BOOKS ON FRANCE
READING CHALLENGE
Jan 1- Dec 31, 2013
In 2013, I plan to always have a book related to France on my currently-reading list. So in case you would like to read a few books related to France, here are the details:
WHAT TOPIC?
Any book related to France:
- it can be set in France,
- written by a French author,
- written in French (not Canadian French), by authors from any country
- about a French theme: French cuisine (how the French influenced American cuisine is accepted for instance), French fashion, etc.
- it can be a book you read also for another challenge
You can contact me if you are looking for titles. If you are a Goodreads member, you can access my France shelf.
WHAT GENRE?
All the genres are accepted:
- nonfiction
- fiction
- historical fiction
- mystery, etc
WHAT MEDIA?
All medias are accepted:
- paper
- graphic (novel or non-fiction)
- ebook
- audiobook
HOW MANY BOOKS?
- LEVEL 1, “un peu” = 3 books (one per quarter for instance)
- LEVEL 2, “beaucoup”= 6 books
- LEVEL 3, “passionnément” = 12 books (one/month, for instance)
- LEVEL 4, “à la folie”= 52 books (one/week, for instance)
Just an explanation on the 4 levels:
In France, we have a silly funny game:
when girls tell fortunes by pulling the petals off daisies, they say for instance, il m’aime un peu, beaucoup, passionnément, à la folie. What comes up on the last petal is supposed to reveal to what degree the boyfriend loves a girl: a bit, a lot, passionately, or he is maddeningly in love with her!
AND THERE WILL BE A GIVEAWAY
AT THE END OF 2013:
BE SURE TO FINISH YOUR CHALLENGE
TO GET A CHANCE TO WIN 1 BOOK!
***
PLEASE USE THE RELEVANT MR LINKY
SIGN UP FOR THIS READING CHALLENGE USING
MR LINK #1:
Please insert the link of your post explaining what you plan to do for this challenge,
not just the link of your main homepage
***
POST THE LINK FOR EACH BOOK YOU READ
FOR THIS READING CHALLENGE USING
MR LINK #2:
Please insert the link of your post where the review is,
not just the link of your main homepage
and it would be neat if you inserted the title,
for instance: Emma @ Words And Peace (Swann’s Way)
***
POST THE LINK OF YOUR RECAP POST
WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED
THIS READING CHALLENGE USING
MR LINK #3:
Please insert the link of your post containing your recap,
not just the link of your main homepage
November 15, 2012
WordsAndPeace
62 responses to “Books on France 2013 Reading Challenge”
bibliosue
November 15th, 2012 at 20:17
I can attain the “passionnement” level just from the books already on my shelf! Look for my intro post shortly.
WordsAndPeace
November 16th, 2012 at 09:16
great! have heard about 6 books on your list, and have only read 4. when I launched this, I didn’t realize this was going to give a mortal blow to my TBR… lol
Che
November 17th, 2012 at 01:30
I’d love to join in but I don’t know what I’ll be reading. hmmmn… whats your take on short story collections by french authors? also do you know of any good mystery series set in France? I was planning on reading more mysteries in 2013. Nothing too dark and gritty though.
WordsAndPeace
November 17th, 2012 at 10:48
For French stories, I would recommend Maupassant [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Short_stories_by_Guy_de_Maupassant].
there’s an interesting bilingual volume of short stories by several French authors: http://www.amazon.com/French-Short-Stories-Nouvelles-Francaises/dp/0140023852.
another such collection would be The Oxford Book of French short stories: http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-French-Short-Stories-Books/dp/019958317X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353170087&sr=8-1&keywords=oxford+book+of+french+short+stories.
these 2 examples could be a neat way of being acquainted to several French authors through one book.
or the famous Perrault’s Fairy Tales: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/630879.Perrault_s_Fairy_Tales
As for mystery series set in France, I have these on my Goodreads TBR – you can see these titles even if you are not a Goodreads member:
- http://www.goodreads.com/series/59489-aimee-leduc-investigations: this is a series of a murder in each famous Paris area
- http://www.goodreads.com/series/43807-languedoc-trilogy
- http://www.goodreads.com/series/82290-a-verlaque-and-bonnet-mystery
- http://www.goodreads.com/series/88544-sam-levitt
let me know if you need more!, or things in French
- http://www.goodreads.com/series/44507-nicolas-le-floch
Lorraine S.
