Stave Three of A Christmas Carol

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Galatea

Guest
#41
Having a girl play that part may be to appeal to Scrooge's tender nature----from his past----to soften his heart...
That's a good point. Especially since the two most significant people in his past were his little sister and his lost love.
 
G

Galatea

Guest
#42
Oh boy...long or short version? :D The short version answer to that question is Mansfield Park. If you're interested in a longer version, see below :)

I found Mansfield Park very, very satisfying both emotionally and intellectually. Emotionally, Fanny and Edmund are perfect for each other, and Fanny deserved him after all she'd gone through when he was courting Mary. Intellectually, I find it satisfying because it is so complex. Mary says something that is repeated to Fanny by Edmund through Edmund's rose-colored glasses and you as the reader finally get to hear it from Fanny's perspective or with her commentary. Lots to sift through to find the real characters.

This second slot should really be the Emma/Persuasion/Pride and Prejudice slot, and I will occasionally find myself calling one of these my favorites, as well. Emma was amazing. I see this as one of Austen's most masterfully written books. There are things that you as the reader know, even when Emma as the narrator (for lack of a better word) does not. I love the light and witty style of the entire book, and of course...Mr. Knightly plays heavily into my love of this book :eek:

Persuasion was a book that I feel I could read five times in a month and still there would be concepts in it that I didn't quite grasp. Austen's grip on human characters and her writing style get better with age. This was one of my favorite story lines, and I only wish Austen had lived to completely finish it. As it is, it lacks her usual polish.

Pride and Prejudice Most people tend to recommend this book as a first to Austen readers, and I can see why. It showcases her great style, and is her most driving plot line. However, I prefer the "quieter" Austen couples (e.g. Fanny and Edmund, Anne and Fredrick), and the witty, strong spirited Elizabeth and the bold, somewhat arrogant, rich Mr. Darcy are far from the quiet Fanny/Edmund type! However, it was a great book, and it has been my favorite before.

Sense and Sensibility The reason this one comes so far down the list is actually quite simple. I read it when I was 13 or so and I was like "Good night! I AM MARIANNE!" I disliked that thought so much, and I was so freaked out that Austen had captured my heart and the most unsavory of my emotions on paper for everyone to read that I put the book down on the spot. Several years later, I re-read it, and discovered (much like Marianne at the end of the book) I had grown up a lot and learned some lessons; Marianne and I had grown apart, and it was no longer painful to read about her. I enjoyed the book, but for the purely personal reason I mentioned, I've always had a bad taste in my mouth when I read it. (give me another 5 years :)). I love the scene where Edward comes to visit the Dashwoods, and they mistakenly think that he is now married! Epic!

Northanger Abbey I know and love people who put this book very high up on their list, but this is the one Austen that I am even remotely close to disliking. Austen has not had time to develop her own writing style or her spot-on character sketches, and I feel the storyline is a bit of a drag. Henry Tilney was a great guy and a bright spot in the book, but he didn't make up for John and Isabella Thorpe!
I liked both the long and short versions. :) I liked Mansfield Park, the least :( I'm sorry to disagree, but still liked it better than most books written by other authors. The problem was Fanny. She was too perfect for me. I wanted her to throw a tantrum or tell Aunt Norris "I WILL NOT DO ...". I wanted her to get mad and do something other than be longsuffering all the time. And, I felt a little irked with Edmund for not seeing that Mary was not a moral person, but actually kind of mercenary. She makes the comment at one point about if Tom died, then Edmund would be the heir (she doesn't say this to Edmund, but to Fanny, but my Lord, Edmund- don't be so STUPID). Lol. Don't get me wrong, I think you are right, Edmund and Fanny are well suited, but I would not have much minded if she ended up with Tom and reformed him.

Persuasion is my favorite. I think the love between Anne and Captain Wentworth was so deep and true, it withstood the test of time. It is the saddest book to me, the first time I read it, I suffered with Anne thinking that Frederick would never forgive and he would end up with someone else, and she could not share her pain. It's beautiful to me, but not as witty or polished, like you said.

Pride and Prejudice is probably third, because of the characters and the wit. Lizzie is a great heroine because she is not perfect. She misunderstands Darcy, she snaps at her mother at times, she is initially taken in by Wickham's story. She's fallible. Her speech to Lady Catherine de Bourgh is priceless. I'm one of the ones in love with Darcy. His first proposal speech was insulting (I love you despite myself), but think about it, isn't that kind of finer in a way? Loving someone despite yourself? I would have married him then and there and the book would have been much shorter.

Sense and Sensibility is next, I know what you mean about Marianne. Heck, I'm 20 years older than you and probably more of a Marianne than an Eleanor. Really, though, the love between the sisters stands out in this book more than the romantic love plot lines. It's Eleanor and Marianne- two very different women, but they love each other and have a bond unlike any other. Some of this is seen in P&P with Lizzie and Jane- the tender sister relationship. I love Alan Rickman's Colonel Brandon, what a voice! I'm older than you, though. So he may not have the same kind of attraction to you.

Emma is next, I like the wit, the plot and the characters- as vivid as the ones in P&P, but there is something lacking in Emma. I liked Jane Fairfax better than Emma. I think what makes me angry with Emma is that she persuades Harriet not to marry the farmer (forget his name) when it is obvious that Harriet actually loves the farmer. So Emma's meddling gets on my nerves a little bit. Also, I didn't think Frank Churchill was such a bad dude. I know he was hiding his attachment to Jane Fairfax, but it didn't seem such a big deal, and he bought her a piano anonymously which was super romantic.

I agree with you about Northanger Abbey, it is not as witty and the characters not as memorable. I liked Henry Tilney a lot, but he is no Captain Wentworth or Mr. Darcy.

Sorry for my equally long post. I'm very pleased to meet a fellow Austenite. If you haven't seen Austenland with Kerri Russell, it's worth a watch. It's not the best movie in the world- rather silly, but Austen fans would get a kick out of it, I think.

In conclusion, I leave you Edmund, and I'll take Captain Wentworth. :)

Thanks for posting.
 
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Galatea

Guest
#43
Good morning all :)

I have remembered a couple of other books from my
e-reading days that I would highly recommend to anyone :)

The first one is The Art Of Racing In The Rain. Oh, such a charming and heartwarming book, totally surprising in that it is written from the perspective of the main character's pet dog.

The second is The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared. The sweep of history in this book presented through the life memories of the main character is very entertaining.

Tinuviel, you and Galatea could make a living reviewing books and movies too, no doubt. Such rich and complex insights, caught in the as yet untarnished hope and idealism of youth, are quite refreshing :) I find Des' perspective enlightening also! :D
Thanks for the recommendations, and the compliment. :) I'd like to read a book from the perspective of a dog, that sounds interesting. I've heard about the second recommendation, there are so many things that change in a 100 years. Imagine how the world has changed from 1917 to 2017, for example. When I read a blurb about it in a catalogue, it sounded like a good read.
 
T

Tinuviel

Guest
#44
I liked both the long and short versions. :) I liked Mansfield Park, the least :( I'm sorry to disagree, but still liked it better than most books written by other authors. The problem was Fanny. She was too perfect for me. I wanted her to throw a tantrum or tell Aunt Norris "I WILL NOT DO ...". I wanted her to get mad and do something other than be longsuffering all the time. And, I felt a little irked with Edmund for not seeing that Mary was not a moral person, but actually kind of mercenary. She makes the comment at one point about if Tom died, then Edmund would be the heir (she doesn't say this to Edmund, but to Fanny, but my Lord, Edmund- don't be so STUPID). Lol. Don't get me wrong, I think you are right, Edmund and Fanny are well suited, but I would not have much minded if she ended up with Tom and reformed him.

