Blast from the Past: Flirting with Pride and Prejudice

Flirting with Pride and Prejudice–Fresh Perspectives on the Original Chick-Lit Masterpiece by Jennifer Crusie (ed.)
4/4/2007-4/18/2007–230 pages–non-fiction (anthology, Pride and Prejudice)
Borrowed from WCDPL
★★★★

This was an interesting anthology to read. I stumbled upon it at the library when looking for books to help on my feminist Elizabeth Bennet English paper. Anyways…I really did get some new perspectives on the story and characters. Since every chapter was a different author, here are my favorite ones:
—Pride and Prejudice: The Reality Show by Joyce Millman (def. my favorite)
—My Firth Love by Lani Diane Rich
—Bride and Prejudice by Laura Resnick
—Elizabeth…on the Roof by Jennifer Coburn (solely for the end where she mentions Bingley being Motel singing Miracles of Miracles)

I did enjoy the book, but I don’t think I really learned anything. I didn’t already know, or think. Except for the part of Jane’s Untold Stories.

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Blast from the Past is a weekly post I write that focuses on a book I read long before I ever had a blog about books. While I didn’t “book blog” until a couple of years ago, I’ve kept a reading journal of sorts for about 6 years. Blast from the Past is essentially just my way of digitalizing my old book journals–and reminding me what I thought of books long since read. I think it will be a fun way to look at how my reading selections have changed and what I like most in the books I read.

Blast from the Past: My Dear Cassandra

My Dear Cassandra–The Illustrated Letters of Jane Austen
Selected and Introduced by Penelope Hughes-Hallett
March 23-April 4, 2007–155 pages–collection of letters
Borrowed from Kate Love Simpson Library
★★★★

These letters really show Jane Austen as a woman: aside from being an author she was a daughter, sister, cousin, aunt, and confidante. I really enjoyed how you could see happenings in real-life that affected the fictional characters. Jane was Emma, her niece Fanny Knight was Harriet, Jane was Lizzy Bennet, Fanny was Charlotte (these two comparisons of Jane, when looked at as characters in context, are two I really don’t like).

While I liked the letters, I would prefer to read ALL letters and not just a selection. It would also be great to see letters she received, as to get all the conversation, but both these wants would probably be very difficult to achieve.

“Nothing can be compared to the misery of being bound without love, bound to one, and preferring another.” ~Wednesday, November 30, 1814 to Fanny Knight

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Blast from the Past is a weekly post I write that focuses on a book I read long before I ever had a blog about books. While I didn’t “book blog” until a couple of years ago, I’ve kept a reading journal of sorts for about 6 years. Blast from the Past is essentially just my way of digitalizing my old book journals–and reminding me what I thought of books long since read. I think it will be a fun way to look at how my reading selections have changed and what I like most in the books I read.

Blast from the Past: The Audrey Hepburn Treasures

The Audrey Hepburn Treasures by Ellen Erwin and Jessica Z Diamond
October 20, 06-March 7, 07–183 pages–biography (photos, momentos)
Purchased from Waldenbooks, October 2006
★★★★★

“From the time she was a young girl, Audrey adored children; she wanted to have children of her own, and when they grew up, she adopted the world.” (p180)

I admire Audrey most for the last few years of her life. I mean, I admire her early life as a girl in WWII Holland, and the classic Hollywood life she led, but her UNICEF years are mainly her best, to me, to be admired. I like that quote from the book. It’s not one Audrey said, but it personifies her so well.

I think I’ve finally figured out why I admire Audrey so much: she was normal. When she became famous she strived for normalcy. She wasn’t perfect: miscarriages, divorces, growing up with one parent. She was an introvert. She’s not unlike many real people and she’s just so personable. If I had a chance to meet her, I don’t doubt I would feel comfortable with her because of these qualities.