November 19th, 2012 at 13:08
You have certainly challenged us! I will start with Level 3 “passionnement” and strive for Level 4! I so enjoy your blog and a number of others, my daughters also suggested starting a blog. Sure, in a few years after I learn the vocabulary-RSS, Mr. Linkys, memes, etc. I could learn French before I learn this lingo.
WordsAndPeace
November 19th, 2012 at 14:35
we can help you with that, much simpler than learning French for sure, believe a French tutor! Wow, level 4! I actually plan myself to have always something French going on, so I should also be in between 3 and 4. welcome!
Risa
November 21st, 2012 at 06:56
I’m in for the first time at 3 books!
WordsAndPeace
November 21st, 2012 at 08:56
Welcome Risa! interesting titles. I will have a look at your 3rd, of which I really know nothing about.
Risa
November 21st, 2012 at 09:07
Oh! I love reading about the Scarlet Pimpernel! The series is set in England and France during the French Revolution. The Scarlet Pimpernel is supposed to be an English gentleman who works at rescuing people sentenced to the guillotine. In think there are some 8 or 9 books in this series of which I have read only 3.
WordsAndPeace
November 21st, 2012 at 09:56
OMG, what did you just do? adding 9 books at once to my already awfully long TBR!
Risa
November 21st, 2012 at 11:29
But they are so worth it!
WordsAndPeace
November 21st, 2012 at 12:33
lol
Risa
November 21st, 2012 at 09:08
And thank you for the welcome.
Velma
December 3rd, 2012 at 02:38
I’m in! I’m writing in Finnish, but trying to do a summary in English or French.
WordsAndPeace
December 3rd, 2012 at 10:28
wow, I feel honored to have a Finnish reader join in, tervetuloa!
Paulita
December 5th, 2012 at 17:06
Do we need to commit to the total now? I’ll probably go for 12 at least. I have a couple on my shelf waiting to be read. Darn, I just finished Peaches for Father Francis by Joanne Harris. TBR include The Flaneur by Edmund White; The Most Beautiful Walk in the World by John Baxter; The Hundred Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais; Le Road Trip by Vivian Swift; and my husband has A Foreign Country by Charles Cumming which has a picture of the Eiffel Tower on it, partially set in Paris (this looks like one of those action/adventure mysteries for anyone who likes those). I’m sure I’ll find plenty more too.
WordsAndPeace
December 5th, 2012 at 21:23
woohoo, sounds exciting, no no need to commit. and you can always go a step further. I need to read Peaches for Father Francis. I’m posting the review of your books in a few minutes!!!!
joon*ann
December 19th, 2012 at 14:36
I just signed up! I added my post to Mister Linky. Thank you!
WordsAndPeace
December 19th, 2012 at 15:21
welcome, and great selection! I love very much the 3 of them
testeban333
December 22nd, 2012 at 15:26
Hi! I’ll definitely join your challenge! If I’ve understood well the rules, the books written in French (but not necessarily by French authors) count too? And also, does the books for this challenge count for other challenges as well?
WordsAndPeace
December 22nd, 2012 at 19:09
absolutely, like African authors for instance writing in French, that would work. and yes you can read the same book for as many challenges as you want. thanks for your questions, I’m going to specify the rules then to make them more understandable
JoV
December 26th, 2012 at 19:18
You persuaded me! I wasn’t going to sign-up for any challenge next year but I’ll make an exception for this!
WordsAndPeace
December 26th, 2012 at 20:00
actually looks like you have a few lined up, and some with big books, especially for the French challenge. I was ashamed to discover there was a book by Balzac I had never ever heard about, on Catherine de Medici. I’m really looking forward to your review on this one. Good luck for your challenges.
and I’m now following you thru RSS feed
JoV
December 27th, 2012 at 13:52
WordsandPeace,
Not sure if it’s a good thing or not for not knowing about Catherine De Medici. Bad news means I am reading a book which no one has heard about it.