Persuasion is my favorite. I think the love between Anne and Captain Wentworth was so deep and true, it withstood the test of time. It is the saddest book to me, the first time I read it, I suffered with Anne thinking that Frederick would never forgive and he would end up with someone else, and she could not share her pain. It's beautiful to me, but not as witty or polished, like you said.

Pride and Prejudice is probably third, because of the characters and the wit. Lizzie is a great heroine because she is not perfect. She misunderstands Darcy, she snaps at her mother at times, she is initially taken in by Wickham's story. She's fallible. Her speech to Lady Catherine de Bourgh is priceless. I'm one of the ones in love with Darcy. His first proposal speech was insulting (I love you despite myself), but think about it, isn't that kind of finer in a way? Loving someone despite yourself? I would have married him then and there and the book would have been much shorter.

Sense and Sensibility is next, I know what you mean about Marianne. Heck, I'm 20 years older than you and probably more of a Marianne than an Eleanor. Really, though, the love between the sisters stands out in this book more than the romantic love plot lines. It's Eleanor and Marianne- two very different women, but they love each other and have a bond unlike any other. Some of this is seen in P&P with Lizzie and Jane- the tender sister relationship. I love Alan Rickman's Colonel Brandon, what a voice! I'm older than you, though. So he may not have the same kind of attraction to you.

Emma is next, I like the wit, the plot and the characters- as vivid as the ones in P&P, but there is something lacking in Emma. I liked Jane Fairfax better than Emma. I think what makes me angry with Emma is that she persuades Harriet not to marry the farmer (forget his name) when it is obvious that Harriet actually loves the farmer. So Emma's meddling gets on my nerves a little bit. Also, I didn't think Frank Churchill was such a bad dude. I know he was hiding his attachment to Jane Fairfax, but it didn't seem such a big deal, and he bought her a piano anonymously which was super romantic.

I agree with you about Northanger Abbey, it is not as witty and the characters not as memorable. I liked Henry Tilney a lot, but he is no Captain Wentworth or Mr. Darcy.

Sorry for my equally long post. I'm very pleased to meet a fellow Austenite. If you haven't seen Austenland with Kerri Russell, it's worth a watch. It's not the best movie in the world- rather silly, but Austen fans would get a kick out of it, I think.

In conclusion, I leave you Edmund, and I'll take Captain Wentworth. :)

Thanks for posting.
Thank you for an intelligent Austen conversation! Most people merely look at me weird when I go on an Austen speech, so it is hard to find someone to talk to. (she definitely makes it to the top three favourite authors!) Alan Rickman did a BRILLIANT Colonel Brandon! Though I have to say I was not too happy with that actor of Edward, who always looked like his cravat was choking him or his boots were too tight. (For which my sisters and I tease him unmercifully, though it is probably somewhat accurate, since Edward isn't in a comfortable position throughout most of the story).

I really like your spin on P&P with Darcy's first proposal because frankly, I've never thought of him as anything but extremely arrogant at that point. The way he says it is insulting to say the least, but it is kind of sweet to be told that someone loves you in spite of everything.

Emma--in Jane Austen's words: "I have created a heroine that no one will like but myself" No, I'm not a fan of Emma herself either!

I feel that Fanny is actually quite complex; (though I have heard the "too perfect" argument before and can indeed see where that comes from). With a personalty like that, she was actually far from perfect but it did not show itself in the same way as, say Elizabeth. For Fanny, the very act of NOT telling Aunt Norris to jump in a lake was a fault. She could have told a lot of people were to get off and saved herself and others lots of heartache. In effect, Maria's disgrace and Julia's elopement were her fault, because she observed and did not share the information. For her it was painful to make any kind of scene, and by NOT standing up to people she was actually taking the easy way out. I've had a chance to study Fanny because she is very like my sister; on the surface she's perfect, but it is only surface perfection. Her problems are way down deep. However, Edmund and Fanny together, now that's perfect :) Edmund would have provided her the self-confidence she lacked, and she would have been a stability and judgement that Edmund is (surprisingly) lacking. (P.S. Tom Bertram and Susan Price were only about 12 years apart...I like to think they would have made a match. Susan is the kind of spunky and determined gal that I think would be good for Tom...I'm as bad as Emma when it comes to matching people up, but I've learned her lesson, I only do fictional characters ;)). I know; I fell crazy in love with one of the least known and widely the least liked Austen book...go figure :D

I'll be looking up Austenland in the next few days to see what it is all about; I'm sure I would enjoy it, and maybe be able to rope some of my sisters into watching it with me!
 
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Tinuviel

Guest
#45
Galatea, I am glad this is your thread, because otherwise we'd be majorly hijacking a tread on Dickens to discuss Austen! :D I'm not sure Dickens would be pleased...
 

Desdichado

Senior Member
Feb 9, 2014
8,768
837
113
#46
Pride and Prejudice was good. Didn't have as much action as Black Hawk Down​, though.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,247
25,715
113
#47
I will take your advice about the order in which I should read Ayn Rand. I haven't read any of her works yet, but I saw The Fountainhead with Gary Cooper- but I am sure it is most definitely not the same as reading the book. I am a Cooper fan, and was more focused on the love story aspect than the social commentary. I read that people think her ethics are kind of cold, that she goes way to the other extreme by repudiating communism. Like, the highest good is doing whatever best benefits yourself, the individual, and don't bother about the group at all- no altruism. I don't know if this is true, as I never read her and can not form my own opinion. I have gaps in my education, some are chasms. Like I have read no philosophy or theology. It is a shame.

I liked buying used college textbooks to read the comments from other students. I also get a thrill when I buy an old book and a bonus is found- a receipt, a note, a bookmark, a newspaper clipping. I like to read what other people underlined and wonder at the significance if it is not immediately apparent. I am a vicarious reader in some ways. I like looking at the library dates on the slip and wonder about the people who checked out the book. One time, I found a construction paper card from the 1950s a child had made inviting her mother to a Mother's Day program at school. The poor lady probably wondered where she misplaced her child's card. And all this for a $1.00 most of the time.

I know gadgets are handy, and the way of the world, but impersonal. I think you know what I mean. I think two good things about e-readers are people who have limited space can still have a gigantic library. That's a VERY good thing, and they are very portable. I bought my sister a kindle for Christmas one year. She brought it with her when she had jury duty and told me she was very glad to have it.

Sometimes, I feel very guilty about watching junky television, but I do a lot of other time wasting things, so it is no different. Years ago, my sister and I talked about seeing things on television that we ought not to watch, so I typed up the verse out of Psalm 101:3 " I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.", framed it and put it on top of our television cabinet. For a long time, we went by the verse and didn't watch anything salacious or violent. I don't know why we stopped. I guess it is one of those things you slip into doing, and I remember the first crime show we watched and I was physically ill because I was not used to watching that kind of stuff anymore. I took down the verse, because we were back to watching stuff that is not that great. I probably need to find it and put it back up, not a legalistic thing, but a personal conviction kind of thing, if that makes sense.

