May 19, 2019 at 9:07 pm (Books, Conversations, Personal Bookshelf, Recommended, Sundays, Surprises, Traveling, Women Writers)
Tags: Catherine Morland, England, English writers, Henry Tilney, humor, Jane Austen, novel, second reads
A woman especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can.
— Northanger Abbey, p. 122
Self loves this book. Loves, loves, loves it.
She hardly remembers anything from the first time she read it, except that the setting was Bath. Here, she revels in Catherine’s innocence, her enthusiasm for the “horrible.”
Catherine confides in her new BFF Eleanor Tilney that she is very much looking forward to the arrival of “something very shocking indeed” (p. 123) and that “it is more horrible than anything we have met with yet . . . it is to be uncommonly dreadful. I shall expect murder and everything of the kind.” (p. 124)
Eleanor assumes that Catherine is talking about a “riot.”
Eleanor: Have the goodness to satisfy me as to this dreadful riot.
Catherine: Riot — What riot?
Henry hastens to explain: “Miss Morland has been talking of nothing more dreadful than a new publication which is shortly to come out . . .”
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
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May 19, 2019 at 12:31 pm (Books, Conversations, Family, Food and Drink, Personal Bookshelf, Places, plans, Recommended, Sundays, Surprises, Traveling, Women Writers)
Tags: Catherine Morland, favorites, happiness, Henry Tilney, humor, Jane Austen, London, novel, reading lists, restaurants
Self was supposed to go on an Old Parish Maps walk of Clerkenwall but she bailed because she wanted to take things slow today, after that loooong train journey from Cornwall yesterday.
She had an early breakfast, then set off walking. Soon, she found herself in front of the British Library, but instead of going in, she went next door, to St. Pancras/Renaissance Hotel, and inquired at reception if they could ring her son’s room.
He did not pick up, probably because he’s just arrived in London. She told the receptionist to let son know that his mother had stopped by. Then, she twirled and waltzed out without waiting for a response from the receptionist.
She wandered on Leigh Street and found North Sea Fish was closed. She walked down Marchmont Street and stopped at a café for very yummy hot banana bread with yogurt. Topped that off with red bean gelato. Picked up a couple of flyers from LSE (London School of Economics, Dear Departed Sister’s alma mater), returned to Russell Square (one side of which was sprouting police cars, she wonders why) and resumed reading Northanger Abbey.
UGH, the horrible stress inflicted on poor Catherine Morland (so far, self’s favorite Jane Austen heroine — yes, a better heroine than Emma or Anne Elliot) by manipulative Thorpe sibs Isabella and John! In the latest situation, they have conveniently dismissed Miss Eleanor Tilney (sister of that elusive love interest Henry Tilney) without checking first with Catherine whether she intended to keep her appointment with Eleanor. Catherine, on learning of the Thorpes’s horrible presumptuousness, goes running full tilt after Eleanor (and why should she not? Henry Tilney is quite a fetching man! Self too would go running if someone told her that Timothy Olyphant or Nikolaj Coster-Waldau were just around the corner!).
p. 111:
Thorpe would have darted after her, but Morland withheld him. “Let her go, let her go, if she will go.”
“She is as obstinate as — “
Thorpe never finished the simile, for it could hardly have been a proper one.
lol
Morland refers to Catherine’s older brother, James. And a wonderful older brother he is, too. He’s in love with Isabella Thorpe, who’s a ninny. If not for that, he would be self’s third-favorite Jane Austen suitor, after Mr. Knightley and Henry Tilney. He most certainly is self’s favorite Jane Austen brother.
Stay tuned.
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May 18, 2019 at 11:55 am (Artists and Writers, Books, Conversations, Family, Personal Bookshelf, Recommended, Women Writers)
Tags: advice, England, English writers, humor, Jane Austen, novel, reading lists, Saturday
Self might as well tell you who the villain is; you will enjoy this novel so much more as you read: That is, you will be so much more aware of the dangers posed by hypocrisy, and insincere flattery, carelessness and a sense of entitlement. Self advises all blog readers to take notes, in case any of your acquaintance or any members of your immediate family exhibit similar behavior (Every family has its own villains, don’t deny it):
“Ah, mother! How do you do?” said he, giving her a hearty shake of the hand: “where did you get that quiz of a hat, it makes you look like an old witch. Here is Morland and I come to stay a few days with you, so you must look out for a couple of good beds some where near.”
This address seemed to satisfy all the fondest wishes of the mother’s heart, for she received him with the most delighting and exulting affection. On his two younger sisters he then bestowed an equal portion of his fraternal tenderness, for he asked each of them how they did, and observed that they both looked very ugly.
