What better way to replace one Darcy but with another? Having watched the film a number of times i thought I knew what I was getting with the book but was surprised by quite a number of plot differences. The film - which I think I am more fond of - is certainly more like Pride and Prejudice than the book, which isn't surprising as the guy who penned the BBC adaptation also collaborated with the screenplays.
One thing I noticed whilst reading the book is how dated it has become, there are a lot of references that had I read it back in 1996 when it was published I would have immediately recognised. At one point she starts to keep count of the the days "instants" and at first I was confused, I knew that I should have known what she was talking about as it was quite familiar. It wasn't until later when she explained about the national lottery that I of course knew what she was talking about, back in 1995 the whole lottery itself was new and Britain was lottery crazy, I used to work in WHSmiths on a Saturday and often manned the Lottery till and we had queues winding around the shop and right out the door every Saturday for the couple of years I was there. Had someone mentioned instants back then I would have immediately known what they were referring to.
The other reference which i have to admit to identifying with is her 1471 obsession, and I cannot remember the last time I ever used 1471 not really needed with caller ID, which got me wondering how Bridget would have coped with the myriad of ways to be spurned by possible love interest. It is set before mobile phones, texting, email and the internet were commonly available. Facebook was at least 10 years away with it's status updates and relationship indicators.
It isn't too surprising that it has aged when you take into consideration that it started as a newspaper column reflecting the life of a mid-nineties thirty-something and therefore detailing current trends and national obsessions. Pushing those aside Bridget is still as identifiable in her hang ups as a thirty-something woman 15 years later, remembering she is a caricature and not a real representation, and there are certainly traits and insecurities I can recognise in my own behaviour and that of my friends. I very much enjoyed reading it, and now really want to watch the film again, and after a little Googling am quite excited at the prospect of a new film and a possible west end musical to come!
Showing posts with label Kindle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kindle. Show all posts
Friday, 17 December 2010
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Big Read Challenge - #2 Pride & Prejudice
It seems quite fitting to post this first review today as Google helpfully informs me that today is the 235th birthday of Jane Austen. I must admit I struggled a little when I started reading the book, I think it was due to my preconceptions that it would be an easy read and that even though I have been studying the history of English, I am embarrassed to say, I didn't think that the language used 200 years ago would be much different to now. I was also reading at bed time so my tired mind was a little perplexed at first.
However once I got past that initial bump I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I had some idea of the story from having watched some if not all of the BBC series from the mid nineties. I have been wondering whether I would have been rooting for Mr Darcy quite so much from the start had I not already been aware that he was being misrepresented in the beginning.
Often I found myself a little confused as to who was talking when there were long stretches of dialogue, I am not sure if that is because of Austen's writing or, as odd as this might seem, if it was down to the edition I was reading, I switched from a physical copy to the Kindle halfway through and I didn't find it so much of a problem afterwards.
Like all good books I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading, in fact I still do and I finished it a couple of days ago, and I was quite sad to say goodbye. It is easy to see why there have been a number of sequels written by other writers over the years. I suppose the only disappointment I felt was with regard to Wickham who at the end seemed quite unaffected by his previous behaviour, I suppose I would have liked him to suffered a bit more, but then in my own personal sequel he does!
I have steered clear of the classics since I left school and I see I have been missing out on some, erm, classics! I look forward to discovering more.
However once I got past that initial bump I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I had some idea of the story from having watched some if not all of the BBC series from the mid nineties. I have been wondering whether I would have been rooting for Mr Darcy quite so much from the start had I not already been aware that he was being misrepresented in the beginning.
Often I found myself a little confused as to who was talking when there were long stretches of dialogue, I am not sure if that is because of Austen's writing or, as odd as this might seem, if it was down to the edition I was reading, I switched from a physical copy to the Kindle halfway through and I didn't find it so much of a problem afterwards.
Like all good books I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading, in fact I still do and I finished it a couple of days ago, and I was quite sad to say goodbye. It is easy to see why there have been a number of sequels written by other writers over the years. I suppose the only disappointment I felt was with regard to Wickham who at the end seemed quite unaffected by his previous behaviour, I suppose I would have liked him to suffered a bit more, but then in my own personal sequel he does!
