Toilers of the Sea (Version 2)


Lu par John Greenman

(4 stars; 6 reviews)

The book is dedicated to the island of Guernsey, where Victor Hugo spent 15 years in exile. Hugo uses the setting of a small island community to convert seemingly mundane events into drama of the highest caliber. Set just after the Napoleonic Wars, Toilers of the Sea deals with the impact of the Industrial Revolution upon the island. The story concerns a Guernseyman named Gilliatt, a social outcast who falls in love with Deruchette, the niece of a local shipowner, Mess Lethierry. When Lethierry's ship is wrecked on a perilous reef, Deruchette promises to marry whoever can salvage the ship's steam engine. Gilliatt eagerly volunteers, and the story follows his physical trials and tribulations, as well as the undeserved disapproval of his neighbors.
This is a recording of the Isabel Hapgood translation, long considered the best of early translations of the work. - Summary by John Greenman (17 hr 4 min)

Chapitres

Volume I - Dedication & Preface 2:17 Lu par John Greenman
Book First - What a Bad Reputation is Composed of - Chapter I - A Word Written … 4:50 Lu par John Greenman
Chaptef II - The Bû de la Rue 11:07 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - For your Wife when you Marry 8:11 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IV - Unpopularity 20:52 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter V - Other Suspicious Things about Gilliatt 7:18 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VI - The Paunch Boat 12:21 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VII - For a Haunted House, a Visionary Inhabitant 7:19 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VIII - The Chair of Gild-Holm-'Ur 6:25 Lu par John Greenman
Book Second - Mess Lethierry - Chapter I - A Restless Life and a Quiet Conscien… 5:44 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - A Taste which he had 4:41 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - The Ancient Dialect of the Sea 6:15 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IV - One is Vulnerable through what one Loves 3:42 Lu par John Greenman
Book Third - Durande and Déruchette - Chapter I - Chatter and Smoke 8:24 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - The Eternal History of Utopia 5:05 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - Rantaine 9:31 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IV - Continuation of the History of Utopia 5:42 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter V - The Devil-Boat 11:59 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VI - Entrance of Lethierry into Glory 5:17 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VII - The same Godfather and the same Protectress 5:33 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VIII - "Bonny Dundee" 8:25 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IX - The Man who had seen through Rantaine 3:00 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter X - Tales of Long Voyages 7:00 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter XI - A Glance at Possible Husbands 3:12 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter XII - An Exception in the Character of Lethierry 11:43 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter XIII - Heedlessness adds New Grace to Beauty 3:33 Lu par John Greenman
Book Fourth - The Bagpipe - Chaprer I - The First Gleams of Dawn, or a Conflagr… 6:25 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - An Entrance, Step by Step, into the Unknown 5:59 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - The Air "Bonny Dundee" finds an Echo on the Hill 3:15 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IV - A Nocturnal Serenade 5:20 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter V - Well-Merited Success is always Hated 3:29 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VI - The Luck of a Shipwrecked Crew in meeting a Sloop 5:39 Lu par John Greenman
Book Fifth - The Revolver - Chapter I - The Conversation at the Jean Tavern 18:27 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - Clubin perceives some one 5:58 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - Clubin Carries Away and does not Bring Back 6:49 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IV - Plainmont 18:07 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter V - The Bird-Nesters 22:07 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VI - The Jacressarde 17:17 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VII - Nocturnal Purchasers and a Shady Vendor 7:29 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VIII - The Red Ball and the Black Ball Carom 22:39 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IX - Information Useful to Persons who await or who fear Letters from A… 10:11 Lu par John Greenman
Book Sixth - The Drunken Helmsman and the Sober Captain - Chapter I - The Douvr… 8:13 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - Unexpected Brandy 8:42 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - Interrupted Conversations 17:20 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IV - In which Captain Clubin displays all his Qualities 12:59 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter V - Clubin puts the Finishing Touch to Admiration 9:35 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VI - The Interior of an Abyss Illuminated 20:59 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VII - The Unexpected intervenes 9:46 Lu par John Greenman
Book Seventh - The Imprudence of asking Questions of a. Book - Chapter I - The … 19:27 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - Much Astonishment on the Western Coast 11:19 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - Tempt not the Bible 20:39 Lu par John Greenman
Volume II - Part Two - Gilliatt The Crafty - Book First - The Reef - Chapter I … 13:24 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - The Thoroughness of the Disaster 7:20 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - Sound but not Safe 3:54 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IV - A Preliminary Exmination 7:19 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter V - A Word as to the Secret Cooperation of the Elements 10:22 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VI - A Stable for the Horse 5:54 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VII - A Chamber for the Traveller 18:20 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VIII - Importunaeque Volucres 5:36 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IX - The Reef, and the Manner of Using it 8:01 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter X - The Forge 10:44 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter XI - A Discovery 10:20 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter XII - The Interior of a Submarine Edifice 5:33 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter XIII - What one sees there, and what one gets a Glimpse of 14:53 Lu par John Greenman
Book Second - Labor - Chapter I - The Resources of one who lacks Everything 7:03 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - How Shakespeare and Aeschylus can meet 4:42 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - Gilliatt's Masterpiece comes to the succor of Lethierry's Masterp… 9:09 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IV - Sub Re 15:42 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter V - Sub Umbra 16:50 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VI - Gilliatt brings the Paunch into Position 6:31 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VII - A Danger at Once 8:24 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VIII - Change rather than Conclusion 8:48 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IX - Success snatched away as soon as granted 4:04 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter X - The Warnings of the Sea 7:41 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter XI - A Word to the Wise is Sufficient 7:06 Lu par John Greenman
Book Third - The Battle - Chapter I - Extremes Meet 4:13 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - Sea Breezes 9:17 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - Explanation of the Noise to which Gilliatt Listened 8:51 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IV - Turba, Turma 6:07 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter V - Gilliatt has his Choice 2:32 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VI - The Combat 51:20 Lu par John Greenman
Book Four - The Pitfalls of the Obstacle - Chapter I - A Man who is Hungry is n… 11:37 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - The Monster 20:49 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - Another Form of Combat in the Gulf 7:13 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IV - Nothing is Hidden and Nothing is Lost 9:48 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter V - In the Interval which Separates Six Inches from Two Feet there is R… 8:41 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VI - De Profundis ad Altum 16:56 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter VII - There is an Ear in the Unknown 4:48 Lu par John Greenman
Part Third - Déruchette - Book First - Night and Morn - Chapter I - The Bell of… 37:45 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - Again the Port Bell 21:15 Lu par John Greenman
Book Second - Gratitude in Full Despotism - Chapter I - Joy Surrounded by Angui… 24:41 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - The Leather Trunk 5:14 Lu par John Greenman
Book Third - Departure of the "Cashmere" - Chapter I - The Havelet quite close … 7:31 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter II - Despairs in Presence of Each Other 18:25 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter III - The Foresight of Abnegation 12:13 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter IV - "For your Wife when you Marry" 8:34 Lu par John Greenman
Chapter V - The Great Tomb 21:47 Lu par John Greenman

Critiques

a tragic hero


(4 stars)

amazing book I think it's a wonderful period piece displaying the culture of that shore of the strait and setting up an exemplary tragic hero

Very sad story


(4 stars)

much more tragic than the hunchback of notre-dame - reading is fine but technically poor as the volume is too low

A Great Story


(5 stars)

Full of passion and unique characters. I fell in love (again) with the sea and its people. We'll read too.

Not what I expected


(1 stars)

Too many references to superstitions of ignorant folk!