Write About What You Know?

Emma is a book I could read again.  I loved it!  I loved the character of Miss Bates, she was a wonderful gossip and always had far too much to say at once, she was hilarious. I was so pleased that everything worked out for Harriet in the end after all Emma’s ill guided meddling.  Although this was a comedy of errors, you weren’t treated like an idiot and it wasn’t taken too far.  Sometimes that can be really frustrating with some of these 19^th Century characters (Jane Eyre).

All in all Emma was brilliant and I can only wonder at how long it has taken me to discover Jane Austen.  I would love to start another of her novels but I will wait for the New Year and theme it for book club. (I’ve started The Hunchback of Notre Dame instead.  The recording is awful however – very tinny – so not sure how it’ll go, it’s going to be hard work I think.)

One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest has been another really enjoyable read.  I’ve been reading it in bed and I’m finding that I don’t want to put it down each time I pick it up.  We all know the story so there’s no point repeating it, but it is very well written and I like the way it is narrated by Bromden, who claims that it is all true even if some of it didn’t happen!  Kesey did the night shift at a mental institution whilst doing his journalism studies so again it’s the old adage – write about what you know.  I’ll never make a writer – I don’t know anything and I have no imagination!!  Still, I think I have more enjoyment from reading books rather than trying my hand at writing.

Bram Stoker

Bram Stoker's The Lair of the White Worm is absolutely atrocious.  What a bad choice for my first Kindle read.  It’s badly written, the plot is boring and ridiculous and the dreadful over use of the word ‘nigger’ and the disrespect associated with it is quite distasteful.  The lack of consideration for another human being due to his colour even back then is quite alarming.  I’m constantly cringing as I’m reading, I will finish it though as I rarely give up on a book – but it is a close one!