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Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float
by
Sarah Schmelling (Goodreads Author)
In the bestselling tradition of Stuff White People Like and I Can Has Cheezburger?, the next online humor sensation makes the leap to book form
When humorist Sarah Schmelling transformed Hamlet into a Facebook news feed, it launched the next big humor trend-Facebook lit. This hilarious book is the first to bring more than fifty authors and stories from classic literature...more
When humorist Sarah Schmelling transformed Hamlet into a Facebook news feed, it launched the next big humor trend-Facebook lit. This hilarious book is the first to bring more than fifty authors and stories from classic literature...more
ebook, 288 pages
Published
August 25th 2009
by Penguin Group US
(first published July 23rd 2009)
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Community Reviews
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627)
Oct 14, 2009
Jenny
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
adult-classics,
adult-humor
Several years ago, a "Hamlet on Facebook" floated around the internet... Well, the author has published a book, presenting many of literature's classics through the medium of Facebook. We get a newsfeed of Shakespeare's history plays... we can take a "What sort of adulterous woman are you" quiz and read Hester Prynne's and Madame Bovary's squabblings about it... or see famous authors argue on someone-or-other's profile... It's like one giant in-joke for English majors.
The book is best taken in...more
The book is best taken in...more
So I picked up the book Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don’t Float mainly because I love anything Hamlet and anything Ophelia.
What I got was WAY more than I expected. First off this book is hilarious. It goes through a number of the classics by making them all like facebook.
So each novel has clubs they join, news feed updates, games they play, apps they add, friend request and comments, and this is how the author tells their stories.
She also added some author input and some sarcastic snark...more
What I got was WAY more than I expected. First off this book is hilarious. It goes through a number of the classics by making them all like facebook.
So each novel has clubs they join, news feed updates, games they play, apps they add, friend request and comments, and this is how the author tells their stories.
She also added some author input and some sarcastic snark...more
Apr 01, 2012
Sarah
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
personal-collection,
kindle
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
It's no secret that I love classic lit, and I love literary jokes (I think it's safe to say this to other book lovers) so when I saw the book Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float: Classic Lit Signs on to Facebook by Sarah Schmelling I had to buy it. Literally had to, I couldn't wait to get it. And let me tell you my friends, it was worth full-price. Let me sum up the book for you the short way: Classic Lit characters and authors on Facebook. Status updates, groups, poking and all. Th...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
From William Shakespeare’s introduction:
The following will not be tolerated here: Slurs, libel, dullness, status updates that inclde the phrase ‘[Your name here] hates Mondays’ or ‘Thank God it’s Friday.’ emoticons used in an effort to mask one’s lack of vocabulary, use of exclamation points that give us the impression you’ve OD’d on cocaine and Pixy Stix, and abuse of texting acronyms. Unless you are a six-month-old infant or a little girl in a tickle fight, you are not really rolling on the fl...more
The following will not be tolerated here: Slurs, libel, dullness, status updates that inclde the phrase ‘[Your name here] hates Mondays’ or ‘Thank God it’s Friday.’ emoticons used in an effort to mask one’s lack of vocabulary, use of exclamation points that give us the impression you’ve OD’d on cocaine and Pixy Stix, and abuse of texting acronyms. Unless you are a six-month-old infant or a little girl in a tickle fight, you are not really rolling on the fl...more
Jan 07, 2012
Mrs.soule
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
English majors, readers of classics
Entertaining and often laugh-out-loud funny, at least for the books I've actually read or read about.
Favorite Parts -
Pride & Prejudice Page:
Elizabeth sent Happy Feelings to Mr. Darcy.
Mr. Darcy: I don't receive gifts from people who are obviously beneath me.
Elizabeth: Yes, and it must be hard to see with your head so far up your butt.
Mr. Darcy has changed his privacy settings.
James Joyce's Profile:
James Joyce is.
Mark Twain: Is...what?
