Comfort Reads discussion
Classics
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Classics
message 51:
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[deleted user]
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Jan 10, 2010 07:31AM
Well, I can't tell how the story could be any less "bizarre" in any context. And, I don't mean bizarre in a totally rude way, but the characters are very eccentric and I loved a lot of it! Do we get to find out what Granny "saw" in the book? Just yes or no (or keep me guessing).
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You know, something similar happened when I read the baseball story, Shoeless Joe by Canadian author W.P. Kinsella. I had seen the movie Field of Dreams, which I had liked immensely, and the book was just a bit too strange and different for me (also, even though I know that Kinsella is considered a famous recent Canadian author, I just do not care for his style, he uses too many strange similes and metaphors, often one after the other). I honestly do not often say that I enjoyed the movie more than the book, but with Field of Dreams, I did.
I haven't read Cold Comfort Farm, but we did see the movie, and "I saw something nasty in the woodshed" became one of the favorite lines to throw randomly at each other. Very multi-purpose.
Christina wrote: "I haven't read Cold Comfort Farm, but we did see the movie, and "I saw something nasty in the woodshed" became one of the favorite lines to throw randomly at each other. Very multi-purpose."
That's what I meant by family lexicon of random movie quotes! :)
That's what I meant by family lexicon of random movie quotes! :)
Misfit wrote: "Lee wrote: "I read and loved Wives and Daughters by Gaskell last year but it is quite long. "Especially as she never finished it. North and South and Mary Barton are much shorter..."
I thought Wives and Daughters flew by! It felt like a cross between Austen and Middlemarch. In fact, since W&D was published before Middlemarch, I wondered if Eliot didn't get the idea of her social-class-crossing Doctor Lydgate from W&D. Tried Cranford and couldn't get into it.
Just wanted to echo (probably needlessly) the high praise for North and South and the BBC adaptation - yes the one with Richard Armitage! That one as well as the most recent BBC mini-series of Jane Eyre (the one with Toby Stephens as Rochester), as two of my favourites! Isn't it great when books you love get adaptations you love?
Shannon wrote: "Just wanted to echo (probably needlessly) the high praise for North and South and the BBC adaptation - yes the one with Richard Armitage! That one as well as the most recent BBC min..."
Shannon! You and I are kindred spirits. I LOVE the Toby Stephens Jane Eyre and just re-watched Part 1 last night. Despite Rochester being too handsome (and it's hard to object too strongly to that) I think it's spot on. Hated the versions with William Hurt and Timothy Dalton. Watching Rochester stroke Jane's neck is the most hot and heavy moment of lit-girl porn since Colin Firth emerged in his wet, ruffled shirt. Whew!
That's it - tomorrow I sign up for Netflix! :)
Gotta get on Netflix! It is as easy as it looks.
Paula wrote: "That's it - tomorrow I sign up for Netflix! :)"Paula, sometimes they send out coupons to members to give to their family and friends which will give you a free month trial instead of two weeks. I don't have one right now or I'd send it to you.
Luann wrote: "Paula, sometimes they send out coupons to members to give to their family and friends which will give you a free month trial instead of two weeks. I don't have one right now or I'd send it to ou...."The sentiment is still very touching :)
My very favorite classic is War and Peace. For those of you who haven't read it and think of it as a dreary tome, it is anything but! It's a very fast easy read, and I hold all the characters so close to my heart, like old friends. I just reread it again about 8 years ago and it was so nice to revisit these people, cheering them on, getting anxious - Oh, Pierre dear sweet idiot, NO Natasha don't do it don't do it, nooooooo! - it's my comfort classic.I'll have to check out N&S, I remember loving it when I read it in HS, and I'm inbetween and therefore in need of a new man crush!
Lori, I've been wanting to read War and Peace for a while now but I'm a bit intimidated - by the length, yes, and also can you recommend a particular translation? I've found that they can make or break a Russian novel! I have one copy, the established translation I think it is, and I want to get the modern translation that the academics scorned (has a lovely cover of a headless woman in a white dress, have you seen it?), but I can't decide which I should read first! What are your thoughts?
