Happy Launch Day

David Oppegaard's The Suicide Collectors will be released tomorrow, December 9th. It was just named an Indie Next List Notable Book for January 2009 from the ABA, and it's already received some wonderful reviews (including this starred one from Publishers Weekly).




Here is what Stan Lee had to say about it: THE SUICIDE COLLECTORS takes us to a startling theme we haven't encountered before, with every page a thrilling new surprise.

Oddities

It's been a little while since I finished a book, after quite a run of reviews and whatnot, so I'm going to have to satisfy myself (and, I'm afraid, my readers) with little puzzles instead.

Here's a tricky one. Can you get from Bertrand Russell to DH Lawrence in three steps? Fill in the gaps... and explain why. What japes.

B[ertrand Russell]
E
K
D[H Lawrence]


Oh, and all advent head over to www.dovegreyreader.typepad.com for lots and lots of book giveaways, 21 copies of The Reader in the latest draw!

Victors to their spoils

Congratulations... Jane Eyre!
To be honest, I had a suspicion that the vote would swing that way. Jane Eyre received 23 votes, Wuthering Heights only 10, with a couple abstentions. This time my vote isn't the deciding one, as it was to put Dickens over Hardy, but I still can't come to a quick decision...

I suppose I should have phrased it differently. If I was asked which novel I favoured, it would be Jane Eyre. If I had to choose which novel I thought was better, it is unquestionably Wuthering Heights. In terms of writing ability, especially the way in which passion is presented, I think WH is one of the best novels I've ever read. But I hated it. Or, rather, I hated Heathcliff so much that I was unable to enjoy the novel - the book is filled with hatred and the powerful, passionate force it can have.

JE on the other hand... I confess I don't know why it's so popular. Good, yes, but... I couldn't see anything more than good. Mr. Rochester is a man who (erm, spoiler ahead, for those who don't know) tries to lie to marry illegally, keeps a wife imprisoned in the attic, dresses up as a gypsy to fool Jane... but at least he doesn't go around hanging dogs. I know these novels have merits far and above their romantic aspects, but they are still renowned for those - will someone please explain to me what is remotely appealing about Heathcliff or Mr. Rochester?! Perhaps I'm destined not to understand...

I'm going to vote for secret option no.3 - Agnes Grey. If I'm forced to choose one of the other novels, I'll pick Wuthering Heights - out of admiration rather than adoration.

Bronte vs. Bronte

Another little quiz to see what's what for Stuck-in-a-Book readers... this time it's a bit of a grudge match, as they've been fighting it out for well over a century. Step forward, Jane Eyre vs. Wuthering Heights. Ladies and Gentlemen, place your bets. Or, rather, your favoured title...

Happy Launch Day

I'm pleased to announce the launch of Wrapped In Gems: 40 Elegant Designs for Wire-Wrapped Gemstone Jewelry, written by Mai Sato-Flores with Jesse Flores. Check it out for some awesome holiday gifts!

Seasonal

Here's an odd question... is there a month or time of year in which you read more books than the rest of the year? And what reasons are there for that, if it's true?

Looking back over the year, I've compiled this little league table of the number of books read per month...

17 - November
15 - July
14 - January
13 - August
13 - October
12 - March
11- April
11 - September
10 - February
10 - May
8 - June

Hmm... of course, book length comes into play - but I don't think any month has been taken up with excessively long or excessively short books. And I have no explanation why I read twice as much in November as I did in June, so nothing interesting to add... except that May was my time of Reader's Block, which accounts for it being near the bottom. Hmm... I'd be intrigued to hear if anyone has anything more valuable to contribute to this little question!

I'm in love.

Yes, I'm in love. With a DVD. With, to be precise, Lost in Austen. I know, I know, I went on and on about how good this programme is back here, but that was when I'd only seen one episode... The Carbon Copy bought me the DVD for my birthday, I've watched it all again, and am having to be very stern with myself to restrain from watching it all over again straight away.


What's not to love? Amanda Price, Pride and Prejudice addict, accidentally swaps places with Elizabeth Bennett. She has to try to keep the novel on course, coping with the differences caused by her presence, Lizzie's absence, and some rather unexpected undercurrents to Jane Austen's novel... and at the same time, of course, gets rather smitten with Mr. Darcy. It's messing with Austen so I should hate it. But obviously I don't. My utter delight in this TV series has dislodged prose-writing ability from my brain, and so I'll give you some bullet points as to why Lost in Austen ought to be bought by you IMMEDIATELY. If it's not available in the US and elsewhere, start a petition today.

• It's Jane Austen - which is an exceptionally good starting point

• With 21st Century life - so no forgetting-to-entertain-the-audience-because-we're-fastening-our-bonnets

• And Jemima Rooper - the lass playing Amanda Price is quite astonishingly likable, and not just because she was in the Famous Five

• She's also a very funny actress

• A Real Person (just like you and me) gets to go to Longbourn. And Rosings. And Pemberley. It could happen to us...

• I would just say 'Downtown', but the clip wasn't on the DVD, for copyright reasons... thankfully YouTube has it, so click here.

• There are so many treats for Austen fans. Look out for Amanda quoting Emma, and probably lots of others, and...

• ... yes, there is *that* lake scene. The women reading will be wondering, I'm sure... and Amanda uses the word 'postmodern' to describe it, so you can all feel worthy and intellectual while pressing 'rewind' and 'pause' a lot.
  

• Hugh Bonneville as Mr. Bennett. And his wonderful lines: "I must beg to be excused. Large gatherings of society make me break out in hives. As do small gatherings."; "Mrs. Bennett and Lydia are currently in society. Society has enough to be getting on with." And so many more.

• The best insult ever: "Damn you, Darcy, and damn every man who doesn't stay up all night with a candle in his window daming you!"

• What happens if Mr. Bingley gets a crush on Amanda, instead of Jane? Think about it... think about it... who comes to visit and is put off marrying Jane because her mother suspects she will soon be, as it were, otherwise engaged?

• And wait 'til you hear Caroline Bingley's secret

• The adorable Perdita Weeks as Lydia - sister of equally adorable Honeysuckle Weeks. Yes, those are their real names.

• A genuinely moving romance. Should Darcy end up with Lizzie (as we've all been brought up to want) or new girl Amanda (whom we also now adore)? I lost sleep over this one.
  

• The DVD has an excellent 'Making of...' feature, a whole hour of interesting interviews and soundbites from actors, producers, designers, cameramen, makeup artists... no writer interview, oddly... my favourite being the man painting the fence: "I don't even know who's in it. One of the other lads might be able to tell you that."

• Oh, it's all just delicious, silly, wonderful, delightful, intelligent fun - a hundred times better if you, like Amanda, like me, adore Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice. So perfect I want to have it on loop for the rest of the month, pausing only to watch Pride and Prejudice itself.