Part 1 -The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Written 180 years ago we step back in time through the pages of the classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. This is such a hefty book and contains so much we wanted to talk about we decided to break it up into two parts. We are really enjoying our Penguin Classics version of the book that features the A Storm with Smuggler's Landing on the cover. The artwork was done by Philip James de Loutherbourg (1740-1812)  In part one we try to give an overview of the story and lay the foundation by introducing characters and historical happenings. Our discussion covers the background on Alexandre Dumas and his struggles as a mixed race author. Dumas was inspired to pen The Count of Monte Cristo by a true story of an innocent man who was imprisoned unjustly. The story begins in 1815 and takes place in France, islands in the Mediterranean and Italy. Chapter one is the day that Napoleon left his first island of exile, starting the hundred days period when Bonaparte returned to power. Dumas expertly tied the plot of the story to actual events in history. The main character is Edmond Dantès, the wide-eyed, hard working, honest, handsome, naïve sailor who is unjustly imprisoned in the The Château d'If which is the equivalent of Alcatraz in the United States. The story follows Edmonds journey through insurmountable joy, confusion, devastating grief, harrowing loneliness, the life giving light of hope and the hardening of revenge.  The Count of Monte Cristo is our first French novel to read. We like to watch videos on Course Hero to help us learn how to properly pronounce the names in the book. Here is the podcast episode we mentioned from Politics By Faith with Mike Slater.  ======================================================================================================================= Be sure to let us know if you have read this novel or if you have books you would like to recommend.  You can join our Facebook Group, Recap Book Chat or leave us a voice memo. My favorite way to read is curled up with a soft blanket and a hot cozy drink in my hand. Currently my go to beverage is decaf coffee with Earth Echo's Cacao Bliss blended in. Ten powerful, organic superfoods that help with relaxation, joint pain, weight goals, and mental focus. Use my coupon code KATEM10 to get 10% off your order when you try their products. Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Connect with Kate and Sheila online at www.recapbookchat.com Note that some of the links above are affiliate links to books and brands we love and ones we think you will too! Keep those pages turning and those book lights burning!