We were crazy about Lost, the first two seasons were fantastic, but then they changed writers and the flavor was not the same. We still watched it though, I almost stopped when Charlie died. I loved his character. :) I think I liked Dominc Monaghan ever since he was in Lord of the Rings, anyway.

I hear many people are going to only Netflix and do not have cable or satellite. I guess it makes sense. I'm such a nerd, I watch a lot of public television, but I know you can watch it online.

I am sorry I did not see your post before I went to sleep and see the lovely picture. :) I have a white rabbit, and he is an angel. Thank you, very much. Thanks for the nice chat.
I watched The Fountainhead only a couple of years ago, just before joining here. I agree! Gary Cooper was fabulous in the role of Howard Roark. Her romantic scenarios are hard for me to understand. I don't think they appeal to many people due to how rather alien and violent they are. But they are not really the focus of her work, either. I hated Ayn's nonfiction, found it abhorrent and could not read it at all. But she surely has a talent for nonfiction, and her principles of self first and foremost become very easy to understand through that format. I know it sounds selfish initially, but you will understand once you have read her. People cannot survive trying to live by other people's values. She develops characters of both streams, and those conflicts that come from people bucking the trends drive the stories. It comes naturally to me, and probably to you, too, to root for the guy who is always hounded and having society and conformity constantly trying to beat him down to destroy him for being different :) They are like visionaries, seeing through the phony veneer that lends itself to the emptiness of living life disconnected from your true values. As to lacking in philosophical education, you know what the Bible says about not being led captive by vain philosophies :D See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. Maybe I am just dumb but a lot of philosophy just seems to go in circles. :p

That is very interesting what you have found interesting in perusing other people's thoughts and habits. It makes you a bit of a long distance voyeur. I love watching people. I was born and raised in a fairly large family, and found myself retreating from much of the conflict. To read a book, while my siblings squabbled over who was going to watch what on TV. My closest siblings were all huge sports fans, too, hockey mostly, and I have very little interest in such things even now (unless the Canucks make it to the Stanley Cup finals- that has happened a couple of times in the last couple of decades :D and their loss both times led to riots downtown :p I hate crowds!) Once I found a four leaf clover in a used copy of Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. I did like that :) Have you read that book? He is a Persian philosopher/poet.

Yes, when I decluttered I got rid of a LOT of my CD collection and much of what was left of my album collection. I wasn't listening to much of that old classic rock any more anyways, and thought if I wanted to hear it, I could just listen on youtube... but the ads they insert everywhere are obnoxious intrusions. Oh well. I kept all my praise and worship (it being the newest additions to my collection), most of my female artists, and a lot of the eclectic new age chant and meditation style stuff I had bought since turning away from the content I had spent decades listening to. I also like silence, and have retreated from the constant barrage of noise the world tries to foist on us. I hear the ticking of the clock across the room, and the odd whoosh of traffic from the nearby bridge, and feel a great comfort in my silence and solitude after working all day. My cat is curled up on a cushion nearby. I still have some of the best of the best, like The Moody Blues, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd. I even went through my photo albums and streamlined them. Being in my mid to late fifties at the time still carting around stuff from my twenties that holds little meaning to me seemed pointless, after all. And I got rid of boxes and boxes of books. So long, fine friends! My apartment was quite spotless for a time :D

The best thing I found about the e-reader was the built-in dictionary. All I had to do was put my finger on the word I wanted to look up and an app would open giving me multiple options.I had preselected the preferred dictionary already, and Wiki was also one of the options. The device auto upgrades and so there are no doubt things it will do now that I have no idea of.

It does make sense about the personal conviction in regards to what you allow yourself to view on TV. There have always been genres I never cared for such as horror, and my daughter hates stories that center on infidelity, which many seem to do. So much had changed in those seventeen years without television. Everything had become much more slick, and digital was working its way into everything. It has completely refashioned my work environment also. But as to content, I am sure there is lots I watch that others might eschew, and movies made for Christians are too often too flat for me. I did watch one recently that I quite enjoyed, called, Do You Believe. I love the gospel movies, though, like The Gospel of John. And it was following The Gospel of Luke movie many years before I surrendered my life to God that I had a very powerful experience of God, though at the time it was not enough for me to believe... Here is a post I made about that experience shortly after joining this site.
http://christianchat.com/bible-disc...ts-sinless-perfectionists-14.html#post2187188

My daughter wanted to watch LOTR again, so we recently saw the first two of the three movies. :D I thought that little white critter was a mouse :eek: How long have you had your rabbit? I have had pet rabbits also. We tried chickens too LOL that was when we were kids. I looked after our two pet raccoons for four years. I had mice and fish also. We were not allowed cats or dogs because one of my sisters was deathly allergic to fur and feathers etc. My twin brother had an iguana for years. When it finally died nobody knew for days cuz it looked that same as it always did, just sitting there as if frozen. I don't really care for reptiles as pets. I cannot have a dog so I have a cat. She was a rescue, and is lovely, though she does like to bite; apparently that is a "thing" for Asian cats, according to my daughter :)

I have heard about Netflix but I do not like signing up for things or doing any money transactions online. I just don't trust it. My apologies for my tardy response. I started this a hours ago but my closest sister called and we were on the phone for an hour and a half. She laughed at me for saying it was cold here at seven below Celsius. She lives in Calgary where 20 to 30 below is not uncommon during their winters. They had almost minus 40 for a couple of weeks. Brrrr. She once invited me to come and live with her, let's grow old together, she actually said that to me, what an amazing thing to hear, we have been close most of our lives, but I would not have expected that. But my life is here, my daughter is here, my job is here. I have been here since 1977. I hitchhiked across the country with my guitar and a knapsack on my back, accompanied by two friends, and then hung up my thumb. That reminds me.

Have you read any of Tom Robbins? He wrote Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. The main character hitchhiked a lot in that book. She had a large thumb LOLOLOL. He also wrote Still Life With Woodpecker, and Another Roadside Attraction, as well as Jitterbug Perfume and others. I read a lot of Kurt Vonnegut in those days also. I have read a lot of books in my time, but Jane Austen and Ayn Rand remain my favourite authors. They are so different from each other too! But they are the best of the best :):):)

Thanks again :) I hope you have a lovely weekend :)



 
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Tinuviel

Guest
#48
Pride and Prejudice was good. Didn't have as much action as Black Hawk Down​, though.
Yeah, I'm going to guess that those who read Pride and Prejudice would be disappointed if they expected action :D
 
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Galatea

Guest
#49
Galatea, I am glad this is your thread, because otherwise we'd be majorly hijacking a tread on Dickens to discuss Austen! :D I'm not sure Dickens would be pleased...
No, I don't think Dickens would be pleased. He liked to be the center of attention. :) I go off on rabbit trails all the time. I like when conversations wander, it is more organic that way.
 
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Galatea

Guest
#50
Thank you for an intelligent Austen conversation! Most people merely look at me weird when I go on an Austen speech, so it is hard to find someone to talk to. (she definitely makes it to the top three favourite authors!) Alan Rickman did a BRILLIANT Colonel Brandon! Though I have to say I was not too happy with that actor of Edward, who always looked like his cravat was choking him or his boots were too tight. (For which my sisters and I tease him unmercifully, though it is probably somewhat accurate, since Edward isn't in a comfortable position throughout most of the story).