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Blast from the Past is a weekly post I write that focuses on a book I read long before I ever had a blog about books. While I didn’t “book blog” until a couple of years ago, I’ve kept a reading journal of sorts for about 6 years. Blast from the Past is essentially just my way of digitalizing my old book journals–and reminding me what I thought of books long since read. I think it will be a fun way to look at how my reading selections have changed and what I like most in the books I read.

Blast from the Past: Search for Delicious

The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbit
March 5, 2007–167 pages–fairy tale-esque
Recommended by Mrs. Bernardo, 3rd grade
★★★★★

The book that started it all. In third grade, that would be 10 years ago {1997, 15 years ago as of this post}, Mrs. Bernardo read this book to our class. It was the book that made me start to read and love it. it’s just a simple story: a young boy goes around a kingdom to take a poll of what is “delicious” to everyone so the Primer Minister could use the food with the most votes as “delicious” in his dictionary he makes for the King. There were a few adventures and the King’s brother-in-law tried to make the kingdom go to war with one another, but his plans were foiled with the help of a mermaid. In the end, water was what was decided to be “delicious”. I still liked this story, especially with its simplicity. I just reread it yesterday, all in a day, and I realize why this story could make me want to read more when I was 9. I think I’ll have to invest in a copy when I start having kids because it’s a great bedtime story, but not an all-in-one night bedtime story.

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Blast from the Past is a weekly post I write that focuses on a book I read long before I ever had a blog about books. While I didn’t “book blog” until a couple of years ago, I’ve kept a reading journal of sorts for about 6 years. Blast from the Past is essentially just my way of digitalizing my old book journals–and reminding me what I thought of books long since read. I think it will be a fun way to look at how my reading selections have changed and what I like most in the books I read.

Blast from the Past: Lysistrata

Lysistrata by Aristophanes
March 3-4, 2007–80 pages–play (comedy)
411 BC = first known performance in Athens
Recommended indirectly by Ian Mladjov (World Civ prof.)
Borrowed from WCDPL
★★★★★

I was taking notes in World Civs when my prof talked about the ancient Greek comedien Aristophanes. He mentioned Lysistrata as a play in which the women of Athens and Sparta, being tired of their husbands always being at war, staged a sex strike until peace was made. That’s what I found, in a more humorous way than I thought I’d find. It was great! I especially liked the men walking around with erections The translation was English I could easily understand, but I’ll never learn Greek so I won’t ever be able to judge how true to the original the translation is.

“Life with women is hell. Life without women is hell, too.” Koryphaios of Men, p73

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Blast from the Past is a weekly post I write that focuses on a book I read long before I ever had a blog about books. While I didn’t “book blog” until a couple of years ago, I’ve kept a reading journal of sorts for about 6 years. Blast from the Past is essentially just my way of digitalizing my old book journals–and reminding me what I thought of books long since read. I think it will be a fun way to look at how my reading selections have changed and what I like most in the books I read.

Blast from the Past: Deception of the Emerald Ring

The Deception of the Emerald Ring by Lauren Willig
February 23-27, 2007–387 pages–fiction (England, Ireland) /mystery/adventure/history/chick-lit
★★★★★

I loved this! I love how Willig can take the same basic plot and use new characters and circumstances to make each of her novels different enough to stay away from redundancy but keep it so you can see why it’s a series! This novel was the most amusing because of all the events happening between Letty and everyone else. I like how the Black Tulip was still in this because it made it more exciting. This was the novel about Letty trying to stop her older sister from eloping with Geoff Pichingdale which “pushes” him to marry her (Letty) instead. They crack me up for fighting all the time, but I definitely liked when they realized their feelings had changed. I can’t wait for the fourth novel to come out!

“Patience is only a virtue when there’s something worth waiting for.” Letty p132

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Blast from the Past is a weekly post I write that focuses on a book I read long before I ever had a blog about books. While I didn’t “book blog” until a couple of years ago, I’ve kept a reading journal of sorts for about 6 years. Blast from the Past is essentially just my way of digitalizing my old book journals–and reminding me what I thought of books long since read. I think it will be a fun way to look at how my reading selections have changed and what I like most in the books I read.

