I've finally come across a British made book-to-TV-series adaptation that I can't recommend: Jane Eyre, done for Masterpiece Theater in 2006 and starring Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson.

This adaptation had the same screenwriter as the wonderful North & South, which has me wondering if there's a rule of reversal at work.  North & South was a tedious ( Read more... )

We had another street-wide black-out Friday night and this one more serious -- 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. and I know that exactly because that's when all the lights came back on that had been burning when I'd been up and about in the evening.

Which was too bad since I'd been in the midst of a Tim Pigot-Smith comparison fest.  For those who don't know, Tim ( Read more... )

I'll just say it up front:  I have no idea how this woman became the most popular novelist of her day with competition like Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters.  I've finished the fourth chapter of North and South and I can't go any further.  Once I would have, because it's a book and I felt a compulsive need to finish any book I started.  Today I ( Read more... )

Or rather, Syrie James' novel about her diaries. The tone and language generally seem right with a few jarring exceptions: twice James'  has had her Charlotte refer to needing to process something in the emotional sense, and once use "gift" as a verb -- both of which I believe are modern affectations.

This may be a small thing, since overall I am ( Read more... )

Not too big (didn't even wake up the cat) but a nice long, rolling one.  Be interesting to see what it hit on the R. scale.

In other news, because I can't seem to keep track of my credit cards I've lost my paid LJ account.  Obviously not a disaster, I could easily put it on my debit card and not worry about it ever again but I've been thinking -- is ( Read more... )

I'm going to get to discussing a book, trust me, but first a few service announcements:

This is Cyndi Lauper's gay rights site, giveadamn.org, and just let me say I love that name.  But this is the one that also has the distinction of crashing after running a video that had Anna Paquin declaring her bisexuality.  And good for Anna, not just for ( Read more... )

For a week after I got back from my 3-day/4-night trip to San Diego, Deirdre stuck to me like a burr, esp. at night.  Tho she usually sleeps on the couch (admittedly I do toss and turn a lot) after I got back she took to either sleeping beside me or, more often, on top of me.  As if her 10 lbs would make a difference if I decided to go tip-toeing ( Read more... )

Got back last night at 9:30 from 3 days in San Diego, transported there by train, and I'm still nearly limp with relief at being home with Deirdre and my own comfortable bed and chairs.  One good thing about having time on my hands: I've finished a small book and 2 more sections of a large one so I'll have plenty of book posting to do tonight and ( Read more... )

Following blogs is reading, after all, so I think this belongs here:  Power to the Bauer.  This blog has nothing to do with books, but with my second passion -- good food.  I read this blog and just drool; it would be worth it for the pictures and recipes alone but the entries are charmingly written, and by someone who obviously has an excellent ( Read more... )

This entry isn't book related at all, but I must share my joy --

the Naval base where I work is being demonstrated against this Saturday by the Westboro Baptist Church!

Is there a clearer indication that our base is pursuing a pure and noble path than to be hated by Fred Phelps?  I don't think so.

I couldn't be happier about this and would drop by ( Read more... )