Literature to help learn French

layers · 10-29-2013, 11:37 PM

I am trying to find any reading material that would help me utilize my French-English dictionaries on my e-reader. I have basic French skills, able to understand billboards when visiting Montreal, but I wish I could understand the French channels on TV (they have much better movies).

I was thinking that any children's book with illustrations would work. Or a comic in French. Or some magazine that helps you learn while reading articles? (like that German magazine, I think it was called Deutsche Perfekt

)

Does anybody know of any material that might help me?

bfisher · 10-30-2013, 02:26 PM

I once took an applied linguistics class where I had to read Alexandre Dumas pere The Count of Monte Cristo - Le Comte de Monte-Cristo in French while listening to the French audio book. I don't know how much that would actually help you with your French, but I did find it a very enjoyable language lesson.

Doitsu · 10-30-2013, 02:49 PM

I created a simple bilingual French-English ePub version of The Three Musketeers that you might find helpful.
You can download it from the MR Library.

caleb72 · 10-30-2013, 08:22 PM

One of the books quite often used to help with French reading is Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

I'm not sure if it's too simple for your level of French comprehension, but in case it happens to be a good start, this is in the public domain - and it's a charming story.

Here's the link in our MR library: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51483

samhy · 10-31-2013, 06:45 AM

+1 for Le petit prince

This is a good way to start reading in any foreign language. Harry Potter is also amongst my favorites, if you can easily find a French translation that is. Obviously, this isn't actual literature.
If literature is an important asset to you, can you give us more details on what kind of books you enjoy to read?

layers · 11-02-2013, 05:15 PM

Thanks a lot guys and girls

No, my brain isn't big enough to appreciate literature - I just like getting addicted to page-turners and funnies.

Is there also anything like a bilingual ebook? something like http://www.readingonline.org/article...it/figure1.jpg

Doitsu · 11-03-2013, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by layers

Is there also anything like a bilingual ebook? something like http://www.readingonline.org/article...it/figure1.jpg

A Russian developer has created a free parallel books app for Windows and Android, Aglona Reader.

He also offers a couple of free bilingual books for download. Unfortunately, none of them has French as source or target languages, but you could theoretically create your own bilingual books with the app.

straygator · 11-05-2013, 05:56 PM

I'm in a similar situation. I'll second Le Petit Prince and Harry Potter. I've enjoyed French translations of the Narnia books and several Agatha Christie mysteries as well. Not free, but fun and effective.

barutanseijin · 11-09-2013, 10:56 AM

The thing about French and English is that there are more cognates in more scholarly prose. For anglophones, BDs & novels can be more difficult to read than sociology books & Charlie Hebdo more difficult than le Monde diplomatique.

Bookpossum · 11-10-2013, 10:28 PM

What about reading some of the Maigret books by Georges Simenon, assuming you might enjoy mysteries and detective stories? Not great literature of course, but enjoyable and you would keep reading to find out "whodunnit".

10-29-2013, 11:37 PM	#1
layers Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: PRS-T1	Literature to help learn French I am trying to find any reading material that would help me utilize my French-English dictionaries on my e-reader. I have basic French skills, able to understand billboards when visiting Montreal, but I wish I could understand the French channels on TV (they have much better movies). I was thinking that any children's book with illustrations would work. Or a comic in French. Or some magazine that helps you learn while reading articles? (like that German magazine, I think it was called Deutsche Perfekt ) Does anybody know of any material that might help me?

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10-30-2013, 02:26 PM	#2
bfisher Wizard Posts: 1,638 Karma: 28483498 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Sony PRS-T3, Galaxy (Aldiko, Kobo app)	I once took an applied linguistics class where I had to read Alexandre Dumas pere The Count of Monte Cristo - Le Comte de Monte-Cristo in French while listening to the French audio book. I don't know how much that would actually help you with your French, but I did find it a very enjoyable language lesson.

10-30-2013, 02:49 PM	#3
Doitsu Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,584 Karma: 22735033 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle PW2	I created a simple bilingual French-English ePub version of The Three Musketeers that you might find helpful. You can download it from the MR Library.

10-30-2013, 08:22 PM	#4
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	One of the books quite often used to help with French reading is Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I'm not sure if it's too simple for your level of French comprehension, but in case it happens to be a good start, this is in the public domain - and it's a charming story. Here's the link in our MR library: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51483

10-31-2013, 06:45 AM	#5
samhy Wizard Posts: 1,820 Karma: 9503859 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: France Device: (Sony (J) PRS 650), Kobo Mini, Kobo Glo HD	+1 for Le petit prince This is a good way to start reading in any foreign language. Harry Potter is also amongst my favorites, if you can easily find a French translation that is. Obviously, this isn't actual literature. If literature is an important asset to you, can you give us more details on what kind of books you enjoy to read?

11-02-2013, 05:15 PM	#6
layers Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: PRS-T1	Thanks a lot guys and girls No, my brain isn't big enough to appreciate literature - I just like getting addicted to page-turners and funnies. Is there also anything like a bilingual ebook? something like http://www.readingonline.org/article...it/figure1.jpg

11-05-2013, 05:56 PM	#8
straygator Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 33904 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cayman Islands Device: Kindle	I'm in a similar situation. I'll second Le Petit Prince and Harry Potter. I've enjoyed French translations of the Narnia books and several Agatha Christie mysteries as well. Not free, but fun and effective.

11-09-2013, 10:56 AM	#9
barutanseijin Nxfgrrjks Posts: 99 Karma: 925422 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: New York, NY Device: aura hd	The thing about French and English is that there are more cognates in more scholarly prose. For anglophones, BDs & novels can be more difficult to read than sociology books & Charlie Hebdo more difficult than le Monde diplomatique.

11-10-2013, 10:28 PM	#10
Bookpossum Snoozing in the sun Posts: 10,137 Karma: 115423645 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch	What about reading some of the Maigret books by Georges Simenon, assuming you might enjoy mysteries and detective stories? Not great literature of course, but enjoyable and you would keep reading to find out "whodunnit".

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