Gervaise had waited up for Lantier until two in the morning. Then, shivering all over from sitting half undressed in the cold air from the window, she'd slumped across the bed, feeling feverish, her cheeks wet with tears. Brian Nelson | 2021 Gervaise had waited and watched for Lantier until two in the morning. Then … Continue reading The Assommoir | Émile Zola #Zoladdiction
Bendigeidfran son of Llŷr was crowned king over this island and invested with the crown of London. One afternoon he was in Harlech in Ardudwy, at one of his courts; he was sitting on the rock of Harlech, above the sea, with his brother Manawydan son of Llŷr, and his two brothers on his mother's side, … Continue reading The Mabinogion: The Second Branch of the Mabinogi | Sioned Davies #Dewithon23
The President of the Chamber remained standing until the faint stir caused by his entry subsided. Then he took his seat, saying rather nonchalantly, in a quiet voice: 'The sitting is open.' As always, I am facsinated by translation choices. Above are the opening lines from Brian Nelson's recent 2018 translation of Son Excellence Eugène … Continue reading Son Excellence Eugène Rougon | Émile Zola #Zoladdiction
La Teuse came in and popped her broom and her feather duster against the alter. Confession one: this story ended up being a chore to read. After six engaging, enthralling Zola's I have hit my first dud with the seventh. Confession two: for the past week I have been trying to read three books that … Continue reading The Sin of Abbé Mouret | Émile Zola #FRAclassic
Le Ventre de Paris (also known as The Belly of Paris - a direct translation, or The Fat and the Thin referring to one of the main ideas explored in the story) is not only an extremely visual story, but a visceral one too. Zola's descriptions of the food markets at Les Halles are colourful, … Continue reading The Belly of Paris | Émile Zola
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