I really like your spin on P&P with Darcy's first proposal because frankly, I've never thought of him as anything but extremely arrogant at that point. The way he says it is insulting to say the least, but it is kind of sweet to be told that someone loves you in spite of everything.

Emma--in Jane Austen's words: "I have created a heroine that no one will like but myself" No, I'm not a fan of Emma herself either!

I feel that Fanny is actually quite complex; (though I have heard the "too perfect" argument before and can indeed see where that comes from). With a personalty like that, she was actually far from perfect but it did not show itself in the same way as, say Elizabeth. For Fanny, the very act of NOT telling Aunt Norris to jump in a lake was a fault. She could have told a lot of people were to get off and saved herself and others lots of heartache. In effect, Maria's disgrace and Julia's elopement were her fault, because she observed and did not share the information. For her it was painful to make any kind of scene, and by NOT standing up to people she was actually taking the easy way out. I've had a chance to study Fanny because she is very like my sister; on the surface she's perfect, but it is only surface perfection. Her problems are way down deep. However, Edmund and Fanny together, now that's perfect :) Edmund would have provided her the self-confidence she lacked, and she would have been a stability and judgement that Edmund is (surprisingly) lacking. (P.S. Tom Bertram and Susan Price were only about 12 years apart...I like to think they would have made a match. Susan is the kind of spunky and determined gal that I think would be good for Tom...I'm as bad as Emma when it comes to matching people up, but I've learned her lesson, I only do fictional characters ;)). I know; I fell crazy in love with one of the least known and widely the least liked Austen book...go figure :D

I'll be looking up Austenland in the next few days to see what it is all about; I'm sure I would enjoy it, and maybe be able to rope some of my sisters into watching it with me!
Yes, Hugh Grant looked uncomfortable the whole time, but it was in keeping. You kind of wonder why Eleanor likes Edward so much, but he is gentle. This is probably his best character trait. I like Alan Rickman very much, if I were Marianne- there would have been no contest between Rickman's Brandon and Willoughby. Lol

I like Darcy, I think Lizzie is a little too hard on him. She should have recognized sooner that there wasn't much to recommend her to him EXCEPT her good self- so it was a hard decision for a man of such wealth and position to follow his heart rather than his head. It's really a big deal.

You make really good points about Fanny's faults. I didn't think about it that way before. It is a fault to be too submissive and cowed by a bully- not to stand up for yourself. If I were Fanny, I would probably have been passive aggressive with Aunt Norris. Like halfway do a chore or forget to do whatever she told me to do- Lol, make myself absent whenever she was looking for me to do whatever it was she wanted doing. You're right, she kind of knew the score about Julia and didn't tell Tom or Edmund, and she SHOULD have. The main problem I have with Edmund is he is taken in by Mary, like a chump. Although Tom is a gambler and a drunk, somehow, I don't think of him as a chump. Like he wouldn't be taken in by Mary. I did the same thing as you, I married him off to Susan in my mind. I don't dislike Fanny, I like her very much. I just wanted her to do something naughty like not listen to Aunt Norris once in a while. I guess Edmund is the one I take more issue with in that novel.

Emma is spoiled, that is her problem. She thinks too much of her perception, and she is often dead wrong. I kind of know how that is. I used to think I was highly perceptive- but more often than not nowadays, I'm dead wrong.

Captain Wentworth is the best hero, though. He is constant- after twelve years. I love him for it. He knew Anne was not easily replaced.
 
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Galatea

Guest
#51
Pride and Prejudice was good. Didn't have as much action as Black Hawk Down​, though.
Oh, I wouldn't say that. It's a different kind of action.
 
G

Galatea

Guest
#52
I watched The Fountainhead only a couple of years ago, just before joining here. I agree! Gary Cooper was fabulous in the role of Howard Roark. Her romantic scenarios are hard for me to understand. I don't think they appeal to many people due to how rather alien and violent they are. But they are not really the focus of her work, either. I hated Ayn's nonfiction, found it abhorrent and could not read it at all. But she surely has a talent for nonfiction, and her principles of self first and foremost become very easy to understand through that format. I know it sounds selfish initially, but you will understand once you have read her. People cannot survive trying to live by other people's values. She develops characters of both streams, and those conflicts that come from people bucking the trends drive the stories. It comes naturally to me, and probably to you, too, to root for the guy who is always hounded and having society and conformity constantly trying to beat him down to destroy him for being different :) They are like visionaries, seeing through the phony veneer that lends itself to the emptiness of living life disconnected from your true values. As to lacking in philosophical education, you know what the Bible says about not being led captive by vain philosophies :D See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. Maybe I am just dumb but a lot of philosophy just seems to go in circles. :p

That is very interesting what you have found interesting in perusing other people's thoughts and habits. It makes you a bit of a long distance voyeur. I love watching people. I was born and raised in a fairly large family, and found myself retreating from much of the conflict. To read a book, while my siblings squabbled over who was going to watch what on TV. My closest siblings were all huge sports fans, too, hockey mostly, and I have very little interest in such things even now (unless the Canucks make it to the Stanley Cup finals- that has happened a couple of times in the last couple of decades :D and their loss both times led to riots downtown :p I hate crowds!) Once I found a four leaf clover in a used copy of Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. I did like that :) Have you read that book? He is a Persian philosopher/poet.

Yes, when I decluttered I got rid of a LOT of my CD collection and much of what was left of my album collection. I wasn't listening to much of that old classic rock any more anyways, and thought if I wanted to hear it, I could just listen on youtube... but the ads they insert everywhere are obnoxious intrusions. Oh well. I kept all my praise and worship (it being the newest additions to my collection), most of my female artists, and a lot of the eclectic new age chant and meditation style stuff I had bought since turning away from the content I had spent decades listening to. I also like silence, and have retreated from the constant barrage of noise the world tries to foist on us. I hear the ticking of the clock across the room, and the odd whoosh of traffic from the nearby bridge, and feel a great comfort in my silence and solitude after working all day. My cat is curled up on a cushion nearby. I still have some of the best of the best, like The Moody Blues, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd. I even went through my photo albums and streamlined them. Being in my mid to late fifties at the time still carting around stuff from my twenties that holds little meaning to me seemed pointless, after all. And I got rid of boxes and boxes of books. So long, fine friends! My apartment was quite spotless for a time :D

The best thing I found about the e-reader was the built-in dictionary. All I had to do was put my finger on the word I wanted to look up and an app would open giving me multiple options.I had preselected the preferred dictionary already, and Wiki was also one of the options. The device auto upgrades and so there are no doubt things it will do now that I have no idea of.

