, Emma and I have parted ways. Our relationship ran its course. We're still friends, but we had to be honest with each other. She's a Highbury highbrow and I, an Orange County lowbrow, minus the cat fights, Botox, Restylane, sugar daddy and jumbo mortgage, though the use of "low brow" sort of makes the explanation redundant, and I have a job, not a line of skin care products.
I could start with the list of fascinating field trips I was going to take outside Orange County to hide the fact that I'm not going to be a big Jane Austen fan, but they aren't materializing so I'm thinking honesty is on the agenda. The only thing I can think of is that Jane Austen and Jerry Seinfeld appreciation sit on the same gene. The one I don't have. The Seinfeld thing is a problem in my family. I hope the Austen thing doesn't become another one. Don't get me wrong. I like Emma. A lot, but I read to give my brain a break. I don't want to have to think when I read and I have to think when I read Jane Austen.
Horrible. I know. I am what's wrong with readers ( the world ) today. I told Lesa she needed to add "Too stupid ( me, not the book )" to the Mrs. BG poll, "Why do usually give up on a book?"Okay, stupid is a little harsh, but lazy.. yeah. That would be much better. "Too lazy ( my flesh, not my spirit )." That's why I didn't finish reading "A History of Pi", the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter in Euclidean geometry, not the baked good. It was by Petr Beckmann in case you're interested, and if you understand why Seinfeld is funny you probably are..
I did finish Emma, and at some point, when I get my own line of skin care products, I'll start reading Pride and Prejudice. In the meantime, I still plan on taking those field trips outside Orange County, if for no other reason than the plastic lady parts and puffy lips are starting to look normal.
Inspiration From The Distant Past
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Found note in an old book... warms the cockles of my bookish heart...
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
10 comments:
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I wont comment other than to say I must have read Pride and Prejudice over twenty times!!!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely just finished Emma tonight in the library-- turned it in and paid my fine (yes, a fine-- shame on me).
ReplyDeleteOh, I am a big Seinfeld fan-- and find much hilarity in the mundane. It was a show about 'nothing' after all. hahaha
Now that you mention it Seinfeld and Austen have a bit in common-- interesting. More for me to ponder-- thanks, just what I need.
You must must read P&P--much more fun than Emma-- or at least watch the BBC miniseries from 1995 (the one with Colin Firth). I'd really like to hear what you think of it compared to Emma.
I thoroughally enjoyed this reread of Emma-- toward the end I couldn't get over how they would all (mainly the horrible Mrs. Elton) whisper secrets in a small room loud enough for everyone to overhear-- the others would look away politely but could hear everything. Crazy!
Loved this readalong-- Great job, Tracy!!
P&P is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteVery different from Emma, and so so funny. Not a knee slappin' funny, but a smiling throughout funny.
And the A&E version is one of the best and closest, imho.
I do like Emma, but it's not high on my list. And I like the most recent version they aired on PBS. Gorgeous scenery, homes, costumes!
And yep, a big Seinfeld fan.
I forgive these trespasses, but let's not make this a habit, please.
Oops. The BBC version and A&E version are the same. I was absolutely in love with Mr. Darcy.
ReplyDeleteI still watch my VHS (!!) copy of it!
ok... I've been convinced. I did think Cramer was hilarious, so who knows maybe Pride and Prejudice will be the nut to my blind squirrel
ReplyDelete+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteMy favourite Austen novel is Persuasion. It's not as funny or pointedly satirical as her other books. It's more mellow and mature. The characters are older here (as was Austen herself, I think, when she wrote it) and the heroine truly believes she let her only chance at true love slip past her forever.
Anyway, Tracy, I know you were joking, but people who don't like Jane Austen aren't stupid at all! She is definitely one of those writers whose reputation precedes her; and for good or ill, that reputation is that "it is a truth universally acknowledged that a good reader in possession of a discerning mind must be in love with Jane Austen."
Yeah, well . . .
It kind of makes one glad that the Bronte sisters didn't like her, aye? =P Now, I'm not a fan of pitting them against each other, as I like all four of them. But I don't think Austen is all that, either, and that people who arrive at the same conclusion shouldn't feel bad about thinking so!
I agree, E. I did enjoy the book and honestly, once you get past the mile long sentences and Georgian lingual peculiarities, I like Austen. I just don't find her riveting.
ReplyDeleteI'm still going to read P&P, but my expectations, of myself and Austen, won't be so high, which will probably greatly improve the whole experience!
E: Persuasion is my other fave Austen-- I may have reread it almost as often as P&P. After watching the BBC production of Persuasion I had to read the book-- have you seen it?
ReplyDeleteI agree that Austen isn't for everyone-- and the Austen obsessed can be tiresome. I haven't even read all of her novels-- I'd rather reread P&P or Persuasion when I'm in an Austen mood.
+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteDo you mean the one with Ciaran Hinds as Captain Wentworth? That's the only one I recall, and I have to confess I found it awfully boring. The friend who was watching it with me didn't object when I said I wanted to pop it out of the player after fifteen minutes. =S
Yes, that is the one-- I had to google to find out. Oh, I'm glad I didn't find it boring--Otherwise, I wouldn't have read the book! I believe my spouse did wander off during it though and he usually enjoys Austen movies-- well, as much a male can.
ReplyDeleteApparently, it was just a regular movie and not a BBC miniseries like I thought. Guess I've seen so many masterpiece theatres on PBS that I just assumed! Maybe it was more boring than I remember since I don't seem to recall much about it!!!
Guess What! There is a 2007 movie too! I must watch it along with the Emma miniseries that I missed-- Oh, and a rewatch of P&P-- Might as well have a cozy Austen marathon this winter! I love to watch P&P in the winter!