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Janet's Log - stardate 2013


Janet

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I LOATHED Lord of the Flies, but I did read it for English Lit GCSE, which was the course which put me off studying English ever again. I was good at both Lang and Lit, but the combined classes at GCSE level left me with a total detest of the subject, so I trotted off to do history instead. Maybe I should give it another go one day :)

I have a theory that we in British schools are required to force children into learning too many things too early, long before all too many children are ready, simply to satisfy ignorant parents' expectations (my child is three and can't write Shakespeare - disaaaaster daaaarling) and politicians pandering to them (their targets and assessment requirements are just bonkers, and are wrecking children's education -what they do is IMO beneath contempt). It's OK to go ahead if children are ready, but the ages currently set as targets are for all too many set too young! Thus too many children are forced to learn to read too early, write too early, tackle maths concepts too early etc etc,

It's the same with studying literature, and Lord of the Flies is a classic example: a demanding book on adult themes which, because it's subject matter is a group of children, and because it's slim, is deemed by some so-called expert to be suitable for study by younger teenage children. It's also the same with all too many other great authors and books: their reputations destroyed by being forced down children's throats too early. (Don't get me wrong, some children are ready to read them earlier than others, but it's being ready which matters). Then, of course, there's the quality of teaching, but this is usually better than politicians would like us to think.

I studied Emma in my first year at A-level, and hated it. In the summer holidays following, I sat down to read all my texts to date as books, and found myself thoroughly enjoying it. By the end of that summer I had read all the Jane Austen completed oeuvre aside from Mansfield Park, which I didn't get around to (partly because I was saving it!) until a year or two ago. She has remained one of my all time favourite authors ever since, simply because I had come to her right at the point where I was ready. Dickens (Pickwick aside; I loved that as a teenager) is a similar case, except that I wasn't ready until my forties; I now have a string of his books amongst my favourites with Bleak House in my top three.

 

 

Like you J I would like to attempt more classics and I've downloaded quite a few also. I'm hoping that the 1001 book list challenge will also encourage me to tick a few off. I'd definitely like to try another Dickens this year, or maybe attempt my first Austen.

Enjoy!

Edited by willoyd
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Very pleased to hear you are getting on well with The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Janet, I've wanted to read it for ages .. Anne being the Bronte I've tended to neglect. Your good opinion will give it a great big shove up my TBR :D

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Gosh, I've downloaded loads to my Kindle! Definitely some more Austen (I've only read Pride and Prejudice so far), some Dickens (starting with The Pickwick Papers which I believe was his first?), Lorna Doone (a children's book, I think? But anyway, now classed as a classic as far as I know), Treasure Island, Fanny Hill, some more Hardy...

 

All pretty mainstream stuff really. :)

 

I hadn't really read any classics until a few years ago and I've only read a few. I loved P&P (it took me a while to get going with it), I loved The Mayor of Casterbridge. I loved The War of the Worlds. I really enjoyed Candide! Gulliver's Travels less so. A Christmas Carol, of course (not your favourite, I know!), Jane Eyre was really good...

 

I wish I'd been more adventurous years ago!

 

ETA: Why 'intriguing'? :)

Are you not talking to me, Willoyd?! :P

 

I really enjoyed Tess too. Glad you liked it too :) great review!!!

 

Looking forward to what you make of Wildfell Hall. I‘ve not read that one yet.

Sorry, I missed your post, Thanks for your comment about my review. :) I will let you know what I think of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

 

I haven't managed to read any more of 'Wildfell Hall' today, Kay, but what I've reads so far has been very good. :)

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Great pics Janet, I still have the book and the film to look forward to!!! :)

I hope you enjoy them. :)

 

Nice pictures!! I'm not quite sure, what film is that? (I'm sure it's something really famous and obvious XD and I recognise it a bit but can't think of the name..)

It's a version of Pride and Prejudice done by the BBC starring (the yummy) Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. It's a fantastic adaptation. :)

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Awww Janet that's a brilliant photo. I'd love to go there, I have to admit I'd be parading around pretending I had a certain Mr. Darcy waiting for me somewhere nearby! :giggle:

 

I must rewatch that BBC miniseries at some point, I know I have the dvds around here somewhere...

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Haha it really is. I remember when I read P&P for the first time about four years ago, and then heard about the BBC adaptation with Colin Firth. Well! I've never ordered anything so fast in my life, and I'm fairly sure I watched all of it in one day! :giggle: Enjoy the last part!

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I have a theory that we in British schools are required to force children into learning too many things too early, long before all too many children are ready, simply to satisfy ignorant parents' expectations (my child is three and can't write Shakespeare - disaaaaster daaaarling) and politicians pandering to them (their targets and assessment requirements are just bonkers, and are wrecking children's education -what they do is IMO beneath contempt). It's OK to go ahead if children are ready, but the ages currently set as targets are for all too many set too young! Thus too many children are forced to learn to read too early, write too early, tackle maths concepts too early etc etc,

It's the same with studying literature, and Lord of the Flies is a classic example: a demanding book on adult themes which, because it's subject matter is a group of children, and because it's slim, is deemed by some so-called expert to be suitable for study by younger teenage children. It's also the same with all too many other great authors and books: their reputations destroyed by being forced down children's throats too early. (Don't get me wrong, some children are ready to read them earlier than others, but it's being ready which matters). Then, of course, there's the quality of teaching, but this is usually better than politicians would like us to think.