Charles Dickens: Yes, why not finish your sentence? You h...more
Favorite Parts -
Pride & Prejudice Page:
Elizabeth sent Happy Feelings to Mr. Darcy.
Mr. Darcy: I don't receive gifts from people who are obviously beneath me.
Elizabeth: Yes, and it must be hard to see with your head so far up your butt.
Mr. Darcy has changed his privacy settings.
James Joyce's Profile:
James Joyce is.
Mark Twain: Is...what?
Charles Dickens: Yes, why not finish your sentence? You h...more
A Very Short Review:
This book is perfect for lovers of literature. Provided, of course, you have a healthy sense of humour about the classics. If you think that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a travesty and that Android Karenina should be thrown into flames, you probably won't like this book. But if you like to make jokes about the various book (litmus test: watch Huck Finn in 4 minutes. If you laugh, the odds are you'll like it).
My literature (English A1 HL) class and I loved this book. We...more
This book is perfect for lovers of literature. Provided, of course, you have a healthy sense of humour about the classics. If you think that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a travesty and that Android Karenina should be thrown into flames, you probably won't like this book. But if you like to make jokes about the various book (litmus test: watch Huck Finn in 4 minutes. If you laugh, the odds are you'll like it).
My literature (English A1 HL) class and I loved this book. We...more
Funny way to modernize literature ala Facebook and Twitter update style. It should have had more separate sections to go over fully the other Shakespeare comedies instead of intertwining them (just my opinion). Also it would have nice to have some of the updates on Wilde stories, like Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest. And more profile information on Shakespeare, Shelley, Dickens, etc. In conclusion, literary buffs will find it a carefree way to look at the classics updated.
Aug 20, 2010
Anna Francesca
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
adult-fiction
This book was great at first, but it went on too long. Also, while I have read many of the books parodied, some I have not. Most of those jokes went over my head, and I bet this is a common occurance. I still like the idea of this text and think it could be a jumping-off point for student projects. I am also impressed by how well-versed the author is in both classic literature and online formats. One amusing section, for example, is a quiz of whether a situation came from a Shakespearean comedy...more
Jan 08, 2011
Kristy Sherrod
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who loves classic lit!
Recommended to Kristy by:
Ash Bruxvoort
Shelves:
favorites
"Elizabeth threw a sheep at Mr. Darcy." This is only one of the many hilarious lines from the Sarah Schmelling's book Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float: Classic Lit Signs on to Facebook. Schmelling has brilliantly taken our obsession with social networking and applied it to some of our favorite authors and characters from classic literature.
Read more at Coffee & Literature
Read more at Coffee & Literature
"Pip became a fan of Mean Girls." The perfect book for the literary nerd with a substantial sense of humor. I loved it, and appreciated the author's obvious love of, and respect for, classic literature. Of course, it's not for everyone. However, even if you haven't read all the books included, it's still a very fun read, and the hilarious sum-ups of the books you haven't read may pique your interest in reading the actual book.
Aug 27, 2010
Rach
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
challenge-10-summer,
2010
Pretty darn funny, especially if you've read the books and authors parodied inside. And are a facebook user, of course. Some, of course were funnier than others. I think my favorites were Romeo and Juliet with its teen over-exaggeration and angst ("Juliet OMG hooked up with random guy! Don't even know his NAME"), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland with its differing font sizes and comments from a wide range of characters and authors (Morpheus and Neo from the Matrix, Charlie, Jack, Kate and Sawyer...more
Given how rapidly Facebook evolves, this book is already outstandingly dated, but is still a funny take on all our favorite classics. I personally enjoyed the jabs at James Joyce, as I was a junior-year English major when this book came out, and I was sick to death of professors, students, etc, touting Joyce and telling me that I was somehow inept because I didn't enjoy him.
"Hester Prynne recieved a peice of flair."
"Richard III can't hear you cause I'm killing everybody!"
"The Serpent created the group Keeping the Tempted in Unattempted."
And, my favorite, Dickens on Joyce: "But why?"
