Sunday, July 22, 2007
 
Book Report: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (1844, 1999?)
I got this book as a selection in the Readers' Digest World's Best Reading (remember them?) back when I thought having a number of books in handsome hardback editions was a good way to expend that gratuitous money I was making. As I got random books from old college syllabi, I eventually determined that book fairs would provide easier access to the great literature I wanted. Still, I'd seen the movies (The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers), so I thought I'd give the book a try.

It's a pretty good book; I read it faster than Anna Karenina, and I liked it better. It's a swashbuckler; instead of The Russian Question, we get court intrigue. Oddly, both books started out as serials, but The Three Musketeers strikes me as more engaging and entertaining.

I guess watching the films first helped me to get context, much like reading a Cliff Notes will give you an idea of how things will go so you're engaged in getting there.

So I liked the book enough that I'm more impressed with the form, that is, serialized novels that have made their way into our literary canon. Which is a good thing since I have so many Charles Dickens books lying about.

In a stunning turn of events, this book marks the fourth and final book from this list that I had on my to-read shelf that I hadn't yet read. I've read them all this year.

Maybe I need another hobby. Nah.

Books mentioned in this review:


- posted by Brian J. @ 11:00 PM
Comments:
I have that book on my bookshelf as well. I still haven't read it. It is a million pages long.
# posted by Blogger Deb : Monday, July 23, 2007 5:27:00 AM
 


It's not that long. Under 600 pages. Still, it's not as fast-paced as today's thrillers, but once they get over the 350 page mark, I automatically start groaning internally under the weight, regardless of the book.

But since I am at almost 70 books this year so far, I figured I could take some time and read the long ones.
# posted by Blogger Brian J. : Monday, July 23, 2007 1:59:00 PM
 


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To say Noggle, one first must be able to say the "Nah."