Because I found Catherine De Medici as a historical character fascinating, I thought it would make sense to know more about her through the eyes of Balzac.
WordsAndPeace
December 27th, 2012 at 16:31
yes I think it can really be fascinating to have a novelist perspective; and through your review, when it comes, to inspire many more to read it
Esme (@cococroissants)
January 2nd, 2013 at 15:58
why not a book written in French by a French Canadian?
WordsAndPeace
January 2nd, 2013 at 16:18
because French Canadian can be odd to me, French from France, and teaching French. but I think another blogger organizes another similar French challenge, and she may accept them. you can do a search here: http://novelchallenges.blogspot.com/
great site, I just added you to my google reaedr
Kymmie
January 3rd, 2013 at 20:53
Je suis excité pour ce défi! Je vais lire 12 livres en français, et avec espoir, je vais écrire les critiques en anglais et français. Mon français n’est pas parfait, mais il sera bon pour moi pratiquer.
(I’m excited for this challenge. I’m going to read 12 books in French, and hopefully, write the reviews in both English and French. My French isn’t perfect, but it’ll be good for me to practice.)
WordsAndPeace
January 3rd, 2013 at 21:49
formidable, et bravo pour l’effort, je devrais moi aussi mettre mes postes en bilingue, mais c’est une question de temps. si tu veux, je peux t’envoyer les corrections de tes postes, en privé bien sur. je suis française et prof de français en ligne.
I’m now following you thru my google reader, and looking forward to what your list will look like
Kymmie
January 4th, 2013 at 14:39
Si tu avez le temps, je voudrais bien recevoir des corrections. Mon français était beaucoup mieux, mais récemment je me suis concentrée plus sur espagnol et portugais parce que je les ai besoin pour école supérieure de troisième cycle. Étudier le français est un travail passionné pour moi!
WordsAndPeace
January 4th, 2013 at 17:08
c’est déjà pas mal du tout! Je t’ai envoyé les corrections à ton adresse gmail
Peek a booK (@peekabook2011)
January 5th, 2013 at 14:44
Hi there, thanks for hosting this great challenge, I’m in!
I’m going to go for level 1 “Un Peau”
Greetings from Italy!
Valentina
http://www.peekabook.it
WordsAndPeace
January 5th, 2013 at 16:00
welcome! But if you don’t mind, if you have a minute to edit: ‘un peu’ a little, instead of ‘un peau’. this does not mean anything in French. in the feminine, ‘unE peau’ means ‘a skin’, lol, and grazie
melmarian
February 27th, 2013 at 20:12
I have just submitted my review of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, only I wrote the review in Indonesian language. I hope that’s OK! I’m going to write bilingual review for other posts I will be submitting anyway.
WordsAndPeace
February 28th, 2013 at 08:46
thanks, no problem. or a few lines added in English
testeban333
March 3rd, 2013 at 03:34
Hi, I was wondering whether “Down and Out in Paris and London” qualifies for the challenge? Most of the novel is set in Paris, but some bits (not many) are set in London.
WordsAndPeace
March 3rd, 2013 at 19:01
absolutely, go for it. actually, if there are comparisons between the 2 cities, that would be neat to integrate that in the review
joyweesemoll
March 24th, 2013 at 10:36
I’m late signing up, but thrilled to take part in this challenge.
WordsAndPeace
March 24th, 2013 at 19:29
Never too late, welcome! Looking forward to seeing your titles. Let me know if you need suggestions. you can look at what I have reviewed so far myself [http://wordsandpeace.com/2012/12/04/2013-books-on-france-challenge-my-list/] for this challenge, and the others who joined this challenge. or my France Goodreads shelf – right now 218 books on it!: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5215426-emma?format=html&shelf=france
whatmeread
April 9th, 2013 at 07:53
This is not normally the type of book you read, but you might want to check out my review of My Alsace, a children’s book by the beloved Alsatian artist Hansi:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/my-alsace/
WordsAndPeace
April 9th, 2013 at 08:23
I actually do read some picture/children books from time to time, and this one looks so lovely, and I love Alsace! Thanks! Just added to my TBR
whatmeread
April 9th, 2013 at 11:06
Great! It’s also quite funny at times!