I laughed and laughed. I may still be laughing.
If you're a big nerd (a category-Jed nerd), you might just enjoy this book.
"Richard III can't hear you cause I'm killing everybody!"
"The Serpent created the group Keeping the Tempted in Unattempted."
And, my favorite, Dickens on Joyce: "But why?"
I laughed and laughed. I may still be laughing.
If you're a big nerd (a category-Jed nerd), you might just enjoy this book.
Sep 17, 2010
Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
humor
I first learned about this in a First Reads giveaway, and was intrigued by the title. Who wouldn't be? (Besides, of course, people who don't care for black humor.) I didn't win, alas; and since my library didn't get the book and I wasn't interested enough to buy it, I sort of let it sit on my to-read list for a while. Then, one day, I saw it sitting in the remainder bin at a Borders, and snagged it.
Verdict: the introduction is amusing, and the gimmick/premise is promising. The Facebook adaptatio...more
Verdict: the introduction is amusing, and the gimmick/premise is promising. The Facebook adaptatio...more
This little book has a clever premise. We see the Facebook pages and "walls" for literary figures. He modern electronic slant and quick jabs are often hilarious. The downside is you need to have read a lot of these books to get all the wit so I have got more out of the authors I have actually read.
Sarah Schmelling's collection of classic lit adapted for Facebook is good for more than a few laughs, and if you want a sneak peak, check this out at McSweeneys: http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2008/7/30sc.... That's the Hamlet Facebook feed edition, which is hilarious. Readers should be warned that Hamlet is probably the best one in the book, and the quality is variable, but most of them are good reading, and a few of them are just brilliant. This is a good diverting read if you can get it from the l...more
This book is such a hoot! My husband (an English major) and I both really enjoy it. (The part on Jane Austen's Profile and the News Feed with "Pride and Prejudice" characters is my especial delight!) It's a book that is just great fun to skim over now and then when you want a good chuckle; it's very clever and witty and pays homage to the greats in Literature. I love that it brings them current with "Facebook" without demeaning the actual stories/characters themselves. I haven't read all the ent...more
view all 5 comments
Pretty funny read. Found myself laughing out loud at the bookstore when I read that Elizabeth threw a sheep at Mr. Darcy. It makes me want to go back and read books I've never read AND reread those I have, just to get some of the more subtle references and jokes.
I haven't laughed this hard at a book in a long time! This quirky book is the perfect blend of intellectual humor and pop-social stupidity, ideal for classic lit fans and English majors -- especially those who are a little too addicted to social networking media.
Jan 16, 2010
Laura Baugh
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
the literate, nerds
Recommended to Laura by:
Alena
I laughed until I hurt. The author has dead-on captured Juliet as a typical Facebook early-teen, and Puck's live feed is unbeatable. Covers a great mix of classic literature, keeps to the spirits of the originals, and is generally well done. Love it.
For the books I have read or knew something about, this was hilarious! But, many books I haven't read so the jokes went over my head. However, it just gave me reason to read all the classics mentioned here so that the hilarity can sink in!
i just kind of paged through this book -- i haven't read a lot of the works featured, honestly, and i'm not too familiar with them, so the humor would've just been lost on me. however, those i did read were very funny, some more than others. a fun book!
This book was downright hilarious!!! It took the classic literary characters and showed what their facebook feeds/updates/etc would be like if they had it! :)
Could not stop laughing hysterically! Seriously a must read!!
Could not stop laughing hysterically! Seriously a must read!!
Unless you really know the stories/authors that are being depicted, it might not be as funny. I knew most of them, so I thought it was pretty funny. My two favorite were the Macbeth and Gone with the Wind pages.
So, so clever! Schmelling has such a grasp on classic literature that her quips are almost (almost) over my head. A fun spin on social networking, especially since Facebook isn't going anywhere.
