Old Books

I’ve been reading stacks of old books recently, because when they’re off-copyright I can get them for FREEEEEEEEEEEEEE on my Kindle. You would think I would get used to the part where I get them for FREEEEEEEEEEE, but so far it still makes me do a little happy dance.

I found Phyllis through freelancerrh’s series of posts about 100 Books by Women, Courtesy of Gutenberg.org, which is a great resource if you’re looking for recommendations for off-copyright books to read. Her reviews are excellent: thoughtful and comprehensive, capturing the feel of the book.

( The Lost Prince, by Frances Hodgson Burnett )

( Phyllis, by Maria Thompson Daviess )

Raindrops and roses and choices of classes

You guys you guys we might get a thunderstorm! Hearts in my eyes!

I think I've kept you breathlessly informed of the precipitation news in my vicinity all summer. You know your life is a desert when the most exciting thing that happens to you is the possibility of rain.

***

Leaving aside the exciting, exciting distant mewls of thunder: I'm picking out my classes for next year! Grad school classes...apparently only meet once a week? It will be like when I was in England! Except I will have three classes instead of just two, and probably they'll give us actual assigned readings instead of a book list and an admonition to "read three or four of these for next class. At the end of the term you'll be collating all your readings into a paper. See you next week!"

Man, that was excellent. I so should have gone to England for undergrad.

Anyway, it's coming down to crunch time. Which classes shall I take? Should I delve into the global context of American history? Brush up on the methodology for interpreting photographs? Contemplate the complexities of the 18th century?

On a more existential note: is there in fact a Victorian Studies department? If so, why are there no classes listed? And Art History, what about that?

So many choices!

***

Still watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I'm not quite sure what they're going for with Mr. Collins here. I think he's supposed to be coming across as pompous and obnoxious, but actually he seems filled with enthusiasm but heartbreakingly socially inept.

"Excuse me, Miss Lizzie, but I felt compelled to bring you a cup of tea. I brewed it myself."

Tea! Tea! He brought her tea! And not in a Nice Guy kind of way, but in a "We are childhood friends! We share an interest in webvideo! And we both like tea! Hey, I will make you tea! Isn't tea great? Let us bond over tea!" kind of way.

I can absolutely see why Lizzie is not in love with him, because OMG he would get annoying in large doses, but her intense dislike for him makes her look mean. Unlike Darcy, he hasn't done anything to deserve it.

And it makes her look quite foolish when she complains that he wants to talk about web video but doesn't know anything about it...then has no idea what he's talking about when he gushes that he'd love to see her vlog's analytics.

On the other hand, making Mr. Collins more sympathetic (although still annoying) will make it much more understandable when Charlotte becomes his business partner or girlfriend or whatever she's going to become in this iteration of Pride and Prejudice.

Also! It will further the theme of Lizzie letting her prejudices get in the way of clear understanding! So perhaps it's not such a bad idea after all.