After slogging my way through Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice for a month, I can definitely say this: I’m glad the month is over.
I just could not get into this book. I found its style off-putting, tedious, and amateurish.
But I dug Caruso.
So it wasn’t a total loss.
By the way, I think I figured out how to handle blogging about one topic for an entire month: “Days 401-424.” Rather than post every single day, I’ll post in chunks when something arises that matters to me.
Problem solved.
Still reading Jane Austen’s famous first work, Pride and Prejudice, and listening to CD 2 from the Naxos box set Enrico Caruso: The Complete Recordings.
Today is a milestone: 400 days of delving into the creative works of others. (Which is ironic since I’m supposed to be working on creative works of my own.)
I’ve mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: Reading is much harder to write about than listening. What do I say day after day – for 30 days, no less – about the same book and author?
Music, especially a different CD each day, is much more interesting for me.
It’s even hard to write about music if it’s the same CD every day for a month. What else can I say about Enrico Caruso or the songs I’m listening to?
By the end of all of this, I’ll have learned a lot. But, finding a way to write about it daily is proving to be a challenge.
Still reading Jane Austen’s famous first work, Pride and Prejudice, and listening to CD 2 from the Naxos box set Enrico Caruso: The Complete Recordings.
Here’s an example of what I mean about Austen’s style:
“Aye, so it is,” cried her mother, “and Mrs. Long does not come back till the day before; so it will be impossible for her to introduce him, for she will not know him herself.”
Jane Austen. Pride & Prejudice (p. 5). Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Then, this:
“While Mary is adjusting her ideas,” he continued, “let us return to Mr. Bingley.”
“I am sick of Mr. Bingley,” cried his wife.
Jane Austen. Pride & Prejudice (p. 5). Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Then this:
“I would not be so fastidious as you are,” cried Mr. Bingley, “for a kingdom! Upon my honour, I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life as I have this evening; and there are several of them you see uncommonly pretty.”
Jane Austen. Pride & Prejudice (p. 7). Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
In each case – just a couple of pages apart – the person doesn’t merely say something: she/he “cried” out the words.
Why single that out? The use of such words give me the impression that Austen is overly dramatic, perhaps melodramatic in what we’d today classify as a Soap Opera-style way of writing.
But who am I to quibble? No one will remember what I wrote in 20 minutes let alone 200 years.