It does make sense about the personal conviction in regards to what you allow yourself to view on TV. There have always been genres I never cared for such as horror, and my daughter hates stories that center on infidelity, which many seem to do. So much had changed in those seventeen years without television. Everything had become much more slick, and digital was working its way into everything. It has completely refashioned my work environment also. But as to content, I am sure there is lots I watch that others might eschew, and movies made for Christians are too often too flat for me. I did watch one recently that I quite enjoyed, called, Do You Believe. I love the gospel movies, though, like The Gospel of John. And it was following The Gospel of Luke movie many years before I surrendered my life to God that I had a very powerful experience of God, though at the time it was not enough for me to believe... Here is a post I made about that experience shortly after joining this site.
http://christianchat.com/bible-disc...ts-sinless-perfectionists-14.html#post2187188

My daughter wanted to watch LOTR again, so we recently saw the first two of the three movies. :D I thought that little white critter was a mouse :eek: How long have you had your rabbit? I have had pet rabbits also. We tried chickens too LOL that was when we were kids. I looked after our two pet raccoons for four years. I had mice and fish also. We were not allowed cats or dogs because one of my sisters was deathly allergic to fur and feathers etc. My twin brother had an iguana for years. When it finally died nobody knew for days cuz it looked that same as it always did, just sitting there as if frozen. I don't really care for reptiles as pets. I cannot have a dog so I have a cat. She was a rescue, and is lovely, though she does like to bite; apparently that is a "thing" for Asian cats, according to my daughter :)

I have heard about Netflix but I do not like signing up for things or doing any money transactions online. I just don't trust it. My apologies for my tardy response. I started this a hours ago but my closest sister called and we were on the phone for an hour and a half. She laughed at me for saying it was cold here at seven below Celsius. She lives in Calgary where 20 to 30 below is not uncommon during their winters. They had almost minus 40 for a couple of weeks. Brrrr. She once invited me to come and live with her, let's grow old together, she actually said that to me, what an amazing thing to hear, we have been close most of our lives, but I would not have expected that. But my life is here, my daughter is here, my job is here. I have been here since 1977. I hitchhiked across the country with my guitar and a knapsack on my back, accompanied by two friends, and then hung up my thumb. That reminds me.

Have you read any of Tom Robbins? He wrote Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. The main character hitchhiked a lot in that book. She had a large thumb LOLOLOL. He also wrote Still Life With Woodpecker, and Another Roadside Attraction, as well as Jitterbug Perfume and others. I read a lot of Kurt Vonnegut in those days also. I have read a lot of books in my time, but Jane Austen and Ayn Rand remain my favourite authors. They are so different from each other too! But they are the best of the best :):):)

Thanks again :) I hope you have a lovely weekend :)



Thanks for explaining it better about Rand. Her philosophy sounded a little cold to me, from what I read- that there was no place for the group. Just look out for yourself, never mind about anyone else. It seemed to be like swinging the pendulum too far the other way from Communism. But what you write makes it more understandable.

I would not read philosophy in order to incorporate it into my beliefs, rather, I would want to read it to know what it is all about. I'm so desirous of learning, I would like to know everything, although I realize that is not possible on this side of eternity. A lot of it is over my head, too. :) I tried to read some materialism last year- but I was nonplussed by what I read. It made no sense to me at all.

I have always been an observer. I liked listening to adult conversations when I was a kid, and would write down what people said, like a little spy or journalist. :) I like people watching, too. I think people are fascinating. I have a degree in psychology, and learning about the way our minds work was a pleasure. That's interesting about your family, and why you became a people watcher. Mine was born more out of plain old nosiness. Just being curious about everything.

I have read bits of The Prophet, but not all of it. That is nice to have found a four leaf clover in the book. :)

I don't appreciate silence enough. I like to hear clocks tick, too. Isn't that funny? You would think the inexorable march of time ticking away would not be the most comforting sound in the world, but it is a comforting sound. I need to declutter and get rid of things. I have too much stuff, and it can become oppressive at times.

Don't get me wrong, I don't just watch Christian themed stuff. At the time, we had talked about how we were watching a lot of salacious kind of shows and felt bad about it. So we decided not to anymore. I don't even remember how we slid back into watching junky things. I watch a show sometimes called Modern Family, which has a homosexual couple on it. If I had kids, I wouldn't watch it. It's probably something a lot of Christians wouldn't watch. But, it is a personal conviction sort of thing. I haven't seen the movies you mentioned, but it is good that the Gospel of Luke sowed a seed. We went to the theater to see The Passion of the Christ, and it was very moving. I was a Christian already at the time, but I have wondered if it had a good effect on unsaved people who watched it, if it sowed some seeds.

The LOTR movies were really well done. I hope Tolkien would have been pleased with the treatment. I saw the first movie before reading the books, so after seeing it, quickly proceeded to buy the books and read all three. They were really good books. :) It sounds like you have a close relationship with your daughter, that's very good to hear.

I got my rabbit last year as a class pet. But, he quickly became my pet! He has glaucoma and had to have one eye removed. I took him to school at the beginning of the year, but he didn't want to go back to school. He stopped eating and I was worried. The vet said my rabbit was pouting. So, he stays at home now. I tell the kids that he wants to be homeschooled now. You had quite the menagerie as a child! Reptiles aren't as cuddly as furry pets.

That is quite alright about the response. :) That sounds very sweet about your sister. My sister told me that we can live together when we are old. It was a beautiful thing to say to me. I understand about you wanting to be close to your daughter.
It is in the 30s F here, and we are babies because it is so cold to us. We are too used to warm and hot weather.

I haven't read any Tom Robbins. I would be scared to death to hitchhike. I'd like to travel cross country, but not that way! I will read your thread about legalists and sinless perfection. God is so good to us, I was reading the psalms the other day, picking out my favorite for the thread, and read the verse about him knowing our frames and we are but dust. I heard Dr. McGee quote someone saying "If we knew how much God loves us, it would break our hearts." He loves us though He knows us, and that is an amazing thing.

Thank you for the lovely posts, I hope you have a good weekend as well. :)
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,247
25,715
113
#53
Ayn Rand's philosophy does come across as cold when put forth as ideas only,
but when she clothes them in human flesh and develops a character and plot
lines around them, they fare much better :) I am glad you are going to read
some of her fiction; I found it phenomenal, and worthy of many reads :D

Since last corresponding with you I have revisited Persuasion. I do not remember when I last read it, but it was likely many years ago, as I could honestly not recall any of the characters or story until the tale neared its end, while Richard Wentworth wrote at the desk as he listened to Anne and Captain Harville discuss matters of the heart and the constancy of feelings from their respective genders' perspectives. It was only then the story struck any chord of familiarity with me; after finishing the online written version (which had no introduction nor preface nor anything :( so there was nothing to soften the jumping right in, to witness Anne's father's vanity and her elder sister's shallowness... it seemed a bit clunky and took too long to come to any focus on Anne) I then watched the BBC production from 1971. It was quite true to the novel, though did drop a few things, such as Mr. Eliot's proposal while at the concert, which incidentally may have been the only music throughout (no soundtrack) :)

I tried reading Kierkegaard when I was much younger and discussing it with a friend of mine but I am not even sure now if I had a clue about what I was reading, so I understand your misgivings about reading philosophy.

Silence is wonderful :D Well, it used to be haha I have tinnitus now
and it seems to have gotten louder since my last cold and congestion.
Most of the time I don't really notice it, though. Silence is like a palette
cleanser. I grew up on all those heart wrenching songs of the sixties that
segued into the rock anthems and ballads of the seventies. Oh I do not
mind hearing that stuff, but I don't listen to much of it myself any more.
Except for a few I mentioned, like the Moody Blues. Long periods of
silence in my life have given way to my interests being free of such
influences, I think, when I hear new things, allowing me to instantly
recognize whether it is to my tastes or not. Have you ever heard
the music of Hildegard von Bingen as composed and played by
Richard Souther and the musicans and vocalists he assembles?