Christina wrote: "Despite Rochester being too handsome (and it's hard to object too strongly to that) I think it's spot on. Hated the versions with William Hurt and Timothy Dalton. Watching Rochester stroke Jane's neck is the most hot and heavy moment of lit-girl porn since Colin Firth emerged in his wet, ruffled shirt. Whew!..."LOL - I have to agree with you about that JE adaptation! Toby Stephens rocks the part, although he is too good looking for it!
This is one of the best versions IMO. The Dalton version was, perhaps, more faithful to the novel, but this one contains more of the *spirit* of the novel.
Shannon- W&P may be long, but it's absolutely nothing to be intimidated by, really! I read it first when I was 13 - that's not to brag, that's to show that it's an easy read. The hard parts are when Tolstoy injects his chapters of historical philosophies which can be quite easily skipped because they are separate from the narrative. This is the new translation that everybody raves about: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29...
Lori wrote: "My very favorite classic is War and Peace. For those of you who haven't read it and think of it as a dreary tome, it is anything but! It's a very fast easy read, and I hold all the characters so cl..."this book is also on the top of my favorites books Lori, thanks to remind it!!
Mod
Lori, I'm glad you're encouraging us to read War and Peace as a comfort read. I never would have thought of it that way myself but it does make it seem less intimidating.
Lee wrote: "Lori wrote: "Shannon- W&P may be long, but it's absolutely nothing to be intimidated by, really! I read it first when I was 13 - that's not to brag, that's to show that it's an easy read. The hard ..."I love W & P, too. And yes, parts of it are great for comfort read. The soap-opera-ish parts are fun. And there are glittering balls, sleigh rides, mazurkas --- and policemen being tied to bears and thrown into a river!
And that beautiful passage about Prince Andrei and the hundred-year old oak tree.
Sandybanks wrote: "I love W & P, too. And yes, parts of it are great for comfort read. The soap-opera-ish parts are fun. And there are glittering balls, sleigh rides, mazurkas --- and policemen being tied to bears and thrown into a river! And that beautiful passage about Prince Andrei and the hundred-year old oak tree..."
owww very tempting!
Sherien wrote: "oh wow, I never thought of War and Peaceas a comfort read...really?? maybe I'll try it someday ;o)"I'll tell you a secret, Sherien, W & P is actually a great Russian soap opera. Really. Oh, there are the serious philosophical stuffs too, but these are pretty brief. It's just a great story, and not hard to read at all. I find Dickens much harder to read than anything by Tolstoy.
much harder than Dickens??? how long did it take you to finish it?
I find Dickens much harder to read than Tolstoy.Around 10 days. I couldn't put it down. A Tale of Two Cities, a much thinner book, took me around a week to finish. I guess I just have a love and hate relationship with Mr. Dickens. lol
Sandybanks wrote: "I find Dickens much harder to read than Tolstoy.Around 10 days. I couldn't put it down. A Tale of Two Cities, a much thinner book, took me around a week to finish. I guess I just have a love and ..."
I do agree with you Sandy, concerning Tolstoy and Dickens, it seems we have the same problem with Dickens!!
You know, I started liking Dickens much better when I actually started to read his novels like they had originally been meant to be read, as serials. So, I read about one chapter a week and that really did the trick for me. My favourite Dickens novel is still Oliver Twist.
Sandybanks wrote: I'll tell you a secret, Sherien, W & P is actually a great Russian so..."It is, it is a Russian soap opera!
I don't read Dickens either. :)
I've only read three Dickens novels so far, A Tale of Two Cities (didn't like at all), Great Expectations (liked it, though not crazy about it) and A Christmas Carol (couldn't stand it). I have a problem with his wordiness, the improbable coincidences that he relies on, the overt sentimentality and the one-dimensional, almost caricatural characters. But I feel that I cannot judge him based only on those novels that I've read and I'm planning to read at least two other novels of his (supposedly his best), Bleak House and Our Mutual Friend. I suppose that I just prefer Tolstoy's realism to Dickens' sentimentality.
