉcieux outil aux enseignants souhaitant apporter, par le biais de l'adaptation, une nouvelle perspective À leur enseignement de la littÉrature en gÉnÉral et du roman de Laclos en particulier.
Book Description
A funny, poignant account of a young woman's experiences becoming a Catholic nun during the tumultuous 1960s.
In 1964, Karol Jackowski was an eighteen-year-old girl just out of high school. But while her friends were heading off to college or finding their first jobs, Karol was following a different path. To the surprise of her family and friends, she decided to enter the convent of the Sisters of the Holy Cross in South Bend, Indiana, and spend the next eight years studying to become a Catholic nun.
Those years were a time of enormous change in the country and in the Church. They were times of joy, dedication, and a great deal of fun, set against the Second Vatican Council and the reforms it fostered, many of which remain controversial today. In this playful and candid memoir, Jackowski pulls back the curtain on the mysteries of convent life, as she recounts her rocky transition from worldly teenager to cloistered postulant; the trials she faced in coping with the restrictions of convent life ("nun of this and nun of that"); and the lessons she learned from the elderly nuns she was assigned to, who weren't nearly as pious as people thought. In prose that's as lively, insightful, and wise as she is, the author of Ten Fun Things to do Before You Die brings us a touching and heartfelt memoir of a woman following her true calling.
Customer Reviews:
a pleasant surprise on many levels.......2007-09-09
I was just browsing when the subtitle caught my eye with its reference to becoming a nun in the 1960s. I was heavily involved in the political and social side of things in the '60s and I was intrigued, especially since the years covered included the emergence of "Vatican II". I am not Catholic or anything close to it, so I was also intrigued by the smiling face on the cover that seemed to differ from the stock impression I'd always had of nuns, especially those just starting out, as unflinchingly stolid and contemplative. This book lived up to the promises I inferred, on both counts.
It is very easy to read. The author keeps the action moving, without getting bogged down. She also avoids the pitfall so many other authors stumble over, of going off on long tangents of philosophy and dogma; Sister Karol sticks to telling the story as promised, throwing in explanations as necessary without turning them into side trips, and I appreciated that.
Another reviewer has mentioned the author's stated belief in reincarnation as a surprise. Sister Karol also uses "Blessed be" at times. It isn't an expression you (or at least I) expect to hear from a nun, but apparently this particular nun thinks outside the box, and is not only respectful and accepting of other faiths but is open to the love of God in all its forms.
This book is not an expose, but a narrative story with fascinating characters (I'd love to have met Sister Concilio) and plot twists, culminating in a happy ending -- all real. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that I wish it had been a little more in-depth, a little longer. At 300 pages, it's not a skimpy book, but I would have liked to know more about some of the people and certain phases of the process as she and her sisters experienced them.
Captures the emotional essence of the time........2007-07-11
I have read many books about religious life (the sisterhood) over the years. I entered the convent myself in the early 70's as the mass exodus of sisters was waning. What I most appreciated about Sister Karol's book was how accurately she captured the emotions of the time. She was able to shine a gentle light on that singular experience, known perhaps only to women who have been in formation (postulancy, novitiate, juniorate) to become a sister, of joy, belonging, and awe juxtaposed with fear, sadness, and anger. Her book so precisely captured that experience that I found I could not put it down.
I am grateful to her for evoking those feelings so clearly in me, and, I assume, all who will read the book and remember. Convent life is almost indescribable if you have not lived it. As Dickens wrote, it was for most of us, "the best of times and the worst of times."
If you have been in the convent you will recognize yourself in Sister Karol and her classmates, I promise you. And if you have not, you will have as clear a glimpse as you can get into what life was like in the convent of the 60's.
not bad, but..........2007-07-11
I just quit reading this book after the first four chapters. I only lasted that long because I kept thinking it would get better, but it didn't. I imagine if someone is considering entering the postulate, it would be an informative read. But to me, it came across as tedious and slow. It seems the author's intent was to not leave any detail out, no matter how mundane or unnecessary. I picked up the book because I was interested in the process of becoming a nun, just because I encountered so many nuns on a recent trip to Rome (no surprise there). But after the first few chapters, I basically got the picture. It is sweet and mostly innocent (although it was strange to see a nun say she believes in reincarnation in spite of Church teaching to the contrary), but I probably would have stuck with it more if it had been a bit more concise.