Hilarious! My facebook addiction meets my librarian nerd side. Facebook profiles of peeps of classic literature...Juliet really *is* annoying, Huck and Jim are now friends, and Jane Eyre just joined the group Famous Governesses of the World Who Love Their Masters, Even if it Bucks Societal Norms (Maria von Trapp likes this). I'm going to be playing with this book all week...
From the author of Hamlet on Facebook, this is...well, everything else on Facebook. It works best when you love the final work (Pride and Prejudice was fun, ditto Jane Eyre).
This was a hoot! Classic literature as if seen on Facebook- much better than a similar type book I read that was based on Twitter. I think the Hamlet may have been my favorite.
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Sarah Schmelling is an American journalist and humor writer. She has written for Spin, Slate, Variety, The Washington Post, Real Simple, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times and McSweeney's Internet Tendency, where the popular "Hamlet (Facebook News Feed Edition)" first appeared. The piece inspired her book, "Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float: Classic Lit Signs on to Facebook," published...more
More about Sarah Schmelling...
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“Suffice it to say I was compelled to create this group in order to find everyone who is, let's say, borrowing liberally from my INESTIMABLE FOLIO OF CANONICAL MASTERPIECES (sorry, I just do that sometimes), and get you all together. It's the least I could do.
I mean, seriously. Those soliloquies in Moby-Dick? Sooo Hamlet and/or Othello, with maybe a little Shylock thrown in. Everyone from Pip in Great Expectations to freakin' Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre mentions my plays, sometimes completely mangling my words in nineteenth-century middle-American dialect for humorous effect (thank you, Sir Clemens). Many people (cough Virginia Woolf cough) just quote me over and over again without attribution. I hear James Joyce even devoted a chapter of his giant novel to something called the "Hamlet theory," though do you have some sort of newfangled English? It looks like gobbledygook to me. The only people who don't seek me out are like Chaucer and Dante and those ancient Greeks. For whatever reason.
And then there are the titles. The Sound and the Fury? Mine. Infinite Jest? Mine. Proust, Nabokov, Steinbeck, and Agatha Christie all have titles that are me-inspired. Brave New World? Not just the title, but half the plot has to do with my work. Even Edgar Allan Poe named a character after my Tempest's Prospero (though, not surprisingly, things didn't turn out well for him!). I'm like the star to every wandering bark, the arrow of every compass, the buzzard to every hawk and gillyflower ... oh, I don't even know what I'm talking about half the time. I just run with it, creating some of the SEMINAL TOURS DE FORCE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. You're welcome.”
—
3 people liked it
I mean, seriously. Those soliloquies in Moby-Dick? Sooo Hamlet and/or Othello, with maybe a little Shylock thrown in. Everyone from Pip in Great Expectations to freakin' Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre mentions my plays, sometimes completely mangling my words in nineteenth-century middle-American dialect for humorous effect (thank you, Sir Clemens). Many people (cough Virginia Woolf cough) just quote me over and over again without attribution. I hear James Joyce even devoted a chapter of his giant novel to something called the "Hamlet theory," though do you have some sort of newfangled English? It looks like gobbledygook to me. The only people who don't seek me out are like Chaucer and Dante and those ancient Greeks. For whatever reason.
And then there are the titles. The Sound and the Fury? Mine. Infinite Jest? Mine. Proust, Nabokov, Steinbeck, and Agatha Christie all have titles that are me-inspired. Brave New World? Not just the title, but half the plot has to do with my work. Even Edgar Allan Poe named a character after my Tempest's Prospero (though, not surprisingly, things didn't turn out well for him!). I'm like the star to every wandering bark, the arrow of every compass, the buzzard to every hawk and gillyflower ... oh, I don't even know what I'm talking about half the time. I just run with it, creating some of the SEMINAL TOURS DE FORCE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. You're welcome.”
“Hester received Punishment Flair. She was sent an A to wear upon her chest and told she must stand before the town with her baby, Pearl.
Hester is not enjoying her flair.”
—
2 people liked it
More quotes…
Hester is not enjoying her flair.”