I have steered clear of the classics since I left school and I see I have been missing out on some, erm, classics! I look forward to discovering more.
Saturday, 11 December 2010
How to Read
I got my Kindle today, an early Christmas present from my Dad. He wanted to give it to me so i could set it up before my flight to Germany on Wednesday. The first thing I have to say is how amazing it looks, I had heard the comments that the screen looks just like paper but really not believed it as how can it, it is a mini computer no? But really it does, which is down to what is called e-ink, a small explanation from the more technical father was that unlike lcd's which refresh a few times per second there is no refreshing of the e-ink until you 'turn the page'. Whatever it is I say it's jolly clever!
It is pretty simple to use I am currently about a 3rd of the way through reading Pride and Prejudice, part of my Big Read challenge, so I have downloaded it onto the Kindle (for free!) and will continue with my bedtime reading from there tonight. I have even managed to work out how to transfer one of my OU textbooks from the student website onto the Kindle, so feeling very pleased with myself indeed. The only thing I am missing is one of those expensive leather covers which will protect it and have a built in reading light.
Being so new I have had a quick check around for questions, like making sure I know how to get it into flight safe mode and as such I found myself on the Amazon Kindle forum and a topic caught my eye immediately called How do you read? No, I'm serious - I've just been told I should relearn! and I have to say it raised a discussion that I have never ever thought about, which is the way we read. I suppose I just took for granted that everyone reads in the same way, I knew that some people were faster readers than I was but I never thought that they actually read using a completely different method.
Like the poster, I too read each word aloud in my head, but from what I can work out some people read by sight alone and their brain must process the information in a different way. Some people say there is a right way and a wrong way to learn to read and I apparently have the wrong way, which might make sense, I have a mild-ish form of dyslexia, unless I am stressed then it can get much worse. However, surely the way in which one person learns to read is very much personal and works for them, just like the hand we find it easier with which to write?
The question that quite interests me is how our interpretations of what we are reading might differ depending on the way we read. By reading each word aloud in my head I find I have a narrator voice which is quite expressive, I am not sure if that would translate to someone that reads with just their eyes. Do they have a more or less vivid illustration of the world they are reading about? I wonder if thinking is exactly the same, I quite often think in words but I know other people that hardly ever internally narrate their thoughts but instead have images.
It is a subject which just 30 minutes ago I had no opinion of, but now I really want to find out more. Do you or anyone you know read in the same or different way?
It is pretty simple to use I am currently about a 3rd of the way through reading Pride and Prejudice, part of my Big Read challenge, so I have downloaded it onto the Kindle (for free!) and will continue with my bedtime reading from there tonight. I have even managed to work out how to transfer one of my OU textbooks from the student website onto the Kindle, so feeling very pleased with myself indeed. The only thing I am missing is one of those expensive leather covers which will protect it and have a built in reading light.
Being so new I have had a quick check around for questions, like making sure I know how to get it into flight safe mode and as such I found myself on the Amazon Kindle forum and a topic caught my eye immediately called How do you read? No, I'm serious - I've just been told I should relearn! and I have to say it raised a discussion that I have never ever thought about, which is the way we read. I suppose I just took for granted that everyone reads in the same way, I knew that some people were faster readers than I was but I never thought that they actually read using a completely different method.
Like the poster, I too read each word aloud in my head, but from what I can work out some people read by sight alone and their brain must process the information in a different way. Some people say there is a right way and a wrong way to learn to read and I apparently have the wrong way, which might make sense, I have a mild-ish form of dyslexia, unless I am stressed then it can get much worse. However, surely the way in which one person learns to read is very much personal and works for them, just like the hand we find it easier with which to write?
The question that quite interests me is how our interpretations of what we are reading might differ depending on the way we read. By reading each word aloud in my head I find I have a narrator voice which is quite expressive, I am not sure if that would translate to someone that reads with just their eyes. Do they have a more or less vivid illustration of the world they are reading about? I wonder if thinking is exactly the same, I quite often think in words but I know other people that hardly ever internally narrate their thoughts but instead have images.
It is a subject which just 30 minutes ago I had no opinion of, but now I really want to find out more. Do you or anyone you know read in the same or different way?
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