Blast from the Past: Breadfruit

Breadfruit by Celestine Vaite
February 7-23, 2007–334 pages–fiction (Tahiti, women, customs, weddings)
Borrowed from SEO Regional Library
★★★★1/2

Well, this took a bit longer to read because ti seemed more choppy in places, but I did really like it. I blame school work for taking up my time. This is the story of Materena’s wedding and how it came to be. Pito’s drunken proposal and then his really one, multiple times. It takes place during a big gap of years during Frangipani, but I don’t know when Tiare comes out in the US. Anyways, I didn’t like this as much as Frangipani, but it was still a great writing style.

“Girl, waiting for a man is like waiting for a chicken to have teeth.” Loana p15

“That’s what happens when you pay shit–you get shit.” Giselle p89

“Dreams don’t come to you–you have to make them happen…Dreaming dreams isn’t going to turn dreams into reality.” Materena p245

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Blast from the Past is a weekly post I write that focuses on a book I read long before I ever had a blog about books. While I didn’t “book blog” until a couple of years ago, I’ve kept a reading journal of sorts for about 6 years. Blast from the Past is essentially just my way of digitalizing my old book journals–and reminding me what I thought of books long since read. I think it will be a fun way to look at how my reading selections have changed and what I like most in the books I read.

Blast from the Past: Frangipani

Frangipani by Celestine Vaite
January 26-February 5, 2007–294 pages-fiction (Tahiti, family, women, daily life)
Borrowed from WCDPL
★★★★★

Materena Mahi is one of the best characters I have ever read. I love the whole story here: her son, then finding out she’s pregnant with a girl as her man leaves her, then getting back with her man and having another son. I really like the simple life of the island and how Materena and Leilani have such an open relationship. I did find it add that they don’t get married until after one kid (in many cases), but they all are so free spirited. I enjoyed how many aspects of Vaite’s life were portrayed there characters. Like Materena’s French father she never knew and Rose’s Australian husband she leaves Tahiti for.

I also learned, if I’m ever in Tahiti, I should wear a frangipani/plumeria flower behind my left ear because it symbolizes I’m taken–behind the right it means I’m available and looking (p11)

“A child is a gift for eternity.” (p11)

“It takes courage for a fruit to fall far from her tree.” (p135)

“To die with a clear conscience is the only way to leave this world.” (p161)

“Give because it makes you feel good. If you get something back, good. If you don’t, it doesn’t matter.” (p161)

“First prize is finding someone to be passionately in love with you for a lifetime.” (p162)

“Forty muscles are needed to frown, only fifteen to smile.” (p165)

“Crying is good for the soul, just as laughing is.” (p172)

“We don’t own our children’s lives.” (p244)

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Blast from the Past is a weekly post I write that focuses on a book I read long before I ever had a blog about books. While I didn’t “book blog” until a couple of years ago, I’ve kept a reading journal of sorts for about 6 years. Blast from the Past is essentially just my way of digitalizing my old book journals–and reminding me what I thought of books long since read. I think it will be a fun way to look at how my reading selections have changed and what I like most in the books I read.

Blast from the Past: The Masque of the Black Tulip

The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig
1/4-18/2007–425 pages–fiction/mystery/adventure/history/chick-lit
Bought December 14, 2006 from Walden’s
★★★★★

December 5, 2007 (thru Ch. 8)—Okay, I wanna make a prediction for who the Black Tulip is. Well, kind of. Lord Vaughn is an obvious suspect because of his servant/enemy’s death and he comes back to London around the same time the BT comes. Too obvious to be him. Then there’s the Marquise de Montval, the one @ Almack’s trying to seduce Miles, as another obvious choice. She’s decked out in black and Willig even describes her as “exotic as a tulip in a field of primroses.” But I think it’s too obvious to be her too. I feel they’re working for the BT, esp. after the letter Jane finds saying for BT to get Miles (the Marquise) and Henrietta (Lord Vaughn) by any methods. I think they’re just in the league of the BT, neither actually him.

