Jeffrey’s review of Northanger Abbey > Likes and Comments

Having only read Persuasion and being somewhat indifferent to such I held firm to the idea that I would at least read Northanger Abbey, given its satire of a gothic outlook. Your review left me spurting in my afternoon tea, sir. That is not an embellishment.

The dead writer tribunal bit was brilliant. It made me think of the movie, "Midnight in Paris". But as far as "Northanger Abby" is concerned, my views are different than yours. It was my least favorite of Austen's novels, and had I read it first I doubt I would have given the others a try.

Jonfaith wrote: "Having only read Persuasion and being somewhat indifferent to such I held firm to the idea that I would at least read Northanger Abbey, given its satire of a gothic outlook. Your review left me spu..."

Thank you Jonfaith. This was a review that after I posted it left me thinking should I have deleted this one? *nervous laugh* The fact that you liked it has given me reassurance.

Diane wrote: "The dead writer tribunal bit was brilliant. It made me think of the movie, "Midnight in Paris". But as far as "Northanger Abby" is concerned, my views are different than yours. It was my least f..."

Really? I thought it was a hoot, but you are a Jane Austen fan and this was decidedly not the normal Jane Austen. She didn't publish it in her lifetime and I wonder if she didn't think it was up to par with her other more celebrated work. I came away with the impression that she had fun writing this one. Thinking about the gothic novels I've read in the last few years I thought it worked as a parody. The next step is for me to read another Austen now that I have established a point of agreement with Miss Austen. (I do not want to see Gertrude again.)

I'm so glad you liked the book tribunal part. Thank you so much for letting me know.

No doubt the tribunal believes in self-criticism, should your doubt persist, the shining path will correct. I'm mixing metaphors and movements, without a doubt, hopefully Brother Evelyn would smirk.

Should you predecease me, I want you on my tribunal. You are a fantastic writer and this review needs 3,000 likes. Somebody needs to circulate this to the various groups, so people can learn how creative one can get in a positive review. Please tell the others on my tribunal that I spread the gospel of good reading by writing positive reviews of literary novels (that I was a drum-major for books) and that I wrote kind comments meant to encourage rather than fight with other reviewers. I might pick Christopher Hitchens to argue on my behalf, but as you are a giant of a man, I think you could amply protect me from that tinker-bell, Hemingway better than he. Does Ms. Stein already have another boyfriend? Could you put a good word in with her on my behalf as I am sure my wife will outlive me by at least 30 years. I will be needing female companionship in the after life and prefer those of a literary bent.

Part II. Now to Austen. So glad you have made up with Jane. I did not read Austen until I was in my 30's and after I had already seen all the great television adaptations of her works that ran on AE and on PBS. I imagine I would have had a bit of trouble with all that tea-sipping and whist playing back when I was in college. One of the great things about reading is that we have a reliable metric of growth against which to measure ourselves. What other vocation/avocation can say the same?

Jonfaith wrote: "No doubt the tribunal believes in self-criticism, should your doubt persist, the shining path will correct. I'm mixing metaphors and movements, without a doubt, hopefully Brother Evelyn would smirk."

Haha well said Jonfaith. I will defer to the critical eye of public opinion.

Steve wrote: "Should you predecease me, I want you on my tribunal. You are a fantastic writer and this review needs 3,000 likes. Somebody needs to circulate this to the various groups, so people can learn how c..."

Well if the literary set would let me join their group I can assure you that you would have an advocate in your corner. You have been a wonderful advocate for books and writers. As anyone can see from our reviews we love books and wish to promote their positive attributes not tear them down. As far as Ms. Stein, I think if I were you would look elsewhere for companionship. Ms. Stein may provide intellectual stimulation, but as to other stimulation I would say that she may have the opposite effect. As to Hemingway, I do believe if nothing else I can take a punch. Thank you for your continued support of my attempts to write interesting reviews. I do hope that people like this review. It was certainly fun to write.

Steve wrote: "Part II. Now to Austen. So glad you have made up with Jane. I did not read Austen until I was in my 30's and after I had already seen all the great television adaptations of her works that ran on ..."

I agree totally. My pool for understanding and appreciating literature has grown, not contracted. I hope as I age I can continue to have an open mind about literature. I can certainly appreciate writers like Austen more now than I could in my twenties. A lot of it has to do with understanding what a writer was attempting to do which in my case contributes to the enjoyment. Jane and I, it could almost be said, are going steady.

