March is marching on in our 2019 Reading Challenge. With this month's theme being Languages and Literature, we have the chance to explore works from the 800s and works from the 400s - both of which provide us with some good reading.
This week Brenda explores a family saga, while Sharon goes on a treasure hunt with grammar lessons. What have you been reading?
Non-fiction, c438.2421 CHA
This week Brenda explores a family saga, while Sharon goes on a treasure hunt with grammar lessons. What have you been reading?
Brenda read The
Forsyte Saga by John
Galsworthy
If you
enjoy late Victorian/Edwardian English literature, you are in for a treat with The Forsyte Saga. Spread over several
generations, this three-part novel explores the fate and fortunes of the Forsyte
family and those who marry into it. The Forsytes are a family to be reckoned
with. Although they are not part of the aristocracy, they have accumulated
wealth through trade, mining and professional occupations, and wield huge
social influence due to the extent of their possessions.
Possession
and the lack of it is, in fact, a major theme throughout, in regard to both
things and people. Much of Part 1 deals with the relationship between Soames,
an obsessive and acquisitive solicitor and his beautiful, free-spirited wife,
Irene. Galsworthy sympathetically portrays the expectations and limitations of
women, different attitudes towards marriage and relationships, and the
debilitating influence the past can have on the present. There is a large cast
of well-drawn characters (and a helpful family tree), and I was engaged by all
their stories.
As always,
it is interesting to read the story in its social and historical context, but
relationship themes predominate. If that’s your cup of tea, I highly recommend
it.
Fiction, Literature, An author I haven’t read
before, 820 GAL
1C FOR
This book is an odd
bingdingle of a thing. It’s actually a spliced clone of a book from the 1990s
called Learn German. Bits of it (the
story/comic book parts) are from the original, but extra grammar lessons have
been added and the layout and design has been changed. The upshot is that you get
the strangest feeling you’re both in the 1990s and not. The comic book
illustrations are very 1992. The pictures in the grammatical sections are more
2000s.
To make things more
interesting, it’s also almost the exact same book as Easy French and Easy Spanish
– but then, Learn German was almost
the exact same book as Learn French
and Learn Spanish. The books share
the exact same story, illustrations and design, but the language and the names
have been changed.
That spot of publishing weirdness aside, it’s
actually a really good introduction to the German language (just like Easy/Learn French and Easy/Learn Spanish are great introductions to their respective languages). There is a story told in
comic-book form, in which all of the dialogue is in German. This is
interspersed with explanations about the grammar. It’s a simple format, but
it’s effective. The story about a trio of teenagers trying to thwart a thief
and find a treasure provides a sizeable chunk of dialogue and the grammatical
explanations provide a neat and easy-to follow overview.
Even though the book is clearly aimed at
“younger readers” (I’d say probably upper primary), it doesn’t over simplify
the subject matter and it’s quite enjoyable to read. As an adult language
learner, I found it a useful resource to help kick-start my German studies –
and I often recommend the books in the series to anyone wanting to learn
German, French or Spanish.
Non-fiction, c438.2421 CHA
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