[gagaslilmonsteruk]

Hey all,

I'm a French student at Aberystwyth University and have recently just finished my first year. During the summer, I will need to find ways to continue my studies. With speaking possibly taken care of by going away, and listening taken care of by listening to France 2 newscasts, I need to find a way to keep my reading going and writing too, as translation isn't a strong area of mine.

I am not a keen reader, but I do love the Harry Potter series and was thinking about beginning to purchase the French version of the books beginning with Harry Potter et l'école des sorciers, but I think Amazon is a tad expensive at around £8 considering how old the book is.

I have heard there are several differences in terms of story content and language; that doesn't bother me at all. Does anybody know somewhere reasonably cheap where I could purchase the first book? I would be extremely grateful.

Merci beaucoup!

[Squaresquirrel]

£8 seems like a good deal to me, sure the book is old but bearing in mind translation costs and all that and as long as its still new rather than used I don't really see the problem.

[chinaberry]

I've read HP in the two languages I'm doing for A level (first two in German, fifth in French- it was MASSIVELY long, I swear longer than the English version) and I got the first two for about 8 euros at a German bookshop and the 5th for 1,50 at a French vide-grenier. £8 isn't bad at all- I wanted to buy more French ones but they were soo expensive new.

[dannyoh]

Ipaid €7,49 at a supermarket in France for HP 1

[MrHappy_J]

is there a way of getting these books from the library?

[LancashireLass]

Have a look at www.amazon.fr, I think you get free delivery and with the exchange rate should work out cheaper. Good way of buying French books, quick delivery.

[iheartdjokovic]

I've bought Harry Potter 1 in French and Harry Potter 2 in German both off Amazon, I think it's a pretty good deal really

[Anatheme]

(Original post by gagaslilmonsteruk)
Hey all,

I'm a French student at Aberystwyth University and have recently just finished my first year. During the summer, I will need to find ways to continue my studies. With speaking possibly taken care of by going away, and listening taken care of by listening to France 2 newscasts, I need to find a way to keep my reading going and writing too, as translation isn't a strong area of mine.

I am not a keen reader, but I do love the Harry Potter series and was thinking about beginning to purchase the French version of the books beginning with Harry Potter et l'école des sorciers, but I think Amazon is a tad expensive at around £8 considering how old the book is.

I have heard there are several differences in terms of story content and language; that doesn't bother me at all. Does anybody know somewhere reasonably cheap where I could purchase the first book? I would be extremely grateful.

Merci beaucoup!

As well as reading Harry Potter (would that be challenging enough, considering you managed a first year at uni in the UK? I, too, learnt English by reading Harry Potter, but that was back in 2nde), I suggest you keep posting on TSR, it is quite geeky, but it's wonderful to learn slang and things that you wouldn't otherwise understand when spoken because of the references behind them (whereas reading on the Internet means you can have a search on Google to shed light on what you don't know).

However, what you really want to be doing would simply be to read academic texts like textbooks or journal articles, that will really improve your written English, even though knowing French already gives you (I believe) a massive headstart, especially if you took the French Bac and got used to the good old "thèse - antithèse - synthèse" for writing your dissertations.

[najabri]

I accidentally took home my French exchange's copy in Year 9, but I wouldn't recommend trying that tactic.
Have you tried ebay/amazon? As well as the listed items on the latter, you get people trading in their own ones; with such a popular book as HP, you're sure to find some on www.amazon.fr.

[EloiseStar]

I have this book which you are talking about. I got it off Amazon and yes it is pricey but I do recommend it! The quality is ok, the one this I noticed is at how the book bends, not at all 'stiff' like regular paper backs.

[funky_2cool]

(Original post by Anatheme)
As well as reading Harry Potter (would that be challenging enough, considering you managed a first year at uni in the UK? I, too, learnt English by reading Harry Potter, but that was back in 2nde), I suggest you keep posting on TSR, it is quite geeky, but it's wonderful to learn slang and things that you wouldn't otherwise understand when spoken because of the references behind them (whereas reading on the Internet means you can have a search on Google to shed light on what you don't know).

However, what you really want to be doing would simply be to read academic texts like textbooks or journal articles, that will really improve your written English, even though knowing French already gives you (I believe) a massive headstart, especially if you took the French Bac and got used to the good old "thèse - antithèse - synthèse" for writing your dissertations.

I think the OP studies French but is not actually French themself...??

[gagaslilmonsteruk]

(Original post by funky_2cool)
I think the OP studies French but is not actually French themself...??

You are correct I'm British/English (whichever you prefer I don't mind either) and studying French

[gagaslilmonsteruk]

(Original post by najabri)
I accidentally took home my French exchange's copy in Year 9, but I wouldn't recommend trying that tactic.
Have you tried ebay/amazon? As well as the listed items on the latter, you get people trading in their own ones; with such a popular book as HP, you're sure to find some on www.amazon.fr.

Many thanks. Only problem with amazon.fr is I'm certain you cannot pay using pound stirling (£) on that website, so I'm guessing you'd have to buy using euros.

[JOR2010]

(Original post by gagaslilmonsteruk)
Hey all,

I'm a French student at Aberystwyth University and have recently just finished my first year. During the summer, I will need to find ways to continue my studies. With speaking possibly taken care of by going away, and listening taken care of by listening to France 2 newscasts, I need to find a way to keep my reading going and writing too, as translation isn't a strong area of mine.

I am not a keen reader, but I do love the Harry Potter series and was thinking about beginning to purchase the French version of the books beginning with Harry Potter et l'école des sorciers, but I think Amazon is a tad expensive at around £8 considering how old the book is.

I have heard there are several differences in terms of story content and language; that doesn't bother me at all. Does anybody know somewhere reasonably cheap where I could purchase the first book? I would be extremely grateful.

Merci beaucoup!

£4.22 plus £2.80 delivery at the minute?

[emilym94]

I've seen some of the HP books in French, German, Russian and Spanish in my local library, I imagine they'd be available in most other libraries too?

[Ronove]

I can't stand reading translated lit. I would really recommend finding some French stuff to read instead or at least in addition. I didn't do French at uni so can't help much but one oft-quoted easy place to start is Le petit prince. I thought it was overrated so I'm not recommending it but you get the idea. Candide is awesome, I read it in English but you could do so in French? You're more than likely going to have to read texts in second year (surely?) so you might as well set your sights a bit higher. It doesn't have to be Harry Potter to be interesting.

[kayleigh.jean]

I bought my copy off Amazon or Play..think it was Amazon.fr though - only cost a few pounds; it's the folio junior copy. I love it because even though I can't understand everything, because I know it so well in English, I'm able to work stuff out and get a better understanding of French writing
a book I've read for my A-level studies is Therese Raquin, and despite being a classic, it's actually really good! Hate studying it, but as a read it's definitely worth it plus the film's out next year with Tom Felton in it

[kf289]

I just love that in the French version Harry Potter waves his magic baguette!

[Anatheme]

(Original post by funky_2cool)
I think the OP studies French but is not actually French themself...??

(Original post by gagaslilmonsteruk)
You are correct I'm British/English (whichever you prefer I don't mind either) and studying French

Aaah, fair enough, I didn't even think of "student of French", haha, I just assumed you were French…

[gagaslilmonsteruk]

(Original post by Anatheme)
Aaah, fair enough, I didn't even think of "student of French", haha, I just assumed you were French…

Lol that's fine :P I'm pretty close to France as it is anyway - well I can get good access to a ferry across La Manche anyway :P