Two Words, One Answer.
Sentimental
 Sentimental Journey $8.99 Great compilation, poor, poor sound quality. I have this on a playlist with my Dean Martin's Greatest Hits, and on shuffle, I'm entreated to clear Dino, and scratchy, tinny Sentimental Journey. I would really like to see remastered tracks. Especially for the higher price.  Barbie - Sentimental Valentine Doll - 2nd in Be My Valentine Series - Hallmark Special Edition - Limited edition - Collectible $14.50 1996 - Mattel - Sentimental Valentine Barbie - Hallmark Special Edition - 2nd in a Series - The Be My Valentine Collector Series - Rare Edition - Limited Edition - Mint in PAckage - Collectible  A Sentimental Education (Oxford World's Classics) $7.95 As none of Flaubert's other works are as widely known as Madame Bovary, I assumed they must be inferior, and did not rush to read them. When I finally started reading Sentimental Education, I was immediately struck by its relative lack of refinement, and I almost put it down. I am quite glad I did not: it has become my favorite literary work of all time. Unfortunately, there isn't a single adjective I can use to describe its magnificence, and I certainly would not say it is "greater" than Madame Bovary. It takes minimal interest in doing the things that are generally considered important; for example, there is not a single articulable "idea" presented in the novel. The action reaches a climax near the end, but it is rather arbitrary, and even feels forced. There is a central metaphor, I suppose, but not the sort of puzzle-piece metaphor one would find in Tolstoy's work. And yet, I feel the rejection of the conventions of "great" literature are greatly to Flaubert's credit. In Sentimental Education, Flaubert directly accomplishes those things that literary conventions were developed to accomplish. To provide an incomplete list of those things, he establishes an intimate and emotional connection with the reader, illustrates a number of the fundamental properties of the world we live in, and provides that aesthetic bliss found only in masterful art. As further evidence of this novel's awesomeness that I couldn't fit into a properly organized paragraph, this is the only book I've ever had dreams about, and indeed I continue to have dreams about it. According to the introduction, Kafka also had dreams about it. REGARDING THE Penguin Classics EDITION SPECIFICALLY: There are a few stray stupidities with this edition, but I think it is probably the best available. I compared portions of the translation to the original French, and it is certainly more faithful than the Oxford edition. The chapter-by-chapter timeline and the corresponding historical timeline are very useful and efficient. The introduction is interesting and relevant, and even contains a polite spoiler warning. My biggest objection is the glaring abridgment of the novel's title. The full title is "L'Education Sentimentale: Histoire d'un Jeune Homme." The latter portion of the title comes into play when, on page 192, a character makes direct allusion to it, saying that he will "write a little novel entitled A History of the Idea of Justice." Readers of the Penguin edition are at risk of entirely missing this allusion. Another objection is that no character list is presented, as the characters are introduced confusingly and and so great in number that, if the reader isn't keeping a list him/herself, he/she will entirely lose track of them. Finally, there are a few words that are not translated, and no note is given on their meaning. Some are used commonly by English speakers, but one or two I was never able to figure out the meaning of. That said, this novel is highly recommended, and the Penguin edition is the best available. |
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