One of the best reads this year! Too bad we don't have six stars to give........2007-07-06
Overall this is a book that is well written filled with complex life experiences: bitter-sweet, a few warts, but filled with hope. High Recommend. If I could give this book a 6th start, I would have.
The author was forthright and gave the reader a good idea of what she is really like, warts and all. She live though some turbulent times. After 33 years as a Sister of Holy Cross, Karol transferred to the Sisters of Christian Community; thus, 2 of 50 (4%) stayed. This could have been a tragic rant.
Frankly, I was honored as a reader to be allowed to get to know these valient women. At times, I found dissapointed with Karol's behavior and unsympathetic to her plight; but, appreciated the author's willingness to let us see her warts, letting it all hang out. More than once, I would have liked to have given Karol a dope slap, "That attitude, she isn't getting it!" But reading on to find later to find myself smiliing thinking, I'd like to give her a bear hug, "She did get it!"
The complexity and depth of the relationships, seeing so much in terms of time passing, as an outsider I found I felt great sorrow at times. I was shocked to find myself greeving the loss of community: coming to the realization, internalizing, and accepting the loss that Karol must have had to go through. Watching her community struggle so much. This community had far more wrong with it than could be readily solved. Further, it became clear during the "experimentation" that this community had lost its vision. Perhaps a better first with the instructions that came from Vatican II, would be to answer the question, "What was the intent of the founters for our community?" Followed by, "How to we acheive this vision/mission today?" There is no "re"-newal, if there was no "newal" that existed. It was painful but very joyous to see her grow so much from the experience. I felt like I knew her well and her other sisters in the community. Karol did a great job making the experince accessable to readers.
Wow, what a great book. Thank you for letting us readers join you (Karol) in your life journey. It was a real pleasure to read this book.
Books on the thought during the transition process include: "Catholic Sisters in Transition" and "From Nuns to Sisters" by Sr. Maria Augusta Neal SNDdeN and "Midwives of the Future: American Sisters tell their story." McCormmic.
Unhappy memoirs, "The Narrow Gate", "The Buried Life" by an ex-IHM.
Happy memoirs include: "Springs of Silence", by Madeline de Freese a Holy Family sister, who from what I understand is no longer a member of her order. "My Beloved" by a Carmelite, "Right to Be Merry" Mother Mary Francis PCC (still in print!).
An easy enjoyable read.......2007-06-27
Anyone who has experienced Postulancy, Novitiate and/or Community life as a professed nun on an assignment will surely enjoy this book. I highly recommend it.
Book Description
A Christy Award finalist offers a bold and gritty story about one of the most talked about issues in the churchreligious leaders who sexually abuse members of their congregationsand how two women heal after betrayal. After witnessing the suicide of a church sister, Minister Francine Amen is disgusted with herself for turning against the young woman and refusing to accept her claim of sexual abuse by their pastor. Now, after a short stay in a psychiatric hospital, Francine is trying to pull her life and her ministry back together. But first she must face all of the people she has hurt so deeplyincluding her younger sister, Dawn. But can Dawn trust her? Francine used to date Dawns husband, Slywho now seems just a little too interested in Francines recovery. As far as Dawn is concerned, Sly would be better off spending his time making amends to her for his own sins.
Customer Reviews:
Forgiveness begins within..........2006-09-24
Angela Benson all I can say is "Amen" to a real story. From page 1 to page 354 you will be spellbound, intrigued and unable to anticipate what is going to occur. In a time when authors are writing so similar, Angela Benson has escaped the stereotype of being grouped with everyone else. Unpredictable, fulfilling storyline. Francine Amen faces the true calling of GOD vs. the false calling of Man. Just because they say that believe, don't mean they Live the WORD. Francine learns the hard way that everything is not as it seems and when you finally wake up, you have to face the ones and things that you left behind. She learns that she has to go back and face all that she turned from, and the hardest thing is to learn that you are you worse enemy and your hardest critic. Well throwing a pity party and focusing on yourself, GOD just may be using you and your trials and tribulations to help someone else, that is what a testimoney is really for, it is to benefit others and not yourself. As Francine, Dawn, Sly, Stuart,Walter, Freddie, George, Monika, Mother Harris,Dolores,Teddy and Sister Campbell the co-dependent spouse spiral into and out of trials and tribulations, their lives intertwine with the sole purpose of Repentance and Forgiveness. Even when tragedy strikes and a wrong is corrected, everyone is not going to forgive and George shows just how much prayer is needed in life, because even when the truth is out, he is still angry, unfortunately once he learns to forgive himself, he will be able to forgive everyone else. Happiness and gratification will come only once you have relinquished anger and hurt and searched the depths of your own heart to fully be able to assist any one else. I don't want to indicate any part of the dialogue of this book in this review, for you really need to read it without any indications or opinions, Open your heart - Open the cover and brace yourself for lesson to be learned and a good novel for your personal library. Excellent story line, excellent morals, excellent lesson to learn and apply to your very on life and all through the courageous and real characters of Angela Benson.
