I prefer Jane Eyre

Kelly

I like the Bronte books and especially Jane Eyre, too, Kelly.  I always find them to be a little depressing, however.  When I saw where the Brontes lived, in the parsonage at Haworth, I could understand why so much of what they wrote was on the "dark" side.  Of course, we were there on a rainy and dreary day so that didn't help much either.   

Phyllis.  I wish you had been up in the Haworth  when the weather was nice. One of my favourite area when I am back as grew up close enough that could just go up  when the weather was nice.  Family did own a cottage there. The area is sort of dreary when raining.

Which over villages did you see?

Jane Eyre is a favorite, also.  I don't think I downloaded it to my Kindle.  I loved the movie version with George C. Scott (I think that's his name) as Rochester (if I'm thinking correctly).

Thanks for the suggestion about looking on the cloud for my downloads for my Kindle, Mary.

I'm late getting here tonight and I'm going to check the other forums I use.  So thanks everybody for the sympathy!

Sue

Sue, I liked the George C. Scott version, but I would be hard pressed to decide whether I liked his verison or Orson Welles version better. Joan Fontaine was great as Jane. Susannah York was just to pretty for me to like her in the role since Jane was supposed to be rather plain. Wikipedia has a list of all the versions, adaptations and Jane Eyre inspired productions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptations_of_Jane_Eyre There are many more than I expected.

I liked the Orson Welles version, too.  He had the brooding dark appearance that I always felt Rochester should have.  And Agnes Moorhead as Mrs. Reed was perfectly cast.  Agnes Moorhead was one of our best character actors and I enjoyed everything she did.

I wonder if I can find that old movie anywhere to watch on TV.

Hi Phyllis
I liked Jane Eyre because I did not see it as depressing, but how life can be and is. 

Kelly

Kelly, do you have a mad woman hiding in your attic?   

I didn't get on the bandwagon with the Alexander McCall Smith novels earlier but noticed one on the New Fiction shelf today called "The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine".  This is the new No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency novel.   The title really caught my eye as we haven't seen much sunshine for several days!     Anyway, I brought it home and scanned a couple pages.    I'll give him another chance.  Who knows?

The second book I picked up today is My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout.

I think that it takes perseverance to read MacCall Smith.  I like his books but they are very slow moving.  My favorite series of his is the one that is set in Edinburgh with Isabel Dalhousie.  Just googled it:  (The Sunday Philosophy Club )  The NY Times concludes that the novel is "the literary equivalent of herbal tea and a cozy fire".    I think I read somewhere that the series has been "postponed".  Probably he won't write any more of the Dalhousie series.

I gave up on Alex. Mc Smith and The Gurnsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.    I just couldn't get through all those letters to make any sense of that one.

Maryc. The one "LUcy Barton" came in for me to download to my Tablet from the Library. Left it to late to do it so will have to put my name on the list again. Let me know if it is good.  Was a long waiting list for it.

 

I liked the TV series, #1 Ladies Detective Agency, but have yet to get around to reading any of McCall's books. Phyllis, slow moving does not appeal to me very much. I guess that is because I have been spending the last two years reading SciFi, most of which are Military, but some are Space Opera. The fast and constant action have spoiled me some.

I recently finished The Little Paris Bookshop. It has a nice flow to it and is a nice story about grieving and learned to live and love again. I liked the ending, but thought the epilogue, although it tied things up in a bow, was not necessary IMO. In fact, I think it took away some from the ending in the last chapter. The author included a booklist and some recipes at the end too.

I watched the TV series, #1 Ladies Detective Agency, and then read the books afterwards.  I liked both, very much, and was looking forward to reading any and all, of A.McCall Smith's other books. I tried a number of them, but found them too slow going for me.  The Gurnsey/Potato Peel, etc., had such a catchy title that I thought sure I would like it, but I just didn't have the patience to stay with it.

JeanneP,   The copy of I Am Lucy Barton was on the shelf of new fiction.   It is in large type but still a very small book.    I don't remember reading this author before but I'm finding this story a little strange.   Hope you will like it.

My Libary is showing the Lucy Barton book only available as for the Kindle or any Tablet. May put it on later.

Lucy Barton was a quick read though a strange story, IMHO        JeanneP,  Let me know what you think when you have read it.

I have gotten well along with Alexander McC Smith's  The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine.     I'm enjoying his story of  everyday happenings  wrapped in his humor.   

I like McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.  The others are a little slow but I did enjoy The Sunday Philosophy Club for awhile.  I stuck with the series until Isabel had little Charlie (?).  The stories just got a bit too "wordy" for me.

Yes FlaJean,   McCall Smith does have kind of a "wordy" way of putting things, but I enjoy the bits of wisdom that are wrapped up in his wordiness.    This morning I came across a statement  by Mma Ramotswe when she was talking with a friend about someone who had passed and it struck me as something I want to save to think more about later.    She said what had started as a straightforward account had suddenly become something else:    a reflection on how we believe in people, how we need them and how their loss diminishes us.     

maryc -
"what had started as a straightforward account had suddenly become something else: a reflection on how we believe in people, how we need them and how their loss diminishes us."

I like Mma Ramotswe's statement, and I agree that it is one that we can save and savor many times over. 

When I was reading the Kent Haruf books, there were lots of passages that I saved and thought about afterwards.  So true to real life, and many that were true to my life.   

a saying:
' Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one's self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily; and why older persons, especially if vain or important, cannot learn at all.'     
-Thomas Szasz, author, professor of psychiatry

Bubble, it's always nice to find others who follow "A Word A Day".  LOL

Yes, there is always something to learn there.

Thank You, bubble and maryz . . . I immediately subscribed to "A Word A Day".

Yes Marilyne,   There were some things in those books of Kent Haruf that I wish I had saved.    I need to start a little journal of those things!   Where do you find  "A Word a Day"?     

Here's the web site, maryc

http://wordsmith.org/words/today.html 

Thank you MaryZ. 

Remember the novel, The Light Between Oceans?  I read it a couple of years ago, as did others who post in this discussion.  Callie and maryc, I think you both read it at that time? 

Anyway, I just learned that it's been made into a movie, which will be released in theaters in September.  One of the stars is Michael Fassbender, who recently played Steve Jobs, in the movie, Jobs.  I only saw the name of one of the women actors, but I didn't recognize her?  The book took place in Australia, so possibly, most of the cast will be Australian? 

I liked the book very much, and always thought it would make a very good movie.  I'll be looking forward to seeing it.

who is the author?