Jeffrey wrote: "As far as Ms. Stein, I think if I were you would look elsewhere for companionship. Ms. Stein may provide intellectual stimulation, but as to other stimulation I would say that she may have the opposite effect. ."

Well, i guess i will have to settle for Djuna Barnes then. (kind of homely though.)

Jeffrey wrote: Jane and I, it could almost be said, are going steady. ..."

Hook me up with one of her sisters then; oh wait those would be the Brontes. What is it about daughters of English clergy?

Wow. The members of this site are expanding their reviewing skills by the day...

Dibs on Hemingway-in-his-20s!

Funny stuff, Jeffrey, well well done!

Awesome review! I'm glad Djuna Barnes made an appearance. I think I was like one of two people in my women's Literature class who liked Nightwood

Richard wrote: "Dibs on Hemingway-in-his-20s!

Funny stuff, Jeffrey, well well done!"

Yes, good grief, but wasn't Hemingway handsome? I've only seen piccies of him as an old man before...

He was indeed, Trav, such a muffin. Which would explain his life-long antipathy to gay men. He was so good looking he was probably thought to be gay, that being the way the minds of the day worked.

Loved it....great fun.

I'm wondering if someone might have spiked that gin you had, Jeffrey. If so, can you find out what it was so I can get some, too? That was very creative and a lot of fun!

Now why didn't Woody Allen make that movie? A surreal masterpiece there Mr Keeten.

This was real fun to read. Great review, Jeffrey.

"I apologize to Miss Austen if any of my remarks were inappropriately expressed."

Jeff:

We benefitted from your previously "inappropriately expressed" remarks with your Book Tribunal creation. What fun to read and how creative. Great job, friend!

This was so much fun.. Next time you could ask Kafka to be your counsellor...

I also think Don Quijote should have a serious chat with Miss Catherine Morland.

I should revisit Austen soon. I think this one was my first one.

Steve wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: Jane and I, it could almost be said, are going steady. ..."

Hook me up with one of her sisters then; oh wait those would be the Brontes. What is it about daughters of English clergy?"

I married a Baptist minister's daughter so it is not just English clergy that fit that profile.

Traveller wrote: "Wow. The members of this site are expanding their reviewing skills by the day..."

Thanks Traveller, my experimentation seems to have worked. I was feeling like I needed to do something different especially with a classic that has been reviewed every which way.

Richard wrote: "Dibs on Hemingway-in-his-20s!

Funny stuff, Jeffrey, well well done!"

Thank you Richard. I was starting to feel like my reviews were becoming somewhat formulaic so I wanted to do something to shake it up a bit. Hemingway in his 20s had that universal appeal that must have had homosexual men, lesbian women, heterosexuals of both sexes, pansexuals, and even asexual people feeling the twitch of attraction.

Anthony wrote: "Awesome review! I'm glad Djuna Barnes made an appearance. I think I was like one of two people in my women's Literature class who liked Nightwood"

I haven't read Nightwood, but need to. I've always thought Barnes was rather interesting and actually she seemed to have a lot of sensual appeal that may not always come across in her photographs.

Arah-Lynda wrote: "Loved it....great fun."

Thank you Arah-Lynda. I'm so relieved that people did find it fun as it was intended.

Steve wrote: "I'm wondering if someone might have spiked that gin you had, Jeffrey. If so, can you find out what it was so I can get some, too? That was very creative and a lot of fun!"

I admit it, guilty as charged. I did write this review under the influence of gin as I was out of vodka, but I did dirty it to cut back the burn. Only one martini as I did not want to turn loose every screwy thought I might have had.

Tfitoby wrote: "Now why didn't Woody Allen make that movie? A surreal masterpiece there Mr Keeten."

Thank you Toby. I was thinking the same thing Woody Allen should do something like this. *grin*

Nilesh wrote: "This was real fun to read. Great review, Jeffrey."

Thanks Nilesh I'm so glad you enjoyed my little ditty.

Cathy wrote: ""I apologize to Miss Austen if any of my remarks were inappropriately expressed."

Jeff:

We benefitted from your previously "inappropriately expressed" remarks with your Book Tribunal creation. ..."

Thank you Cathy I did, back in my college days especially swimming in tequila, say some rather harsh things about Miss Austen, mostly for the entertainment of my friends. If I had continued with the tribunal, tequila would have been my next defense.

