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Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Classics)
 
 

Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Classics) (Paperback)

by Pierre Ambroise Francois Choderlos de Laclos (Author), P.W.K. Stone (Translator) "A carriage has just come to the door and Mamma has sent to tell me to come to her room at once ..." (more)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Classics; New impression edition (19 Nov 2001)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0140441166
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140441161
  • Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.8 x 2.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 199,860 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #4 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > L > Laclos, Pierre Choderlos de

Product Description

Dr. Paraic Finnerty, University of Portsmouth.

"The Oxford World's Classic edition offers students an excellent introduction to this classic text and also important notes and chronologies." --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.


Product Description

An epistolary novel chronicles the cruel seduction of a young girl by two ruthless, 18th-century aristocrats.

Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
A carriage has just come to the door and Mamma has sent to tell me to come to her room at once. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

9 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars same reviews for 2 different books..., 17 April 2007
I just wanted to write a review about the Oxford edition of this book and not the penguin classic one, and the same reviews are under both books !?

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I have read the penguin classic version translated by PWK Stone, and I have just read the available pages on here of the Oxford edition, and its really is awful. The way it has been translated is clumsy and ugly, it sounds too modern...wheras the penguin classic version has been modernised but still retains some flavour of 18th century france along with being readable.

I would just suggest to anyone wanting to read this book to read Stones' translation and not touch this one, or at least read the first few pages of each and compare them. If I had started reading the oxford version I think I would never have bothered reading the book.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars "Neither be cynical about love....", 31 May 2009
By Four Violets (Hertford UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)      
In spite of this being the second time of reading, and having seen two versions of the film, I still burnt the candle at both ends to finish this.

Tension builds up as two jaded and cynical ex-lovers in eighteenth century France, Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil, plot and scheme with selfishness and cruelty to seduce others for their gratification or revenge. The Marquise is incensed when Valmont falls in love, in spite of himself, with a virtuous married woman, but by plotting the downfall of her rival the Marquise brings about an ultimate all-round destruction.

Don't be put off by the fact the book consists entirely of letters. It works perfectly, and the psychological depth of each of the characters is astonishing, particularly the understanding Laclos has of the rivalries between and amongst the sexes. I almost pitied Valmont who realised too late the value of what he had lost, and the unworthiness of her he had made the sacrifice for. I kept thinking of these words from Desiderata: "neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass." Too late, he laments "we are only happy through love."

However I would not particularly recommend this, my 1924 translation and introduction. I am sure it has since been improved.


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9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book - shame about the introduction, 4 Nov 2003
Having been an ardent fan of the film since it's first release I thought it was about time I read the real thing. I chose this as one translation should be good as another. While I can't comment on the quality of the translation (having nothing to compare it to) the one thing that stops an otherwise excellent book is the droning introduction.

Richard Adlington seems to have an axe to grind. In his haste to do this he manages at times to contradict himself in places within the space of 2 pages. Rather than just giving an historically accurate picture of Laclos he seems to take great joy in trying to rubbish everything that has been written about Laclos prior to this book. While this may be targetted at students with a particular interest in the life of Laclos, I just found his incessant rebukes irriatating.

The second and probably more irrating issue is the continual use of phrases in French throughout the introduction without translation. Surprisingly, I bought a translation because my French is not fluent. By all means put the phrases in French, but at least have the common sense to put the translation in given the whole point of the book is that it is a translation.

If it wasn't for these 2 issues with the introduction I would have given it 5 stars. If Richard wants to write a book on Laclos and get his point of view across then he should do it and not spoil what is an otherwise brilliant and captivating read.

My advice - if you don't have to read the introduction then skip it and go straight into the writings of Laclos.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece.
Choderlos de Laclos, on the strength of this one book, was a master writer.
That this novel, written in 1779, seems so modern and fresh in 2009 is surely a mark of genius... Read more
Published 7 months ago by H. Carlton

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
I am not usually a fan of epistolary novels, but after being captivated by "Cruel Intentions" I decided I had to read the book the film was based on. Read more
Published 16 months ago by N. Aitken

5.0 out of 5 stars Aaaaah Laclos
Laclos is great - even if his other book was a complete flop.

This was actually written as a sort of criticism of the times - but it's only serves as a sort of... Read more
Published on 4 May 2007 by L. Dablin

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favourite book ever!
I first got this book out off the library, I forget where i'd heard it mentioned but it sounded good. Read more
Published on 28 Mar 2004 by psycho_189

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, and this is the best edition
This is a book that deserves its fame. It surpasses the excellent movie(s) made of it, and justifies Laclos' standing as a memorable writer. Read more
Published on 30 Nov 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars This book was better detailed than those old history books!!
This book was better detailed than those old history books they make me read in history class about the 18th century. It was the best!!!
Published on 22 Jan 2000

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