Novel reading experiment

You're to be commended for you ambition. Not only will you help your reading skills, but you'll know the Chinese for all sorts of European artists and geographical locations. Maybe a future Chinese Pod lesson topic?

I'm no masochist. Bring on the Chinese Dr Seuss!

Out of interest how many characters would you say you know? Is there not a risk that the translation is a poor one? I would think in this case it would not be poor though. I was thinking of doing this for improving my listening by getting some movies that are either totally new to me and watch without subtitles and perhaps ones that I know well and listen to the sounds without subtitles.

We should probably try to get Bazza a pirated, I mean Chinese-dubbed (movie) version of The Da Vinci Code... after he posts that he finished the book.

Not really such really how many characters I know but I think I'm familiar with about 1000.

Maybe Bazza, you should start off with Harry Potter or something?

tough one. I am currently reading a book by 林语堂 and I find it hard to stay focused on the story rather than just picking up new vocab.

I read Alice in Wonderland through pretty quick, but it was more of a version for young teens. Still, lots of VERY interesting words in Alice in Wonderland, even in the English version!

if you can read a novel why not a chinese novel? it is easier and might let you learn something about china. Also translated novels have an added difficulty because of foreign place and peoples names. I am reading 兄弟 by 余华and recommend it. It started off funny (peeping tom story) but has become rather disturbing (文化革命events)

My favorite Chinese novel is 水浒传 (outlaws of the marsh). This was one of Mao's favorites as well and is rich in Chinese culture. My goal is to someday read it in Chinese. Another good novel rich in culture is 红楼梦 Honglou meng (dream of the red chamber also known as the story of the stone). Im sure Jenny has read this. I recommend both highly. -Bob

I've read the first 3 chapters so far and haven't much of a clue of anything that happened so far hehe.

are there some good chinese kids books? Incidently, that what would make a good chinesepod lesson...to transcript a chinese kids book.... "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" Now that I could probably read!!

I will not eat green eggs and ham...I will not eat them sam I am...not on a boat... not on a horse....etc..etc..I will not eat them...I don't not like green eggs and ham....

Bazza, I myself learn most from looking up words actively. It really helped my English to make it a habit to look up every word that I am not 100% certain with. I stopped following those "you have to infer the meaning from context" advices long ago. In the times we only had Chinese definitions in the Advanced lessons I looked up a word even if I did understand its definition. More often than not that turned out to be necessary. And not only do I look up every single uncertain word but every individual new character also.

henning, it would probably take me about 10 years to read it all if I did it that way. ;)

No, even if it would take you 50 days for the first 10 pages, I bet it will be down to 25 for the second 10, 10 for the third 10 pages, 5 up to page 40, 3 up to page 50 until you reach 2-4 pages per day.

I am reading 雷暴 (Thunderstorm) now. It is the original story to the movie that came out internationally last year, "Curse of the Golden Flower" with 巩俐(Gong Li). Its background/backdrop is different than the empress tail of the movie, as it takes place in Tianjin in the early 1900's with a struggle between lower and upper class. It is set as a play, so it is really easy to read, as you know when someone talks, and easier to follow. Because it is Chinese, you do learn a lot of how they behave, interact with each other, and think. For example, the opening, is a servant girl talking with her dad who is also servant to the rich people, and her talking about how he badly treats her, her mom, etc. Very interesting. And it is 对照 (bilingual) so if I really need to see the meaning, there is English, but usually avoid reading it. Such a book is sold at most every Foreign Bookstore in China in the English/Chinese novel area (usually for Chinese to learn English)

Only about 6 years then, Henning. ;)

Sorry, very bad maths there. lol Probably more like 3 to 4 months.

lol...that would take me a whole two seconds....wouldn't even need to open my eyes...