WordsAndPeace
April 9th, 2013 at 14:18
thanks again
Lianne @ caffeinatedlife.net
April 23rd, 2013 at 10:25
Am super late with this; I wasn’t thinking of signing up for a book challenge this year but with all the French-themed & -related books on my to-read list recently, I figured, why not?
Thanks for hosting this!
Lianne @ caffeinatedlife.net
April 23rd, 2013 at 10:33
Btw, are re-reads acceptable for this challenge? Just wondering
WordsAndPeace
April 23rd, 2013 at 11:17
absolutely!
Lianne @ caffeinatedlife.net
April 23rd, 2013 at 15:19
Awesome, thanks!
WordsAndPeace
April 23rd, 2013 at 16:17
you are welcome, thanks for joining the Challenge
WordsAndPeace
April 23rd, 2013 at 11:20
Mieux vaut tard que jamais, as we say in French. With the great list you have, should be a fun challenge for you! I was wondering, would be interested in reviewing another book of France? see here, and let me know: http://francebooktours.com/2013/04/19/paulita-kincer-on-upcoming-tour-the-summer-of-france/
you can send me an email at francebooktours at gmail dot com, and I will send you all the necessary material if you are interested
Lianne @ caffeinatedlife.net
April 23rd, 2013 at 15:21
Haha, yeah, this is going to be the year that I delve into French classics *thumbs up*
Thanks for considering me re: the book/book tour, I remember seeing it on GoodReads and thinking that it was very interesting. I will email you about it
WordsAndPeace
April 23rd, 2013 at 16:19
great, just sent you the necessary info.
and there are already 2 other tours on books set in France waiting if you are interested also, let me know. see in the sidebar: http://francebooktours.com/
WordsAndPeace
November 16th, 2012 at 09:14
yeah! and you are the first to join my Challenge too, congratulations! exciting, we are already 4 in. I’m now following you through RSS
WordsAndPeace
December 18th, 2012 at 09:15
Great, good luck!
testeban333
December 22nd, 2012 at 15:27
Ok, thanks! (sorry, I posted the question twice!) I’ll post the “challenge” in a few days and then I’ll add it to Mister Linky
WordsAndPeace
December 22nd, 2012 at 19:09
no problem, I deleted the repeat question. looking forward to your selection
WordsAndPeace
February 4th, 2013 at 19:59
Welcome! Wonderful titles! I have not read #3,6,7 and t7, that is the Stevenson. I loved Les mémoires d’une jeune fille rangée, by Simone de Beauvoir.
WordsAndPeace
February 5th, 2013 at 18:00
Thanks for joining, so much fun for seeing my blog read in other languages. You have a nice list lined up. I have read them all, great books. By the way, just got back from the library, and I stumbled on a collection of essays by Umberto Eco. one is on Victor Hugo.
I love the name and meaning of your blog. Sounds more poetic that in my languages
WordsAndPeace
March 31st, 2013 at 21:01
Great! And thanks for your review, I have been debating if I should try to read it or not, not reading YA usually
WordsAndPeace
April 8th, 2013 at 11:32
I had no idea this was set in France, never saw this was advertized as such, can’t see anything about this in the Goodreads synopsis. I wish you could talk a bit more about this in your review, especially as you link it to this challenge. What period are we talking about? Pre WWII? what region? I’m curious. thanks
WordsAndPeace
April 13th, 2013 at 10:28
thanks, and congratulations for already reaching your challenge goal, but you can always shoot now higher!
WordsAndPeace
April 23rd, 2013 at 11:17
welcome! great list!
WordsAndPeace
May 20th, 2013 at 11:34
congratulations, you are doing great on this challenge!
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