Jane Austen revival - Page 2

West Ender · 28-03-2007, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by katex

As an aside, my daughter posts on a 'make friends' type web and Terry Pratchett asked her if he could use some of her funny ramblings in his books .. so you may be reading summat from a local girl at times ...

Wow! I'd rather be quoted by Pratchett than Austen any day. Fabulous.

garinda · 28-03-2007, 22:39

See, if I did want to appear literary, I'd have read Pratchett, and also Tolkien, but both leave me cold. Even though having a basic knowledge of those authors would help in the quizes I do.

Another so called classic, I've attempted to read umpteen times, and failed, is Joeseph Heller's one and only masterpiece Catch 22. God, it's boring.

Think I'll stick to reading the back of my toiletries.

Gayle · 29-03-2007, 11:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

See, if I did want to appear literary, I'd have read Pratchett, and also Tolkien, but both leave me cold. Even though having a basic knowledge of those authors would help in the quizes I do.

Another so called classic, I've attempted to read umpteen times, and failed, is Joeseph Heller's one and only masterpiece Catch 22. God, it's boring.

Think I'll stick to reading the back of my toiletries.

Thank goodness for that, someone else who doesn't like Pratchett - what is it about him that makes people judge you if you don't like his work? Started to read one of his books last year based on recommendations on here but left me completely cold - couldn't finish it.

Also, not that keen on the hottest writer in town - Zadie Smith - couldn't finish her book either.

Love Jane Austen though.

Ianto.W. · 29-03-2007, 11:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by katex

What is it about you men reading on the loo ? My son spent hours reading his English Lit pieces up there and still does .. is it true then that your brains are down there ?....

Only teasing honest.

I think Ian that because the classics were compulsory in my school days, probably took the pleasure out of it somehow.

An easy cure for loo reading katex, give them a copy of War And Peace that will put a stop to that, it is also a cure fo insomnia.

panther · 29-03-2007, 12:01

i dont read im afraid, tend to find it rather boring, probably because ive not read a good book

Margaret Pilkington · 29-03-2007, 20:29

I will have a go at reading most things.....but hated Zadie Smith....managed to get through Catch 22, but didn't really enjoy it........enjoyed Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children.....struggled with Sophie's World, such a slim volume I thought I would get through it in a night.....it took me something like 3 WEEKS! But I learned a lot about world philosophy. Jane Austen...... the Bronte sisters.....Charles Dickens....No, I would rather read the cornflake packet.

shillelagh · 29-03-2007, 20:45

Ive never read any Jane Austen books all the way through - i've started reading them but then i got bored and gave up. In fact i dont think ive read any of the 'classics' all the way through ive got bored and gave up. I know i read Charlottes Web at school supposedly to read at school in class - i took it home and read it in a couple of days - and when the teacher asked us to write an essay about what we thought would happen next id read the book so just did a paraphrasing of what did happen next. Teacher asked if id read the book before and i said i read it last night miss!!

West Ender · 29-03-2007, 22:00

Is it the stories, the style of language or the sheer volume of the books that makes people dislike the "classical" authors? Most people, not everyone but a lot, enjoy film and TV interpretations of these books but is there just too much detail in the writing, particularly for modern tastes?

I like Jane Austen's books because she really gets the personalities of her characters across. She was a very astute observer of human nature and you can believe in them, warts and all.

Has anyone read any John Masters? He wrote about the Savage family (mythical) who were connected with India from the 18th to the 20th centuries. His most well known book was probably "Bowhani Junction", which was made into a film with Stewart Grainger and Ava Gardener, but all his stories are historically accurate and very well written. "Night Runners of Bengal" tells the story of the Indian Mutiny and it's a "can't put down" sort of book. If you like a good read, try it.

garinda · 29-03-2007, 23:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by West Ender

Has anyone read any John Masters? He wrote about the Savage family (mythical) who were connected with India from the 18th to the 20th centuries. His most well known book was probably "Bowhani Junction", which was made into a film with Stewart Grainger and Ava Gardener, but all his stories are historically accurate and very well written. "Night Runners of Bengal" tells the story of the Indian Mutiny and it's a "can't put down" sort of book. If you like a good read, try it.

Loved the film, even if it took all your powers of imagination to believe that the lovely Ava Gardner really was a half-caste Indian. I shall look out for the book.

steeljack · 30-03-2007, 00:34

think the Jane Austen revival means Emma Thompson must have a new film due out ,
most boring/overated book of all time , I have yet to meet anyone who finished it , Stephen Hawking's 'Brief History of Time'