Okay, so after about a week of not reading I read the last half in about 5 hours. I was wrong thinking the Black Tulip wasn’t the Marquise, but I was right thinking it wasn’t Vaughn. The way Henrietta and Miles ended up together, practically eloping, did surprise me. The romance was quick and to the point, unlike Richard’s and Amy’s but I would’ve been bored if it was the exact same. (I didn’t like the chapters with Eloise and Colin at all in this book, probably because they haven’t got together and I think they should.) I think it’s a good thing Willig chose different characters to follow in this book because, while I like Amy and Richard, the redundant characters wouldn’t have done good for the book. I do like how the Marquise was stupid and thought Turnip Fitzhugh was the PC. How wrong she was.

PS- Gonna take a break before reading Willig’s 3rd in the series. Can have too much of a good thing, like with Austen.

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Blast from the Past is a weekly post I write that focuses on a book I read long before I ever had a blog about books. While I didn’t “book blog” until a couple of years ago, I’ve kept a reading journal of sorts for about 6 years. Blast from the Past is essentially just my way of digitalizing my old book journals–and reminding me what I thought of books long since read. I think it will be a fun way to look at how my reading selections have changed and what I like most in the books I read.

Blast from the Past: Secret History of the Pink Carnation

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig
1/1/2007-1/3/2007–428 pages–fiction/mystery/adventure/chick-lit/history
Bought from Waldenbooks, December 26, 2006
★★★★★

Well, I’m still reading this and I’ll probably finish it later. But I just wanted to sort of predict who I think is the Pink Carnation. Of course, my first thought was that it’s Amy when Lord Richard finally lets her join the league. But then I thought, maybe it’s Miss Gwen. I don’t really know why I think it could be her, but she is a spinster lady and Richard keeps mentioning how spies really need to be single. Plus, I just read the part when Amy finally figured out that Richard was the Purple Gentian. Miss Gwen had known for awhile I guess, and even Jane figured it out first. But maybe Miss Gwen didn’t figure it out but rather knew it all along. I’m really not sure who the Pink Carnation is, but I’m growing more curious by the page.

I just finished the book about five minutes ago and I love it! It’s not really well written like some books I’ve read, but it was light and entertaining and God knows we all need a book like that once in awhile. I really did love the plot and everything. I was sort of right about my predictions as to who the Pink Carnation was because Amy and Miss Gwen both did start the league of the PC even if it was Jane who ended up keeping the title and pursuing the dream. I can’t believe Eloise thought the PC would be a man. I definitely thought it was a woman the whole time. It think the author should’ve written it all set back in 1803 England/France rather than have Eloise with a frumpy/unrealistic (in my mind) idea for a dissertation. It would’ve been better without those present day parts, but I still love the book. On to the sequel…

“Infatuation is not even a poor cousin of love.” (p264)

“To the male mind, female plus bedroom equals just one thing.” (p269)

“You don’t think she lived happily ever after?
That’s an ending for books, not for people.
What are books about, if not people?” (p289)

“Mother, would you stop flirting with Father for a moment and listen?
“I never stop flirting with your father. That’s why we have such a happy marriage. And I hope that all of you find spouses with home you can happily flirt for the rest of your lives.” (p318)

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Blast from the Past is a weekly post I write that focuses on a book I read long before I ever had a blog about books. While I didn’t “book blog” until a couple of years ago, I’ve kept a reading journal of sorts for about 6 years. Blast from the Past is essentially just my way of digitalizing my old book journals–and reminding me what I thought of books long since read. I think it will be a fun way to look at how my reading selections have changed and what I like most in the books I read.