Vintage Gibbons!

I am not entirely sure why I was thinking about the books of Stella Gibbons, but I decided to see if they had released any more of her novels. I did a quick internet search and was delighted to learn that there are several novels soon to be published by Vintage Classics!

I stumbled across Cold Comfort Farmwhen I was at uni. Penguin released a stack of classics that sold for $5 and I bought as many as I thought I could afford. Not all of them caught my fancy and I still have a few that I have not read! Cold Comfort Farm was one of those that I have read and re-read. I re-visited it a few years ago and was happy to find Nightingale Wood on a trip to Melbourne. After I devoured that book I searched for more Gibbons but sadly that was it for new prints at the time.

On Friday after work I popped into the New Edition Bookshop in Northbridge and enquired about the books. They have taken my details and will let me know when they arrive! I was told that there are 14 of her books to be published and I am looking forward to reading something new.

Image

New Edition

E and I attended the launch party - "an evening of fun and frivolity" - for the New Edition Bookshop on William Street in Northbridge.

I have been a fan of New Edition in Fremantle for a while, ever since I wandered in one day and saw the prominence that they placed on Booker Prize nominated books and all things literary. This was while they were still on the main drag (Market Street).

My sister E, usually sharp on all of the trendy stores in town, initially believed that it was a religious bookstore (due to the name!) but has since revised her assessment.

Never judge a book by its cover!

They really know how to put on a party, with the wine free flowing, yummy nibbly things and live entertainment.

We were both keen to buy a book but the press of the crowd was too much. I like to browse well before I make up my mind on what to buy, so we will definitely be back later when there are less people and more room to move!

We also wandered past the newly opened Fox Hunt and tu. C was with us by this stage so we saved those stores for another occasion.

Updating Austen

I love this take on the modern email Inbox of Miss Elizabeth Bennet. I am guessing that it is set after Elizabeth's trip to Huntsford to see the Collins' but before she has set off for Lambton to check out Pemberley.

I wonder what Emma would have had in her Inbox...
Image

Tomorrow Ever After

My sister is a winner. That is, she enters competitions and wins! In this case it was a double pass to see the movie Tomorrow, When the War Began, courtesy of SixThousand. They advertise themselves as the "best cultural guide for things to do in Perth".

I have to confess to not being up to date with the latest book trends, and I had only recently heard of the John Marsden series that the movie is based on. I had not read the stories so was coming in with a fresh perspective. E had read the books but not recently enough to be able to pick complete holes in the differences.

It was a fun movie. Well, as fun as these things can be when your country has been invaded by a random local army wanting your resources. It did not take itself too seriously, the characters were interesting enough and only slightly cliched!

There was not too much violence and some cool explosions - obligatory for that style of movie - and you could appreciate that the situation of your home being invaded would be quite a thing to try to process and accept.

I would be happy to see more and to learn the fate of the characters. Oh, and of course it would be great if they could defeat the invaders however given how feeble our armed forces are implied in the movie it could be a long and bloody war.

It was refreshing to watch an invasion story that was not based in the US for a change. For some reason (in movies at least) all of the bad things happen to the Americans!

Senses of Austen

Today has been a day for watching Austen. Chad is safely at the pub for the AFL grand final (again) and I have the house to myself.

I have recently overcome my (perhaps irrational) aversion to Sense and Sensibility and watched the 1981 masterpiece. I also have added the novel to my collection and it kept me occupied on the bus this week.

I always enjoy the intricacies of the society in the Austen novels and I was trying to pinpoint what exactly it is that I enjoy so much about the BBC adaptations.

1. The beautiful crockery. I am generally envious of the pretty table settings enjoyed by the families. I love to see the table set for breakfast, or the teaset out for tea.

2. The dialogue. So formal and flowing. I especially like the contrast between the manners of the different characters, usually the women. Elinor who always acts and behaves correctly and Marianne who is somewhat careless of forms.

3. The obsession to marry, and marry wisely. As a general rule, Austen's heroines are not desperate for marriage, but there is usually at least one or two characters in each story with that object in mind.


Are you a fan of Jane Austen? What aspects do you especially enjoy?

1, 2, 3

Keeping me awake at night

Two novels that I have recently reread!

Chocolat is a gorgeous fairy tale by Joanne Harris. A modern take on black versus white, with a little bit of magic thrown in. The characters are beautiful and by the end of the novel they have all grown and learnt something about themselves. I have not watched the film, but am thinking that I would like to, just to see how much of the novel that they managed to translate.

Nightingale Wood is a take on the Cinderella story, by Stella Gibbons. Viola (Cinderella) is a little vague and a little drippy. Her prince charming is not the brightest tree in the forest and has not necessarily the purest of intentions towards our heroine. Viola's in-laws are fantastic caricatures and you really appreciate the exaggerated stereoypes.

Both novels are beautifully written. Not too heavy, not too light! I was drawn to the story and even though I have previously read both I still had to keep reading to get to the end.

The character Viola was named by her father for a certain Shakespearean heroine, and I was inspired to duck into Elizabeth's Bookshop and purchase myself a copy of the play. I think I remember what happens...

It is a truth universally acknowledged...

My love affair with the works of Jane Austen began in year 11 at high school. Pride and Prejudice was one of the texts in English Literature and I had soon borrowed her other five novels from the library to read.

I am still unsure as to my favourite story. I waver between P&P, Persuasion and Emma.

Last year I took the plunge and bought the Jane Austen box set of DVDs. This year I started to add to my collection of novels - until now I have only owned my copy of P&P from high school!

I woke up this morning with a desire to watch P&P again. It is such an entertaining adaptation of the novel and Colin Firth is of course a fantastic Mr Darcy. I also love Julia Sawalha's silly and flighty Lydia. What larks!