Translated by...

       These are the first words of "War and Peace", as translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky: "Eh bien, mon prince, Genes et Lucques ne sont plus que des apanages, des estates, de la famille Buonaparte." Then there is a little number "1" referring readers to a note found on page 1225. At the end of the first paragraph  -- all in French, except for twelve words -- is a little asterisk, referring readers to a translated version of the first paragraph -- from French into English. 

       I look ahead to see that the novel continues to be partly in French, sometimes with whole pages entirely in French.  And at the bottom of nearly every page are notes or translations, written in a tiny typeface (which I can't read without removing my glasses), with various symbols to distinguish them from each other. On page 7, for example, these symbols are found at the bottom of the page: *, +, ++ (on top of each other), s, #, **, ++ (sideways).

       I can't help but get the feeling that this book is going to be exhausting. 

       Which, given my goal of sleeping, might be a good thing.

       But really, if the translators were going through the trouble of translating the book, could they not just have directly translated the Russian and the French into English, without making one refer to an array of translated notes?

       Perhaps it is especially annoying for me. Since I sort of understand French, I find myself stumbling through it, only caught up by words like "apanages". Also, en francais, I am not entirely clear at first if Genes and Lucques are people or places. 

       With that enticing introduction, would any of you readers like to join me on my quest of completing "War and Peace" by the end of June?  Or if not "War and Peace", would you like to read some other "great book" that you have long felt you should read? 

       Perhaps we can lend support to each other. Please let me know.