My daughter and I watched The Return of The King on Saturday :D
We thought maybe we would only watch the first half but then realized
we would not be able to just leave off like that. She normally stays up
late when I am there which means a ten pm bedtime for her, but we
were up past midnight for that LOL. I tried reading those books a
couple of times when I was in my twenties, but could not get past
not knowing of what manner of creature hobbits were!

Dr. J. Vernon McGee, my goodness, I hear his southern drawl just
to hear his name. He is often on the radio as I am coming home
from work. God does know us, more intimately and with more
understanding than even we know ourselves. I believe He lives
within us... standing at the door to our hearts, knocking, until
He knows for sure He has our attention. When I spoke with
various non believers over a period of years, it really struck
me how the most bitter seemed to be the formerly religious,
and religious to a point they believed themselves born again,
and went into ministry for years and even decades before
walking away from it all to put on the mantle of a mal theist.

I have just started watching the Persuasion movie form 2007,
and can already see that it deviates widely from the text of
the novel proper. I am sure I have seen this before, but
will watch it again to compare more with the story as Jane
told it, now that it is fresh in my mind. I may never forget
Persuasion again, thanks to you :) Although I must confess,
I do not find it one of her stronger stories, I am none the less
determined to watch this movie and then I think I am going
to have to read more Jane Austen :):):)

[video=youtube;Pl9iZnBmLpE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl9iZnBmLpE[/video]
 
G

Galatea

Guest
#54
Ayn Rand's philosophy does come across as cold when put forth as ideas only,
but when she clothes them in human flesh and develops a character and plot
lines around them, they fare much better :) I am glad you are going to read
some of her fiction; I found it phenomenal, and worthy of many reads :D

Since last corresponding with you I have revisited Persuasion. I do not remember when I last read it, but it was likely many years ago, as I could honestly not recall any of the characters or story until the tale neared its end, while Richard Wentworth wrote at the desk as he listened to Anne and Captain Harville discuss matters of the heart and the constancy of feelings from their respective genders' perspectives. It was only then the story struck any chord of familiarity with me; after finishing the online written version (which had no introduction nor preface nor anything :( so there was nothing to soften the jumping right in, to witness Anne's father's vanity and her elder sister's shallowness... it seemed a bit clunky and took too long to come to any focus on Anne) I then watched the BBC production from 1971. It was quite true to the novel, though did drop a few things, such as Mr. Eliot's proposal while at the concert, which incidentally may have been the only music throughout (no soundtrack) :)

I tried reading Kierkegaard when I was much younger and discussing it with a friend of mine but I am not even sure now if I had a clue about what I was reading, so I understand your misgivings about reading philosophy.

Silence is wonderful :D Well, it used to be haha I have tinnitus now
and it seems to have gotten louder since my last cold and congestion.
Most of the time I don't really notice it, though. Silence is like a palette
cleanser. I grew up on all those heart wrenching songs of the sixties that
segued into the rock anthems and ballads of the seventies. Oh I do not
mind hearing that stuff, but I don't listen to much of it myself any more.
Except for a few I mentioned, like the Moody Blues. Long periods of
silence in my life have given way to my interests being free of such
influences, I think, when I hear new things, allowing me to instantly
recognize whether it is to my tastes or not. Have you ever heard
the music of Hildegard von Bingen as composed and played by
Richard Souther and the musicans and vocalists he assembles?

My daughter and I watched The Return of The King on Saturday :D
We thought maybe we would only watch the first half but then realized
we would not be able to just leave off like that. She normally stays up
late when I am there which means a ten pm bedtime for her, but we
were up past midnight for that LOL. I tried reading those books a
couple of times when I was in my twenties, but could not get past
not knowing of what manner of creature hobbits were!

Dr. J. Vernon McGee, my goodness, I hear his southern drawl just
to hear his name. He is often on the radio as I am coming home
from work. God does know us, more intimately and with more
understanding than even we know ourselves. I believe He lives
within us... standing at the door to our hearts, knocking, until
He knows for sure He has our attention. When I spoke with
various non believers over a period of years, it really struck
me how the most bitter seemed to be the formerly religious,
and religious to a point they believed themselves born again,
and went into ministry for years and even decades before
walking away from it all to put on the mantle of a mal theist.

I have just started watching the Persuasion movie form 2007,
and can already see that it deviates widely from the text of
the novel proper. I am sure I have seen this before, but
will watch it again to compare more with the story as Jane
told it, now that it is fresh in my mind. I may never forget
Persuasion again, thanks to you :) Although I must confess,
I do not find it one of her stronger stories, I am none the less
determined to watch this movie and then I think I am going
to have to read more Jane Austen :):):)

[video=youtube;Pl9iZnBmLpE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl9iZnBmLpE[/video]
There are so many books I need to read, Rand among others to be truly educated. I am intrigued by her and her worldview.

I agree, Persuasion is not one of the more witty Austen novels. It's not spritely, and a little more serious. It is the constancy of Wentworth and Anne that charms me, but especially Wentworth. Here is a wealthy, made man. He could have any lovely, young woman. But, he cannot forget the one who turned him down and loves her still. I love his letter, and I love Anne too. Her suffering which had no outlet, she could tell no one who would sympathize with her. She had to bear her loss alone.

It is the depth of their relationship that is different from her other books. In the others, the couples are still getting to know one another- the first bloom of love. In Persuasion, they love each other already. It's deeper. I like the 1971 version, but the sound is awful. It is probably because they filmed in actual locations.

Yes, I think my mind probably can't process philosophy, unless I try something relatively easy to understand, like Plato. I get the idea of the ideal world versus the real world.

I am sorry about the tinnitus, but at least you don't notice it most of the time. I have not heard of von Bingen before, but liked it. Thank you for sharing the piece, although I did not know what they were saying. :) It was beautiful.

My sisters and I read the books together and talked about our favorite parts. These are really good memories. Once, we had a watching marathon and watched all three movies back to back. It was a little much! Lol, but we were wild about LOTR.

Dr. McGee is very dear to me, and I like how when he preaches, he always brings the focus to bear on Jesus and His beauty. His accent doesn't bother me, it sounds like home. :). I like to listen to him during my off period at work when I can.

That is troubling about the bitter, formerly religious. Perhaps they had tried SO hard to work, and found when they could not live up to their own concepts of what Christians should be, they became disenchanted? I'm not sure. I know that if it were not for Christ holding fast to me, I would have fallen by the wayside a long time ago. I know that in me there is no good thing, except the Holy Spirit. Yes, He stands at the door and knocks, and if an man opens, he will sup with him. I love that about God. He is a gentleman, and no gatecrasher. I heard a preacher talk about the portrait of Jesus knocking at the door, and said "Have you noticed, there is no doorknob- because the door has to be opened from the inside." I have a plate with that picture on it. I think about that a lot, about he lack of doorknob. I think Holman painted it, but I'm not sure.

I liked the 2007 version alright, but the best version in my opinion was the Amanda Root version. I think, 1992?