Oh, well, I've only managed to read Christmas Carol. I read it every year. I'm still trying to gear up to a 1400 page book. :)
Lori wrote: "Sandybanks wrote: I'll tell you a secret, Sherien, W & P is actually a great Russian so..."It is, it is a Russian soap opera!
I don't read Dickens either. :)
"
Lori, I think lots of people are intimidated by the thickness of the book and its reputation as something that is difficult to read. I was very surprised, when I first read it, that it's mostly soap-opera (a very good one, though) and that it was so readable. Tolstoy's genius is that he can write about complex, even profound things using the simplest means.
I love the sweeping epic-ness of it --- in a way it's a very romantic story.
And I fell in love with Prince Andrei. lol
I am adding it to my tbr list, based on everyone's recommendations! I tried Anna Karenina but the scale put me off.
Jeannette wrote: "I am adding it to my tbr list, based on everyone's recommendations! I tried Anna Karenina but the scale put me off."War and Peace is much thicker than AK. But don't let its length put you off. The chapters are short and they are perfect for serial reading. : )
Ladies, ladies! Have you seen the trailer for the new EMMA airing on PBS? Romola Garai, and the same adaptor who did my favorite JANE EYRE production. Looks delicious, as does the too-young Mr. Knightley.Also, devoured the BBC NORTH AND SOUTH and have grown quite fond of the millworker-thrashing Mr. Thornton. Started the book. Delightful.
Christina, please tell me more about PBS...
Here is the PBS link: Emma
It has already been aired in the UK. Everyone who has seen it says it gets really good by episode 2.
It has already been aired in the UK. Everyone who has seen it says it gets really good by episode 2.
I can't wait to see it -- just have to figure out what to do about the Superbowl!
Not too tough, but we only have one television. I told my husband he'd just have to go to a sports bar! :)
Mod
and you CANNOT miss Emma...
I have high hopes that Romola Garai will be as good as Gwyneth in the role. Hard to beat Jeremy Northam as Knightley (as Mrs. E would call him). But surely easy to beat the awful Knightley in the Kate Beckinsale adaptation. He was always roaring at her, and if I were that Emma, I would have married Mr. E before I picked him.
Lori wrote: "Shannon- W&P may be long, but it's absolutely nothing to be intimidated by, really! I read it first when I was 13 - that's not to brag, that's to show that it's an easy read. The hard parts are whe..."Thanks Lori! I've seen that one around but I couldn't tell if it was the same translation as the one I have or not. I really should write down the translators' names and check! They have such lovely editions of War and Peace these days *sigh*
(I'm catching up on comments here with my two cents!)
I have the DVD of Wives and Daughters as well! I love it, and I loved the book too. I keep seeing the actor who plays the older brother (temporarily forgotten his name) in lots of other stuff - he played Mr Collins in the movie version of Pride and Prejudice, remember? - but I love him best in W&D!
I liked the British movie version of Emma that came out at the same time as the Gywneth Paltrow one, it had Kate Beckinsale as Emma.
I used to watch all the BBC adaptations on the ABC back home (in Australia), no commercials, so great. I get PBS but I don't watch it.
Did anyone ever read or watch the BBC's The Buccaneers? I recommend both.
Mod
The book is wonderful Lee, and one that I enjoyed perhaps because I'd see the mini-series! I haven't read any of her other books yet though. I don't know about the ending. I know Elizabeth Gaskill died before finishing Wives and Daughters, but she had told friends how it was going to end so they were able to add that in as a kind of epilogue. I could check my copy but I'd have to unearth it - my books are double-parked!
Shannon wrote: "my books are double-parked!"Shannon, Many of mine are as well and some are triple parked and then there's all the ones piled all over the place. I need to put bookcases on my wish list, not to mention more wall space!
Mod
No, it's okay Shannon, I will get around to reading it for sure. I love her work.
Comfort Reads
Books mentioned in this topic
The Great Gatsby (other topics)Great Expectations (other topics)
1984 (other topics)
Heart of Darkness (other topics)
Vanity Fair (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Edith Wharton (other topics)W.P. Kinsella (other topics)
Stella Gibbons (other topics)
Evelyn Waugh (other topics)
George Eliot (other topics)
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