Your reading during the year 2007

[Janine]

Oh, wasn't Jeremy Irons just dishy in it?!? You should read The Loved One next. For me, the next on my list of his (if I ever get around to it!) is Black Mischief.

LW, what are you doing up this late?...oh yeah, little earlier there, I guess. I getting really tired out, sleepy; I should go to bed. The real question is what am I doing up, considering I just watched a movie that was very odd, poor acting, way below par; what a waste of my time .

Well yes, of course, Jeremy Irons was dishy; I love Jeremy Irons; so was Anthony Andrews. You know years back I saw him in "Ivanhoe" and I am dying to find that film again. I haven't yet. I just loved that film! He was adorable in it, more appealing than in 'Brideshead'. When the miniseries was on TV, I missed it, and so I finally requested it at my library and they got it for me from another library. This reminds me that I looked at your library site. I never order books or videos, from my home computer or phone, to be held for me. I just take my chances, when I got in there - it is not there I will get it next time, no big deal. I did not quite understand why you were so upset except to say my library is really close to my house so I can make frequent trips there.
Did you know that "Fortunes of War" ran the same time as "Brideshead"? They were competing. I really love "Fortunes of War", that may be because of 'you know who'!
I will keep those other Waugh books in-mind. Thanks for suggesting them.

You're crazy! Horrible book! ***ducks from Janine as she throws a gigantic hardcover version of Rebecca at my head*** Maybe, sometime in my life, I will give in and try it again. We'll see. I have 130+ books to get through first! Just to avoid this one, I will keep buying more books so that I can always say "Oh, I would like to give it another try, but I have "x" number of books to read first".

Crazy!??? You are awful!!! Many people feel that the Hitchcock film is a masterpiece of cinema. The book is a 'gothic' atmospheric classic! I can't believe you - what don't you like about it? Granted it is not the heaviest or most complex read in the world, but even my mother loved the book and I can't get her interested in many books these days. Unfortunately, I don't have a hardcover version to throw at you!

I know about that lineup of books to read; I have piles and piles and I can't seem to get to them all, and one keeps adding on more, at least mentally. Instead, in order to discuss several of the books on my booklist, I had to re-read them for review, this year. I like to re-read a good book though. I usually get more out of it, the second time around. I don't care if I consume, all the world's literature in my lifetime, but let me sample at least something from many of the classic authors. Some authors I have read extensively, such as Thomas Hardy, D.H.Lawrence, and Shakespeare....I guess my list is pretty decent, considering.

I have her biography of Branwell Bronte. At some point I have to read that, too. Mainly because my grandmother bought it for me years ago when she first saw it. I think I might be more interested in her version of a real person's life rather than a fictional life.

I don't have that book, but it sounds interesting; I think I picked up a biography about du Maurier, at my library in the give-away shelf. It was a hardcover, too....maybe I should throw that one at you!!!

[LadyWentworth]

LW, what are you doing up this late?...oh yeah, little earlier there, I guess. I getting really tired out, sleepy; I should go to bed. The real question is what am I doing up, considering I just watched a movie that was very odd, poor acting, way below par; what a waste of my time .

I don't know why I am up! I actually should go to bed now because I have to get up for the job thing with my sister-in-law. I will find out my "duties" tomorrow.

This reminds me that I looked at your library site. I never order books or videos, from my home computer or phone, to be held for me. I just take my chances, when I got in there - it is not there I will get it next time, no big deal. I did not quite understand why you were so upset except to say my library is really close to my house so I can make frequent trips there.

I am upset because most of the stuff that I request are located in libraries nowhere near my house. So, I really don't want to waste the gas money to go across town just to check out a CD. Besides, there are a lot of people who can't/don't drive. This isn't a nice thing to do to them! I just don't accept lame excuses for things that companies/businesses/corporations/organizations/et.c. always tend to use.

Did you know that "Fortunes of War" ran the same time as "Brideshead"? They were competing. I really love "Fortunes of War", that may be because of 'you know who'!

Why do you know this? How did you know that they competed against each other? I think you have officially out-done me with "useless" information! Of course, I always find information like that to be useful to me! So, thanks for telling me that! Every little bit more makes me that much more informed on things in life!

Many people feel that the Hitchcock film is a masterpiece of cinema. The book is a 'gothic' atmospheric classic! I can't believe you - what don't you like about it? Granted it is not the heaviest or most complex read in the world, but even my mother loved the book and I can't get her interested in many books these days. Unfortunately, I don't have a hardcover version to throw at you!

I can't bring myself to ever watch the film either even though I like Hitchcock. I also am not a fan of Joan Fontaine. It takes a lot for me to ignore her! Anyway, I have seen clips of it. I am more apt to sit through that rather than read the book. Next time it is on TV. If it is on when I have NOTHING else to do!

What don't I like? It is dull and boring. It just drags on. Like I said, though, I tried to read it years ago. Maybe I wouldn't feel that way now.

I don't have that book, but it sounds interesting; I think I picked up a biography about du Maurier, at my library in the give-away shelf. It was a hardcover, too....maybe I should throw that one at you!!!

