Translation

As the month closes, here’s a final round up of my reading for Love Blippin’ Books 19 (#LBB19).  As I selected this month’s prompt I think it’s fair to say that I threw myself into it wholeheartedly. My July reading was therefore almost entirely works by French writers (in translation) to celebrate, principally, the start of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Of the seven books, five were already on my shelves and two were charity shop finds during the month. Two were re-reads.

In order of reading:

Jules Verne (1864) - Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Claude Izner (2003, set 1889) - Murder on the Eiffel Tower
Maurice Leblanc (1909) - The Hollow Needle (one of the Arsène Lupin series)
Philippe Claudel (2003, set 1917) - Grey Souls
Georges Simenon (1934) - Maigret Returns (one of two novels collected in ‘Maigret Sits it Out’)
Colette (1929,  covering life in late C19) - Sido
René Goscinny & Albert Uderzo (1968) - Asterix at the Olympic Games

So, mostly popular fiction with the exception of Claudel and Colette who are more literary. Some nice bits of continuity, e.g. where ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’ is referenced in ‘Murder in the Eiffel Tower’.  The only two that might be considered recent publications are both historical fiction, so absolutely nothing about contemporary France. 

I enjoyed the Izner (pseudonym for two bookselling sisters) which is the start of the Victor Legris series (Belle Époque amateur detective bookseller, so lots of literary references but light and fun) and typically I already have the next two in the series in my to read boxes.

The Maigret was the last of the first block of twenty novels in the series published in a short period 1931-34; indeed it featured a retired Maigret. Like Conan Doyle with Holmes, Simenon discovered it was not so easy to finish with a loved character, hence 55 more Maigrets, mainly written and published post-war. And yes, I know Simenon is Belgian, but his creation is very much French. I’ve now read 26 of the 75 books in the series, with most of the rest already gathered up waiting their turn.

I had to revisit some Colette as she was one of my favourite writers during my early 20s (complete with visit to her grave in Père Lachaise - my original 35mm print rephotographed -  extras). ‘Sido’ is comprised of three autobiographical sketches of her mother, father and siblings, mainly from her time growing up in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye. 

And of course finishing with ‘Asterix at the Olympic Games, - written to coincide with Mexico 1968 and first published in English at the time of Munich 1972. Goscinny & Uderzo tackle head on the possibilities of the Gauls’ famed magic potion as a form of athlete doping, with Asterix & Co. managing to trick the Romans into taking the potion, getting disqualified by the Greeks, leaving Asterix to win clean!

Thanks as always to @Squatbetty for #LBB, and for everyone who joined in with this month’s prompt. The prompt for August (#LBB20)  is already out.