You can always tell who the shallowest men are in a Jane Austen novel because they pass the silliest judgments on women’s appearance.
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
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May 17, 2019 at 10:44 pm (Books, Personal Bookshelf, Recommended, Traveling, Women Writers)
Tags: Bath, England, English writers, Fridays, humor, Jane Austen, novel, reading lists, second reads
With more than usual eagerness did Catherine hasten to the Pump-room the next day, secure within herself of seeing Mr. Tilney there before the morning were over, and ready to meet him with a smile: — but no smile was demanded — Mr. Tilney did not appear.
Jane Austen Centre, Bath, May 2017
Too. Funny.
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
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May 17, 2019 at 10:23 pm (Books, Personal Bookshelf, Recommended, Surprises, Traveling, Women Writers)
Tags: Bath, England, English writers, Fridays, humor, Jane Austen, novel, reading lists, second reads
This is a 2nd reading, and great is her reward, as she really lingers over the story now, and sometimes even bursts into laughter in public, so much so that, this afternoon, an American woman in a party of four just had to break briefly from her companions and ask self what it was she was reading that made her laugh so much. When self showed her the book cover, she seemed a little taken aback.
Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney have just met. Tilney is a clergyman. Not as exciting as being a Captain in HRM’s navy, but Tilney is way more flirty thatn Captain Wentworth, and Catherine is much livelier than Anne Elliot (perhaps because she is 18 and not a spinster of 27!) therefore twice as much fun.
They danced again; and, when the assembly closed, parted, on the lady’s side at least, with a strong inclination for continuing the acquaintance. Whether she thought of him so much, while she drank her warm wine and water, and prepared herself for bed, as to dream of him when there, cannot be ascertained; but I hope it was no more than in a slight slumber, or a morning doze at most; for if it be true, as a celebrated writer has maintained, that no young lady can be justified in falling in love before the gentleman’s love is declared, it must be very improper that a young lady should dream of a gentleman before the gentleman is first known to have dreamt of her.
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
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May 16, 2019 at 6:25 pm (Books, Conversations, Personal Bookshelf, Recommended, Women Writers)
Tags: English writers, Fridays, humor, Jane Austen, novel, reading lists, satire
Persuasion, p. 213:
- Morning visits are never fair by women at her time of life, who make themselves up so little. If she would only wear rouge, she would not be afraid of being seen; but last time I called, I observed the blinds were down immediately.
Stay tuned.
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May 16, 2019 at 6:13 pm (Artists and Writers, Books, Conversations, Personal Bookshelf, Recommended, Women Writers)
Tags: English writers, Fridays, humor, Jane Austen, novel, reading lists, satire
Self is so energetically barreling on with Persuasion! This is the fastest she’s read any Jane Austen! Last year, Emma took her forever. But Mr. Knightley made up for it.
- Oh! You may as well take back that tiresome book she would lend me, and pretend I have read it through. I really cannot be plaguing myself for ever with all the new poems and states of the nation that come out. Lady Russell quite bores me with her new publications. You need not tell her so, but I thought her dress hideous the other night. I used to think she had some taste in dress, but I was ashamed of her at the concert. Something so formal and arrangé in her air! and she sits so upright! My best love, of course.
lol
lol
lol
Stay tuned.
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May 15, 2019 at 9:23 pm (Books, Conversations, Personal Bookshelf, Women Writers)
Tags: English writers, humor, Jane Austen, novel, reading lists, satire
“How is Mary looking?” said Sir Walter, in the height of his good humor. “The last time I saw her, she had a red nose, but I hope that may not happen every day.”
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May 15, 2019 at 11:14 am (Books, Personal Bookshelf, Places, Surprises, Traveling, Women Writers)
Tags: England, English writers, humor, Jane Austen, novel, reading lists, satire
Persuasion, p. 105:
- Their conversation, the preceding evening, did not disincline him to seek her again.
Wowoweeee, things certainly looking up for Anne Elliott! Her every word and every gesture being registered by not only disingenuous Captain Frederick Wentworth, but every member of the walking party in Lyme Regis!
Stay tuned.
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May 14, 2019 at 11:50 pm (Books, Conversations, Women Writers)
Tags: England, English writers, humor, Jane Austen, novel, reading lists, satire
A servant answers a question posed to him by Captain Wentworth: “Mr. Elliott, a gentleman of large fortune . . . ”
Which probably gives Captain Wentworth pause.
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
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