I'll loan the Bronte biography to you so you can have that to throw at my head. That is a nice hardcover one for you to use to knock some sense into it!

[Lain]

Hello! I really loved Emma and Northanger Abbey!

"Emma" was about a young woman (Emma) and her love for match-making. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but it is great. There is a lot of comedy as well as romance. A lot of mysterious characters/secrets as well! It does tend to get picked on by some while others love it; but I guess it really depends on the reader and his/her interests.

"Northanger Abbey" was about a young woman, Catherine, who goes to stay with friends/family in Bath. There, she meets a young man and ends up visiting his home at Northanger Abbey. She is a big gothic/mystery novel reader and so she sort of lets her imagination run wild. The consequences of this are both good and bad. It was also a great book. The novel itself was gothic.

You will have to let me know how you like "Sense and Sensibility"! Jane Austen is great! I'm glad you liked "Pride and Prejudice"! That was such a romantic novel! Have you seen the movie?

Hope this helped!

Thank you! This was great, it did help. Now I just have to go to the library and see what I can find. I'm really in the mood for Jane Austen.

[Janine]

I don't know why I am up! I actually should go to bed now because I have to get up for the job thing with my sister-in-law. I will find out my "duties" tomorrow.

LW, good day to you! I guess you finally called it quits and went to bed last night. I did too, but at an ungodly hour as usual. I really need to reform! I hope 'duties' and 'job thing' turns out to be a good thing for you. You must keep me informed.

I am upset because most of the stuff that I request are located in libraries nowhere near my house. So, I really don't want to waste the gas money to go across town just to check out a CD. Besides, there are a lot of people who can't/don't drive. This isn't a nice thing to do to them! I just don't accept lame excuses for things that companies/businesses/corporations/organizations/et.c. always tend to use

.

I can see your point entirely. So sorry. I can go to my library a dozen times a day to check, well if I wanted to, and I can also check the listing of availability on their website and call them and they would, most likely, hold it for me. I only occasionally request films from other libraries in the system. Sorry you can't do that anymore. Full availability might not last here either, the way the economy is going. Then I will be

Why do you know this? How did you know that they competed against each other? I think you have officially out-done me with "useless" information! Of course, I always find information like that to be useful to me! So, thanks for telling me that! Every little bit more makes me that much more informed on things in life!

Good question. I really don't recall the exact source, so I can't back it up, until I locate that source; statement. I just stashed that info away in my own cluttered brain one day, a brain which also files countless bits of 'useless' information like you pointed out. It was suppose to be one network's answer to the other's, or something like that. I don't recall what networks they ran on do you? One definitely was the BBC. I may have read it on the KB Compendium site, or maybe just online when researching the film to buy. It may have been on Amazon. Or it might not have said 'compete' but that they ran simulaneously and so one overshadowed the other. I will try to find my source. In doing so, no doubt I will gather more 'useless' information to add to my brain file!

Anyway, I am sure we could both outdo each other with tons of 'useless' information like this.

I can't bring myself to ever watch the film either even though I like Hitchcock. I also am not a fan of Joan Fontaine. It takes a lot for me to ignore her! Anyway, I have seen clips of it. I am more apt to sit through that rather than read the book. Next time it is on TV. If it is on when I have NOTHING else to do!

Well, I liked the old film and it is very classic Hitchcock in presentation but I did not particularly love Fontaine either. She was ok and now that I have thought about it and read some commentary, truly she was too old for the part. This is suppose to be a fairly innocent inexperienced young woman, who is quite taken by an older charming man. This is why I said the newer version of the film fits the story more closely. I guess the big draw for the Hitchcock film was Olivier as Maxim. I am not even sure he fit the role entirely now that I read the book several times. But hey, to each his own. Maybe you won't like the film. The person who stole the show was the villianous housekeeper - can't recall her name now or the actress who played her. It is worth seeing the film just for her performance. The woman in the new production was good, a British well known actress, but the classic Hitchcock character can never be paralleled. She is completely scary and ominous.

What don't I like? It is dull and boring. It just drags on. Like I said, though, I tried to read it years ago. Maybe I wouldn't feel that way now.

Well, odd because my mother's attention span these days has greatly diminished and she read it fine and did not find it at all boring. I guess if you did not get past the beginning parts, when the woman (who by the way, is never named in the novel or the films) meets up with Maxim and they fall in love, then I guess it would appear to be a boring book. Who knows, maybe my mother skimmed the first part. She reads more rapidly than I do, but often goes back to review. I have not heard of many people being bored by "Rebecca", so maybe it was just the time period in your life when you tried to read it and your mood then; now it may interest more. I find this true. When I first attempted "Sons and Lovers", I could not get past chapter 1, but now I just love the book and have read it twice. It is one of my favorites.

I'll loan the Bronte biography to you so you can have that to throw at my head. That is a nice hardcover one for you to use to knock some sense into it!

That's quite alright! I have enough to read already and also enough hardcover books I can heave at you!