Kalliope wrote: "This was so much fun.. Next time you could ask Kafka to be your counsellor...

I also think Don Quijote should have a serious chat with Miss Catherine Morland.

I should revisit Austen soon. I t..."

I really was inspired by the fact that I felt that Jane Austen had fun with this one. It is so different from her other work.

Kafka would be an interesting choice as long as he doesn't metamorphose in the middle of trial, but then maybe that would be good resulting in a mis-trial if things are going badly.

Yes one romantic to another Don could certainly relate. Thank you Kalliope I'm so glad that you liked this one.

Jeffrey wrote: "Kalliope wrote: "This was so much fun.. Next time you could ask Kafka to be your counsellor...

I also think Don Quijote should have a serious chat with Miss Catherine Morland.

I should revisit ..."

Your idea of Kafka metamorphosing in the middle of the Trial made me laugh.

Great review... it certainly adds to a classic that has been reviewed nth times...

Well... that was... different. But in a good way. :)

Cecily wrote: "Well... that was... different. But in a good way. :)"

I'm glad you liked it Cecily. It was just a bit of fun. Maybe I've written too many reviews in the last year.

I tend to play mine straight, but only because I don't think I could pull off one like this. However, I do enjoy ones that take a very different tangent (I have a few other friends who write such reviews).

Bravo!! Well done Mr. Keeten!

Leigh wrote: "Bravo!! Well done Mr. Keeten!"

Thank you Leigh!!

I'm not sure I would like the tribunal you've created.

Given my now forgiven but still burning frustration with Papa.

R.a. wrote: "I'm not sure I would like the tribunal you've created.

Given my now forgiven but still burning frustration with Papa."

I probably had a bit too much fun with this review. :-) I was just watching the 1954 Black Widow movie with Gene Tierney, Van Heflin, Ginger Rogers, and George Raft. I must distinguish this movie from the upcoming superhero movie. Anyway in the movie Van Heflin plays a big producer and he offers some flippant advice to a new writer. Paraphrased..."Just write like Hemingway like everyone else does." ergghh Hemingway's influence on American literature has been huge...monstrously huge. Heck, I don't blame him...well some...because obviously he resonated with people.

Have you seen the Coen brothers' Barton Fink?

If not, I think you might enjoy John Mahoney's "Faulkner" - like character—not to mention the film itself.

R.a. wrote: "Have you seen the Coen brothers' Barton Fink?

If not, I think you might enjoy John Mahoney's "Faulkner" - like character—not to mention the film itself."

I was just having a discussion with my son, who is a film minor at the University of Kansas, about the fact that I needed to rewatch Barton Fink. The next time my wife goes out of town, she despises that movie, I will definitely be watching it. I only vaguely remember John Mahoney's character.

Glad to come across this blast from the past, Jeffrey. Incidentally, I realized I had no prior mental image of the young Hemingway.

Jeffrey wrote: ". . . to rewatch Barton Fink . . ."

There appears to be such a truth in the way Mahoney plays him, (and the Coen brothers' writing of him); and yet, of course, liberties were taken so that the focus returns to Barton's wonderfully, horrible noir journey.

"Where's my honey!"

Jan wrote: "Glad to come across this blast from the past, Jeffrey. Incidentally, I realized I had no prior mental image of the young Hemingway."

He was certainly an attractive young man. Being handsome certainly didn't hurt his career.

Jeffrey wrote: "...He was certainly an attractive young man. Being handsome certainly didn't hurt his career."

:)

Smajar.Ir wrote: "thanks.
رمان
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دا..."

Your welcome.

Sabah wrote: "A superbly innovative review!! You have really set a new precedent as to how imaginative a review can be and it was an absolute pleasure reading this. I applaud you for being so inventive and brave..."

At the time I was writing about four reviews a week and was becoming very bored with myself so I just let my imagination off the leash. I'd been thinking about all the dead writers that I've written reviews about and wondered how much muttering was going on if they could look over my shoulder from the afterlife. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I can't tell you how much trepidation I felt when I launched it. I was preparing myself for rotten tomatoes and wormy apples to be thrown my way. :-)

That was very creative and entertaining! It did remind me of Midnight in Paris, but unfortunately for you, the writers in your review were not nearly as welcoming as those in the movie. I'm a big Austen fan, so I appreciated your review of Northanger Abbey, as well. Thanks again--it really brought a smile to my face!