After we finish A Christmas Carol, we are going to have a book club. If you want to join, please do. I would like people to nominate books that are easily downloadable from The Gutenberg Project (in case they don't have access to a printed copy), and we'll vote on a book to read. Goodnight, I love talking to you. :) Sweet Dreams.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,247
25,715
113
#55
Oh my goodness I just spent about an hour relating observations on the book compared to the BBC production compared to the movie as well as quite a bit more about Hildegard and Richard Souther and some other shows and authors but when I went to post, I was not logged in because I had done something to Chrome due to an annoying problem I have had recently and the end result is I lost the whole post. So disappointed about that :( I will try to recapture some it at a later date, good night and sweet dreams :)

GoodNightSafetyOfTheLordp.jpg
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,247
25,715
113
#57
Hello lovely lady Galatea :) I hope you do not mind my dispassionate critique of your favorite Austen couple :D My apologies for calling Frederick Richard! :eek: Okay, so I was unable to watch the 2007 movie version of Persuasion all in one go because I found it quite disturbing how much it diverged from the book and BBC series: completely rearranging scenes, dropping scenes, fabricating scenes, changing even who had what conversation with which other person! For example, upon arriving in Lyme, they as if by accident or perchance we are to believe it was arranged beforehand, but instead of going to the beach and then arriving later at the Harville's, they run into Harville and Benwick at the beach, and then later, during supper at the inn, Anne has the very important conversation with Benwick instead of Harville, and Frederick Wentworth was not even listening! That was a pivotal scene in the book and series, for it was when Frederick wrote to Anne and confessed his undying love to her.

In reading the book and then watching the series and movie, it did occur to me that the characters from the series to the movie were physically portrayed quite differently, making me aware of the fact that Jane does not actually describe them in terms of hair colour or other attributes. In the BBC series, Elizabeth had startling jet black hair, while the movie had her a blonde. Who could find fault with either when Jane had specified nothing in that regard? Were Mary's children even given names? The story seems quite spare when looked at in the light of what is left out.

I did get a much better sense of Anne's suffering from the movie rendition. The book did not go into it that much, and Anne was always just super composed in the BBC production to get a true glimpse into her inner self. The movie had her writing in a diary, almost as if she were really talking to us, and that helped. I also liked this Frederick Wentworth better, as well as the Crofts. Harville I preferred in the BBC production. I will see if I can find the '92 version.

Movie Mary I recognized from The White Queen (BBC series), which I would highly recommend to you. Come to think of it, the queen in that series played Dinah in The Red Tent, which did not follow the book of the same name that well. I really liked the book. It takes Dinah (the only daughter of Jacob and Leah from the Bible) and retells her story from her viewpoint. A strict view of Scripture it is not haha but it was quite a good read :D ALso recognized movie Mr. Eliot from the Outlander series I have been watching with my daughter. It is quite explicit and so I cannot in good conscience recommend that one to you :(

I did not mean to give the impression that I dislike J. Vernon McGee in any way. He is very dear to me, and I have enjoyed listening to his teachings off and on for all the years I have been Christian (12 now) :)

Hildegard von Bingen is a woman worth looking into. She was born in Germany in 1098 and tithed to the church by her parents, being the tenth child in her family. She grew up to become the Abbess of the Monastery where she lived and she removed all the nuns from the presence of the monks in an act of independence unknown in her time. She was well versed in the healing power of herbs and gemstones, and understood the workings of the human body better than most men of her time. She had visions that she turned into artwork, and they may have informed some of her musical writings as well. She did write in Latin, so that is the language of Richard Souther's arrangements of her music. The CDs come with quite extensive little booklets translating the lyrics into multiple languages as well as showcasing some of her artwork and writing about the musicians.



He uses the same uilleann piper that Enya does, and one CD was put together/produced by him with none of the musicians even being on the same continent. Richard's vision for her music far surpasses how regular medieval musicologists would treat her music, which would normally a droning instrumentation. I love that on that one CD, one of the two vocalists is a nun, Sister Germaine Fritz of the Order of Saint Boniface. What a voice! Oh, if you like the singing in Latin I would also recommend a CD called Pilgrimage: 9 Songs of Ecstasy, with Catherine Bott as vocalist. It is likewise quite sublime :D Here is the whole CD :)

[video=youtube;7DG7dSUsdDQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DG7dSUsdDQ[/video]

I love talking and sharing with you also :) I just started reading
A Christmas Carol but it may not hold my attention :D

I hope you have a lovely evening! Much love to you :)

goodnight2.jpg
 
T

Tinuviel

Guest
#58
Hello lovely lady Galatea :) I hope you do not mind my dispassionate critique of your favorite Austen couple :D My apologies for calling Frederick Richard! :eek: Okay, so I was unable to watch the 2007 movie version of Persuasion all in one go because I found it quite disturbing how much it diverged from the book and BBC series: completely rearranging scenes, dropping scenes, fabricating scenes, changing even who had what conversation with which other person! For example, upon arriving in Lyme, they as if by accident or perchance we are to believe it was arranged beforehand, but instead of going to the beach and then arriving later at the Harville's, they run into Harville and Benwick at the beach, and then later, during supper at the inn, Anne has the very important conversation with Benwick instead of Harville, and Frederick Wentworth was not even listening! That was a pivotal scene in the book and series, for it was when Frederick wrote to Anne and confessed his undying love to her.

In reading the book and then watching the series and movie, it did occur to me that the characters from the series to the movie were physically portrayed quite differently, making me aware of the fact that Jane does not actually describe them in terms of hair colour or other attributes. In the BBC series, Elizabeth had startling jet black hair, while the movie had her a blonde. Who could find fault with either when Jane had specified nothing in that regard? Were Mary's children even given names? The story seems quite spare when looked at in the light of what is left out.

I did get a much better sense of Anne's suffering from the movie rendition. The book did not go into it that much, and Anne was always just super composed in the BBC production to get a true glimpse into her inner self. The movie had her writing in a diary, almost as if she were really talking to us, and that helped. I also liked this Frederick Wentworth better, as well as the Crofts. Harville I preferred in the BBC production. I will see if I can find the '92 version.

Movie Mary I recognized from The White Queen (BBC series), which I would highly recommend to you. Come to think of it, the queen in that series played Dinah in The Red Tent, which did not follow the book of the same name that well. I really liked the book. It takes Dinah (the only daughter of Jacob and Leah from the Bible) and retells her story from her viewpoint. A strict view of Scripture it is not haha but it was quite a good read :D ALso recognized movie Mr. Eliot from the Outlander series I have been watching with my daughter. It is quite explicit and so I cannot in good conscience recommend that one to you :(

I did not mean to give the impression that I dislike J. Vernon McGee in any way. He is very dear to me, and I have enjoyed listening to his teachings off and on for all the years I have been Christian (12 now) :)

Hildegard von Bingen is a woman worth looking into. She was born in Germany in 1098 and tithed to the church by her parents, being the tenth child in her family. She grew up to become the Abbess of the Monastery where she lived and she removed all the nuns from the presence of the monks in an act of independence unknown in her time. She was well versed in the healing power of herbs and gemstones, and understood the workings of the human body better than most men of her time. She had visions that she turned into artwork, and they may have informed some of her musical writings as well. She did write in Latin, so that is the language of Richard Souther's arrangements of her music. The CDs come with quite extensive little booklets translating the lyrics into multiple languages as well as showcasing some of her artwork and writing about the musicians.



