Posted by Racer on August 27, 2005, at 0:21:55
In reply to Re: Well.. I found £1.50 classics range!!, posted by daisym on August 23, 2005, at 15:28:53
Come to my house and check the top of my bookcases -- that's where I put the "special" writers!
Let's see, "Wuthering Heights" -- hm... Emily Bronte was a poet, more than a novelist, and Heathcliffe was an animal, wild, passionate, and it's a great love story. It's the story of a great love. It's the story of a great love that became a profoundly damaging hate. I'm not sure I'd say it was the next to read. But, when you're ready for it, it's worth it.
As for the Brontes in general, scholarly opinion back when I was in school was pretty much that Emily was the Great Poet, Charlotte was Prolific, and Anne was The Great Novelist -- and I haven't been convinced otherwise. While the language you ran into with Jane Eyre will still come across, and you'll probably have a bit of trouble with some of the mores, I highly recommend "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" by Anne Bronte. It's the first sustained feminist novel in English, and it was truly scandalous in its day. If you can, find a copy with her original preface to the second edition, where she answered the critics. GREAT stuff.
And my own, sweet Jane -- read Jane Austen. You'll adore her, too. First, to whet your appetite, sup on "Pride and Prejudice," before moving on to "Emma" and then "Sense and Sensibility." "Mansfield Park" is not up to the standards those books set, although the story behind it is interesting, and "Northanger Abbey" is pretty immature, which also has a story behind it. (Northanger is funny, though.) Once you've set yourself ready, though, read your dessert: "Persuasion." It's my very favorite, and I used to literally be able to recite the first couple of pages from memory, I'd read it so often.
You know, Nikki, I gotta go check on my husband, because he checked on me as though he was lonely, before I got sidetracked by you (evil thing), so how about I write to you later about this?
xoxo
poster:Racer
thread:543839
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/books/20050728/msgs/547125.html