Barring the chandelier, which I adore - This is practically my study at home... Book-lined and fusty-musty... I only wish for a Victorian velvet chaise-longue, probably deep-red in colour, to rest upon, perchance to peruse a much-loved story, or two, or three... and to snooze behind the wooden Venetian blinds from the glaring, eye-watering heat of the day.
Where was I?! Day-dreaming again, non?
So, if you can, raise a glass of a crisp white to more of the tales that shook my universe...
Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert's first novel, published in 1857. Apparently one of Time magazine's 10 Greatest Books of All Time, together with my next choice, this deals with passion and torture, everyday life and love and longing, and denial. Read it, and understand some of the shopaholic lessons we ought to learn today, mes bloggy fashionistas. Realistic and funny, shocking and terribly triste.
Yes, it's Anna Karenina. ...Striding modernism and realism, this charts the life and, did I spoil the ending for you (?), death of beautiful Anna Karenina...Exploring the themes, courtesy of ma soeur, la Wiki, of, "hypocrisy, jealousy, faith, fidelity, family, marriage, society, progress, carnal desire and passion, and the agrarian connection to land in contrast to the lifestyles of the city", a must-read, even if you never get to read War & Peace, you must try this novel.
I once spent an enjoyable afternoon on a train between Edinburgh and Inverness, translating the French parts of the novel to a tall, dark and handsome fellow passenger, who also happened to be reading the same edition as mine. Only, I was slightly ahead of him in the novel, almost finished, and he knew no French... Was he flirting with me then, in that moment? I am afraid I was too young and naive to notice, and probably also too married!
Ah, the age of rail and romance... Oh, and novels! Focus, Fhina, focus!
Speaking of which, 1989's A Woman's Guide To Adultery by Carol Clewlow an author who lives in North Shields, reveals much about women's thoughts, their struggles and their, sometimes hard to comprehend, deeds...
It is not a novel in praise of adultery; Far from it, the novel explores the difficulties of maintaining a feminist viewpoint with the associated morals about never cheating on the 'sisterhood', while also searching for love among men. You might not always agree with the heroine, but you might share a piece of her heart, as la Joplin once said...
9 comments:
In my next life (when I win the lottery) I am going to have a library crammed with books.. . for then I'll never be alone.
If one searches for love, one will always be disappointed.
HI Fhina,
I know I had and maybe still have Madame B and Anna K on the bookshelf but again, alas, not read (what are books for for heavens sake?!) So, strangers on a train, huh? You coquette you!
Bovary and Karenina - enough to keep any bookworm well nourished for a while!
Niether of those were my favourites, frankly, I wanted to slap her and him, and Anna was on to a bad end from the get go...literary they may be, but I am so a sucker for a happy end [which is why I wanted to chuck Wuthering heights [oh the suffering]
It's Jane Austin Pand P for me every time...I must have read it at least ten times and that is a lot for me who hardly has the time to read a book once [there are just too many luscious bites and so little time] As to that library with the dusty shelves and the Chaise...I aspire, I pine...'twill be mine one day.
Apropos of little here, MY WIFE and I have many teddy bears. Two of them are named Flaubert (that is, Flo Bear) and Madame Bovary.
I want to live in that book-filled room! I promise to be quiet, Fhina.
I won't talk while you're reading. I won't munch crunchy chips while you're resting. I'll be very good.
I promise.
Can I come?
Bloggus
XXOOXX
Oh, Fhi! That whole train/translating French bit BEGS to be written into a novel (or erotic story ;) Hee hee)! XOOX
More of my favorites! Definitely a shared taste for romance and tragedy . . .
I haven't read nearly enough this summer, and have been stockpiling all sorts of good things. I'm sort of looking forward to days that give you permission to stay inside. I need the chaise-longue and a good reading lamp I'm thinking.
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