He uses the same uilleann piper that Enya does, and one CD was put together/produced by him with none of the musicians even being on the same continent. Richard's vision for her music far surpasses how regular medieval musicologists would treat her music, which would normally a droning instrumentation. I love that on that one CD, one of the two vocalists is a nun, Sister Germaine Fritz of the Order of Saint Boniface. What a voice! Oh, if you like the singing in Latin I would also recommend a CD called Pilgrimage: 9 Songs of Ecstasy, with Catherine Bott as vocalist. It is likewise quite sublime :D Here is the whole CD :)

[video=youtube;7DG7dSUsdDQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DG7dSUsdDQ[/video]

I love talking and sharing with you also :) I just started reading
A Christmas Carol but it may not hold my attention :D

I hope you have a lovely evening! Much love to you :)

View attachment 164542
Wait...were we talking about the 2007 Persuasion...without ME?? I have to say that while it took a lot of liberties with the book, it seemed to capture the general flavour; Besides, Rupert Penry-Jones rocked Captain Wentworth!! (He also played St. John Rivers in a version of Jane Eyre; sadly, I do not think he used his full potential on that, but I feel he COULD have made something amazing with it, if he acted it more the way he acted Wentworth).
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,247
25,715
113
#59
Wait...were we talking about the 2007 Persuasion...without ME?? I have to say that while it took a lot of liberties with the book, it seemed to capture the general flavour; Besides, Rupert Penry-Jones rocked Captain Wentworth!! (He also played St. John Rivers in a version of Jane Eyre; sadly, I do not think he used his full potential on that, but I feel he COULD have made something amazing with it, if he acted it more the way he acted Wentworth).
Haha hey Tinuviel how are you? Yes, I have derailed this thread to talk things Austen with Galatea :D I did recommend an earlier thread of yours to Gala... do you remember your book thread? Is it still active? :D Yes, I really did prefer this Frederick to the BBC portrayal :D
 
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Galatea

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#60
Hello lovely lady Galatea :) I hope you do not mind my dispassionate critique of your favorite Austen couple :D My apologies for calling Frederick Richard! :eek: Okay, so I was unable to watch the 2007 movie version of Persuasion all in one go because I found it quite disturbing how much it diverged from the book and BBC series: completely rearranging scenes, dropping scenes, fabricating scenes, changing even who had what conversation with which other person! For example, upon arriving in Lyme, they as if by accident or perchance we are to believe it was arranged beforehand, but instead of going to the beach and then arriving later at the Harville's, they run into Harville and Benwick at the beach, and then later, during supper at the inn, Anne has the very important conversation with Benwick instead of Harville, and Frederick Wentworth was not even listening! That was a pivotal scene in the book and series, for it was when Frederick wrote to Anne and confessed his undying love to her.

In reading the book and then watching the series and movie, it did occur to me that the characters from the series to the movie were physically portrayed quite differently, making me aware of the fact that Jane does not actually describe them in terms of hair colour or other attributes. In the BBC series, Elizabeth had startling jet black hair, while the movie had her a blonde. Who could find fault with either when Jane had specified nothing in that regard? Were Mary's children even given names? The story seems quite spare when looked at in the light of what is left out.

I did get a much better sense of Anne's suffering from the movie rendition. The book did not go into it that much, and Anne was always just super composed in the BBC production to get a true glimpse into her inner self. The movie had her writing in a diary, almost as if she were really talking to us, and that helped. I also liked this Frederick Wentworth better, as well as the Crofts. Harville I preferred in the BBC production. I will see if I can find the '92 version.

Movie Mary I recognized from The White Queen (BBC series), which I would highly recommend to you. Come to think of it, the queen in that series played Dinah in The Red Tent, which did not follow the book of the same name that well. I really liked the book. It takes Dinah (the only daughter of Jacob and Leah from the Bible) and retells her story from her viewpoint. A strict view of Scripture it is not haha but it was quite a good read :D ALso recognized movie Mr. Eliot from the Outlander series I have been watching with my daughter. It is quite explicit and so I cannot in good conscience recommend that one to you :(

I did not mean to give the impression that I dislike J. Vernon McGee in any way. He is very dear to me, and I have enjoyed listening to his teachings off and on for all the years I have been Christian (12 now) :)

Hildegard von Bingen is a woman worth looking into. She was born in Germany in 1098 and tithed to the church by her parents, being the tenth child in her family. She grew up to become the Abbess of the Monastery where she lived and she removed all the nuns from the presence of the monks in an act of independence unknown in her time. She was well versed in the healing power of herbs and gemstones, and understood the workings of the human body better than most men of her time. She had visions that she turned into artwork, and they may have informed some of her musical writings as well. She did write in Latin, so that is the language of Richard Souther's arrangements of her music. The CDs come with quite extensive little booklets translating the lyrics into multiple languages as well as showcasing some of her artwork and writing about the musicians.



He uses the same uilleann piper that Enya does, and one CD was put together/produced by him with none of the musicians even being on the same continent. Richard's vision for her music far surpasses how regular medieval musicologists would treat her music, which would normally a droning instrumentation. I love that on that one CD, one of the two vocalists is a nun, Sister Germaine Fritz of the Order of Saint Boniface. What a voice! Oh, if you like the singing in Latin I would also recommend a CD called Pilgrimage: 9 Songs of Ecstasy, with Catherine Bott as vocalist. It is likewise quite sublime :D Here is the whole CD :)

[video=youtube;7DG7dSUsdDQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DG7dSUsdDQ[/video]

I love talking and sharing with you also :) I just started reading
A Christmas Carol but it may not hold my attention :D

I hope you have a lovely evening! Much love to you :)

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Hello, Lovely Lady Magenta,
No, I don't mind a critique of Frederick and Anne. Tinuvial was a good sport in my critique of Edmund and Fanny. We all have our favorites. :)
Yes, I know what you mean about rearranging scenes and dropping scenes from books and changing conversations. It is very annoying to a purist. The conversation Anne has with Harville is really important for Wentworth to hear, because it lets him know she still loves him. He would never know otherwise! I can't remember if Mary's children had names or not. It seems like I remember the eldest being named Charles after his father, but it has been a while since reading. I don't know that Austen devoted a lot of time to physical descriptions. We know in Pride and Prejudice that Lizzie has fine eyes, but that's about it. I guess we are left to our imaginations as to what we believe a pair of fine eyes to be.

I liked the diary bit, too. It was a good addition- and this coming from a purist. I got the suffering from the book- but it might have been what I put on the story rather than what was there implicitly. The Amanda Root version also has Ciaran Hinds, a lovely Wentworth. He looks like a sea captain. It is nice to see him with petite Amanda Root.

I actually saw The White Queen advertised, and wanted to see it. It seems like something that would appeal to me. I did see The Red Tent, but disliked it, because it made it seem like Rachel's idol worship was better than Jacob's worship of God. That is what I got from the series, but I did not read the book- so maybe it is not as bad.

I didn't get that you disliked Dr. McGee, that was not my impression at all. :) I know his accent is kind of strange to people outside the South, but it sounds cozy and homey to me. That's what I meant. :)

Thank you for telling me about von Bingen, she does sound interesting. I will have to look her up. :)
I listened to the link (part of it) I like it, I wish I knew Latin. It is something I have wanted to learn for many years. I lament the fact that I did not attend school in the 1950s when it was a standard course in public education.

Please do not continue reading A Christmas Carol only on my account. :) Life is much too short to read something that is uninteresting to you. :) Most people have already seen the film versions, so the story is old hat.

Thank you for the link, the post, and the pretty picture. As well as the rabbits. I love talking to you, as well. Sweet Dreams, and may God bless you.