Must Read Christian Novel.......2006-06-09
This was an excellent book! This is a must read for all Christian fiction lovers out there. It really opened my eyes to some things that are truely happening in the church. Sexual sins have been happening for a very very long time but hardly anyone was talking about it and looking at how it affected other people. This book is about forgiveness and Christian love.
A very good read.......2006-02-16
This book covered several different areas that one can relate to in everyday life. I like the fact that the author kept each situation real. I enjoyed reading about the marriages that were able to mend back together despite the break of trust. I think the lesson throughout the whole book was forgiveness, trusting and believing that God will work it out. I think some many people in the story relied on what they thought was right but in the end they all had to rely on God to heal, forgive, and mend back together. This was my first read by this author and the author did a great job with this book. I look forward to reading other books by this author.
The Power of Forgiveness.......2006-01-04
After being inspired by Bishop Payne, a traveling minister, Francine Amen decides to leave her old life behind and dedicate herself more fully to the Lord. Before she leaves to join Bishop Payne's ministry, she takes it upon herself to tell off everyone in her church and urge them to get right with God. When her childhood friend, who also joined Bishop Payne's congregation, confides that she is pregnant by the bishop, Francine shuns her. Feeling hopeless and isolated, her friend commits suicide. Plagued with guilt and haunted by memories of the event, Francine spends time in a mental hospital. When she is released, she has no place to go, so she is forced to return to her hometown with her tail between her legs and rebuild her life. It is here that THE AMEN SISTERS, Angela Benson's latest novel begins.
As Francine gets settled in at the home shared by her sister Dawn and her husband Sly, it soon becomes apparent that things between the couple are not quite right. As Dawn and Sly try to cover up their problems, the stress between them continues to build and eventually, something will have to give. In addition, Dawn and Francine have always had a tenuous relationship; the sisters have to work through the issues from the past so they can become the sisters God would want them to be. Francine begins building new relationships and mending old ones and along the way, she and everyone around her must learn not only to forgive one another, but also themselves.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Angela Benson has written a rich, multifaceted work of Christian Fiction that is both timely and realistic. The characters create the pulse of the story, and they are well balanced...not the "perfect people" often seen in this genre. As a result, I was able to relate to and understand the characters, and I found the plot engrossing. THE AMEN SISTERS touches on things that are often pushed under the rug in the church, such as unscrupulous ministers and church members, and "holier than thou" Christians who are fiercely judgmental and look down on others. In addition, the book addresses social issues such as teen pregnancy and parenthood, marriage and fidelity, and even the current challenges many small business owners face. Most importantly, the book highlights God's power to transform lives and the importance of forgiveness.
Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers
One of the brightest voices in Christian fiction!.......2005-11-04
Angela Benson, one of the brightest voices in Christian fiction brings us her third and most daring novel to date.
The Amen Sisters opens with Francine Amen who finds herself confined to a mental institution after suffering a nervous breakdown brought on by the suicide of her best friend, Toni. Francine Amen was a ministry leader with an up-and-coming church who believed she had found her true calling. She publicly renounced her family, friends and church because she felt they didn't believe "enough" and left her hometown leaving behind a lot of hurt and spiritually wounded friends and family members. Guilt ridden and ashamed, Francine turns to the one person who should always be there - her sister.
Dawn Amen-Ray sticks by her sister, Francine, because she feels it is the right thing to do. Still, Dawn has problems of her own. She recently found out that her husband (Francine's ex-boyfriend) Sly cheated on her. Although Dawn still loves her husband, she is not sure if she can forgive and continue in her marriage.
With Biblical insight and compassion, Angela Benson brings us more than just another novel about a minister going astray. This is a novel with real people who confront real issues. It's about forgiving others and ourselves.
Happy reading!
[...]
Average customer rating:
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The Amen Sisters
Angela Benson
Manufacturer: Walk Worthy Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
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ASIN: B000NKH1GS |
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