I studied Emma in my first year at A-level, and hated it. In the summer holidays following, I sat down to read all my texts to date as books, and found myself thoroughly enjoying it. By the end of that summer I had read all the Jane Austen completed oeuvre aside from Mansfield Park, which I didn't get around to (partly because I was saving it!) until a year or two ago. She has remained one of my all time favourite authors ever since, simply because I had come to her right at the point where I was ready. Dickens (Pickwick aside; I loved that as a teenager) is a similar case, except that I wasn't ready until my forties; I now have a string of his books amongst my favourites with Bleak House in my top three.

 

I absolutely agree with you Willoyd i can remember studying books & poetry to death at high school & would have had Shakespeare on my most hated list if my older sister hadn't been such a fan & so i watched a few productions with her & loved them.

 

 

 

I'm about 10% of the way through The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë. I knew nothing of what this book was about before I started but it's a really easy read and I'm enjoying it. I hope to get stuck into it a bit today when I get in from work.

 

I loved The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall when i read it ages ago. I remember it was Ruth's review that made me think i 've got to read that again so it's on my TBR pile. I think the classics are books that you can keep coming back to & they never lose there appeal in fact if i had to restrict myself to one genre it would be be the classics :smile:

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The first time I watched it, I think I watched it in one go as well. :) Nice pic, Janet! I'm so jealous you've been able to walk in Colin Firth's/Mr Darcy's footsteps. *swoon*

Lucky, lucky you. The first time I watched it was on a Sunday night and I had to wait a full seven days before the next episode and then so on and so on until I'd seen all six :( It was torture.

 

Hope you've enjoyed your P&P fest Janet :)

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The first time I watched it, I think I watched it in one go as well. :) Nice pic, Janet! I'm so jealous you've been able to walk in Colin Firth's/Mr Darcy's footsteps. *swoon*

I knew I recognised it from somewhere! I think I saw bits of it on the British TV.

Lucky, lucky you. The first time I watched it was on a Sunday night and I had to wait a full seven days before the next episode and then so on and so on until I'd seen all six :( It was torture.

 

Hope you've enjoyed your P&P fest Janet :)

I watched it in one go the first time too - I sent Peter and the kids out somewhere for the afternoon! :giggle2: Luckily my daughter has grown to love it too so we watch together. :)

 

When it first aired I was pregnant with my son and really, really poorly - I was probably feeling too ill to bother with it! I didn't watch it until August 2008 immediately after I'd finished the book!

 

Kylie - the house at Lyme Park (the outside of Pemberley) is interesting and the grounds are gorgeous. I want to see where the inside was filmed, Sudbury Hall. :)

 

'THE' Lake at Lyme Park!

DSCF2263.jpg

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I loved The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall when i read it ages ago. I remember it was Ruth's review that made me think i 've got to read that again so it's on my TBR pile. I think the classics are books that you can keep coming back to & they never lose there appeal in fact if i had to restrict myself to one genre it would be be the classics :smile:

Thanks. :) I haven't managed to read any of it today. :( Maybe tomorrow will be a better reading day!

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Are you not talking to me, Willoyd?! :P

 

Sorry - I missed your question (both of them, as I've only just picked this up!).

 

Intriguing, because you hadn't given any indication which unknown classics you were thinking of (presuming you meant classics you hadn't read and thus didn't know the contents, rather than classics which you didn't know about, as it's quite hard to read books you haven't heard of!!). Being a bit of a classics fan (but with loads still yet to read), I was intrigued as to which ones you were referring to.

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I love lists and spreadsheets! As the years have gone on they’ve evolved – I started keeping them when I joined the forum in 2006. It’s interesting to look back on them.

 

I remember you love lists, I quite like them, too. It's a whole lot of fun going back old lists and statistics, in so many ways... Sometimes it's fun to go back and mentally pat the 2008 newbie frankie on the head and say, 'you have no idea, do you' :giggle2: Think of how many great stats and lists you have, you've been here for so many years! I wonder what it was like back in 2006, how was it different from what it is like now?

 

You know what we should do? We should start keeping a list of members on here who like lists.

:D Sorry, that was bad. But I had to!

 

 

I hated Angel Clare - almost more than I disliked Alec d'Urberville! He needed a good slap!

 

Hahah! :D

 

It's been so long that I can't remember for sure, but is this how it went?:

 

 

Alec was the one who raped Tess, but he was a right a-hole to begin with, so we weren't completely surprised by what he did? And Angel was the 'good samaritan' who was supposed to be all kinds of good but rejected Tess because she was 'tainted'. :rolleyes: Bloody hell, it's not like she asked for it herself or had any choice in the matter! *fumes* So anyhow, one doesn't expect something like that from Angel, so in a way he's worse than Alec. Is that it?

