Pride and Prejudice

Angstrat and I had been toying with posting some movies and DVDs and since I seem to be unable to finish a book lately I though I'd take a crack at it. I went to Great Britain in 1997 (ten years ago!) as part of a college study abroad trip. While we where there our Brit Lit professor found out the BBC would be replaying this miniseries and basically moved heaven and earth to find a TV to watch it on. About a dozen (of both genders) of us watched with her, and became transfixed. I had read Pride and Prejudice before but because I'm an extremely literally minded person I hadn't really seen the humor in the book. Mr. Collins was a minster who came to Longbourne to propose to his cousin. ok. Now, watching the movie, I saw just how funny he and the Bennets could be. I also completely feel in love with Colin Firth's Darcy (along with every other woman on earth). I came home and got my husband, Angstrat and several other friends hooked on this great movie. My husband (then boyfriend) watched the first half (all I had rented) and said to me in a wail, "you HAVE to tell me what happens to Charlotte Lucas!!". This is a great adaptation, a great movie, and great fun.

Emma

If you haven't read Emma yet, I'm jealous, because the first time I read this book was such a treat for me. Unlike Jane Austen's best known book, Pride and Prejudice, the heroine of Emma is not entirely sympathetic. She's bit of a snob, she's a terrible meddler, she can't accurately "read" the people around her. But despite all of this, Emma is quite impressed with herself. Kind of like a real person. Kind of like me in fact (cough). And even though she's far from perfect, Emma triumphs in the end. Despite all of this, or maybe because of it, I loved this book more than P&P upon first reading. And I am sure everyone knows, this book was the inspiration for the movie Clueless. (PS just ignore my husband if he tries to tell you this book is boring- He's wrong!)

The Catcher in the Rye

I'm reading this book for the third time as a pick for one of my book clubs (yes, she said clubs plural). The first two times were in junior high and high school and I have to say that I am getting more out of it now. Perhaps it is just coming across more "lousy phonies" as an adult, or maybe just maturity helps me understand Holden Caulfield better, but I don't just see him as a crazy, incoherent kid running around New York City anymore. Instead he seems like a smart sensitive kid, who just cannot cope with growing up or the death of his younger brother. A great book that definitly deserved a re-read.

The Good Soldier

Here it is ladies and gentlemen, the book that killed my last book group. We had been meeting for 3 or 4 months, things were swell and then we had our meeting to discuss Bel Canto (one of Angstrat's previous picks). At that meeting, the hostess pulled out the Oprah magazine that featured Ann Patchett, Bel Canto's author. The article included a list of Patchett's favorite books and we decided we should read one off that list--The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford. We were disbanded in two months. The story of two couples who's lives are intertwined. John, the narrator, is a bit of a pathetic character, but the way he comes to the novels secrets is really interesting and he definitely has a distinct "voice." This is a book that does not read like it was written 90 years ago at all. I really liked it, but book clubs beware.