 

 

I know what you mean! I’ve waded through books that I haven’t been enjoying and it’s hard going. Reading stops being a pleasure and becomes a chore! That’s why I’ve pretty much stopped reading bad books to the end – I used to hate the thought of giving up on a book ‘in case it got better’ or because it was a ‘waste of words’ but a few years ago I decided life was too short to read bad books and so the only time I plod on is if it’s for my book club or for my World Challenge!

 

Here here, I agree :yes: Life's just too short!

 

Similarly I have been considering re-reading I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith! When I read it back in 2006 it was for book club, and at that time I was only reading crime books or chick-lit, which I no longer enjoy. It would be interesting to see if reading now would change my opinion. On the other hand there are so many books I would like to read that I doubt I’ll ever get round to trying it again!

 

I think your tastes have changed quite a lot and you've broadened your horizons, so I would definitely encourage you to give the Castle book another go since you've thought about it. Who knows what you'll make of it this time :) You know, if it's there at the library, staring you right in the eyes, and you find you have nothing else to read, for some really odd reason... :D

 

I've had a go at rereading several books I really disliked from my teenage/young adult years (rather longer ago than I'd care to detail!). Every time, I have enjoyed the book a whole lot more than I did at the time. I think that's because almost all of them have been 'classics' of some sort, and I've grown up a lot over the last thirty to forty years (thank goodness!). One or two (e.g. Lord of the Flies) originally ranked amongst my most hated books. They are the ones I think I enjoyed the most!

All I'm saying is that re-reading can be worthwhile. We change a lot more than we think (or would like to acknowledge!).

 

I agree. But I think that one should only re-read the 'hated' books if one feels inclined to do so and is open to possibly enjoying the book. With some books I would give them another go, but I know there are books I don't want to try again, because I just feel I have better things to do with my time.

 

 

This afternoon I have been mostly...

 

DSCF3022.jpg

 

DSCF3028.jpg

 

We went to Lyme Park which was the outside of Pemberley - you can see where Darcy and Elizabeth are walking above in this shot...

 

DSCF2245.jpg

 

 

Sigh.... Hm, I wonder if the first picture would like to be my screensaver.... :giggle:

 

Nice pictures!! I'm not quite sure, what film is that? (I'm sure it's something really famous and obvious XD and I recognise it a bit but can't think of the name..)

 

It's only the BBC adaptation chesilbeach and me have been trying to talk you into watching in the Whatcha Watching thread :D

 

 

Edit: Oh, and Janet, I'm so amazed that you've been to those places!! Did you get goosepumps?!

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I remember you love lists, I quite like them, too. It's a whole lot of fun going back old lists and statistics, in so many ways... Sometimes it's fun to go back and mentally pat the 2008 newbie frankie on the head and say, 'you have no idea, do you' :giggle2: Think of how many great stats and lists you have, you've been here for so many years! I wonder what it was like back in 2006, how was it different from what it is like now?

 

You know what we should do? We should start keeping a list of members on here who like lists.

:D Sorry, that was bad. But I had to!

I love lists!

 

It's only the BBC adaptation chesilbeach and me have been trying to talk you into watching in the Whatcha Watching thread :D
I am very tempted to buy it soon!
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I love lists!

 

Okay, that's you, Janet, Kylie, frankie... *scribbles down and stops to ponder* :D

 

I am very tempted to buy it soon!

 

Just don't sigh too often at the sight of Mr Darcy if you're watching it with your boyfriend, it might lead to problems :giggle:

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Sorry - I missed your question (both of them, as I've only just picked this up!).

 

Intriguing, because you hadn't given any indication which unknown classics you were thinking of (presuming you meant classics you hadn't read and thus didn't know the contents, rather than classics which you didn't know about, as it's quite hard to read books you haven't heard of!!). Being a bit of a classics fan (but with loads still yet to read), I was intrigued as to which ones you were referring to.

That's okay - I thought you'd probably missed it. I probably miss replies too - it's easy to do. :)

 

I know you are a huge fan of the classics - I've detailed below those that I've read but I'm not sure if you'd consider them 'proper' Classics.

 

I hadn't read any classics (apart from some 'modern classics' as categorised by Penguin) until 2007 when I read three - and even then two were children's books (Little Women and 'Huck Finn') - the third being A Christmas Carol (and I know your views on that :) ).

 

2008: Pride and Prejudice

2009: The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Turn of the Screw

2010: Three Men in a Boat, Candide, The History of Mr Polly and The Diary of Mr Nobody

2011: Silas Marner, The Mayor of Casterbridge and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

2012: Gulliver's Travels, The War of the Worlds, Around the World in Eighty Days

 

And I think that's it. :)

 

I have actually downloaded a few that I've never heard of! :giggle2: Something will pop up as a recommendation on Amazon and catch my eye.

 

In your opinion, what are the classics that everybody should read? :)

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