Armchair BEA Discussion: Classic Literature Pt. 2 (Pride and Prejudice)

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads

Armchair BEA asked:

Why, reader, do you love classics?

Today, tell us all the reasons why you love classic literature. What are your favorite classics? If you could give a list of classics to someone who claims to hate them to make them change their mind, what would be on it? How would you convince them to give classics a try? And why do you keep coming back to those old favorites? - Genre: Classic Literature (Classics)

I like classics because they give me a picture of a time and place very different from my own.

I admittedly don't read a lot of classics. Therefore, I can't say that I am a lover of classic books. Unless I can count 84 Charing Cross Road, which is an epistolary novel about a woman who loves classic books. But I digress... With so many new books coming out each month, I find it hard to pick up classics on a consistent basis. There is just too much to read. On the other hand, I am not a hater of them either (they are in my TBR list).

For those who claim to hate the classics, I would suggest mixing it up. Read classics that have been adapted by radio, film and/or television and then listening to/watching the adaptations. I find the varying interpretations fascinating. They usually shed a different light on how I originally saw the classic. Two classics that I enjoyed but probably wouldn't have reached for at the bookstore are Dracula by Bram Stoker and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

PART 2 - Pride and Prejudice

I would recommend reading some of Jane Austen's novels. Although I came to my blog's name in a roundabout way due to Austen, I must confess that I am not the biggest Austen lover. I read Pride and Prejudice in high school and didn't feel compelled to read any of her other books.*  

As an adult, I decided to read all of her novels after watching the movie adaption of The Jane Austen Book Club and later reading the book. Her works are referenced numerous other books. They seem show up in my reading every few months, regardless of genre. Many movies and television shows have been based on Austen's novels.

Why should you read Pride and Prejudice?

• It's on Helene Hanff's list in 84, Charing Cross. If Helene says so, it must be good.
• P&P is #2 on the American Book Review's list of the 100 best first lines from novels.
• There are quite a few movie adaptations for you to judge and review. You can see how each portrayal of Elizabeth brings something different to the character in the movie adaptations. 
• You might have something a common with an Austen character. Take this quiz below. I am Elizabeth Bennet from Pride And Prejudice.

Read the book. Get your favorite snack. Watch the adaption(s). Let me know what you think.


Which Jane Austen Character Are YOU? [quiz]

What is you favorite book written by Jane Austen? [poll]

 

Ronnie Taheny's amazing Mr Darcy poem performed at The Gov in Adelaide, South Australia on Feb 3rd, 2008. - posted on YouTube by futzmasterpro

* I re-read Pride and Prejudice and changed my mind about it. See Dr. Darcy is my new literary boyfriend.

Armchair BEA Discussion: Classic Literature Pt. 1 (Dracula)

Design credit: Nina of Nina Reads

Armchair BEA asked:

Why, reader, do you love classics?

Today, tell us all the reasons why you love classic literature. What are your favorite classics? If you could give a list of classics to someone who claims to hate them to make them change their mind, what would be on it? How would you convince them to give classics a try? And why do you keep coming back to those old favorites? - Genre: Classic Literature (Classics)

I like classics because they give me a picture of a time and place very different from my own.

I admittedly don't read a lot of classics. Therefore, I can't say that I am a lover of classic books. Unless I can count 84 Charing Cross Road, which is an epistolary novel about a woman who loves classic books. But I digress... With so many new books coming out each month, I find it hard to pick up classics on a consistent basis. There is just too much to read. On the other hand, I am not a hater of them either (they are in my TBR list).

For those who claim to hate the classics, I would suggest mixing it up. Read classics that have been adapted by radio, film and/or television and then listen to/watch the adaptations. I find the varying interpretations fascinating. They usually shed a different light on how I originally saw the classic. Two classics that I enjoyed but probably wouldn't have reached for at the bookstore are Dracula by Bram Stoker and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

 

Part 1 - Dracula

I would argue that Dracula, in one way or another, is the source of most of the vampire stories told since its publishing in 1897. In general, I am not a huge fan of vampire books or movies. Honestly, the only vampire that I love is the Count from Sesame Street. I am however, a Nosey Nelly. I like to be at least a little "in the know" about what other people are reading. Dracula is the granddaddy of all vampire books. Come on, classic hater. You gotta read it, if only for its staying power and influence.

While checking my Twitter timeline during Bout of Books 7.0 earlier this month, I realized that I had missed the start of Bite-Sized Dracula's Dracula read-along. So instead of starting Dark Origins - my pre-selected read - I started reading Dracula. [I already had the Dracula ebook pictured above.]

Do consider joining in the read-along. You can read at your own pace, at any time (don't worry that it has already started). It's a neat way to read this classic. The actual text of the novel is posted on the blog, so you don't need a copy. The BSD blog posts a new portion daily with tweets from the characters.

Have found some hope in the Szgany (no clue how to pronounce that) working for Dracula. Gave them letters (and a bribe) to send home.
— Jonathan Harker (@JHarkerEsq) May 28, 2011

Some days there is even an alternate steampunk version of a scene. Although I finished the ebook, I am still reading along with Bite-Sized Dracula. Jonathan Harker's entries are by far the best - both in the classic novel and on Twitter. Vampires are all the rage right now. After reading Dracula, I can kinda see why.



 

When you finish the book, move on to the adaptations. You should listen to the radio adaptation of Dracula by Orson Welles from Adventures in Old Time Radio (1938). You can listen to it for free using the bar below. It's less than an hour long. Don't cheat and only listen to the this version. You still need to read the book. SMH.



Then try a couple of Dracula-based movies, comic books, television shows (Dracula is coming Fridays this fall to NBC) and/or cartoons. OMG! How could you not give Dracula a try?


Your mission, classic hater, should you decide to accept it:

1. Read the book.
2. Get your favorite snack.
3. Check out the adaptions.
4. Swing back by my blog to check out my review (I'm currently working on it).
5. Let me know what you thought of the novel.
6. Let me know what adaptations you liked.

Are you still here? UGH! Go read Dracula! Bramsy and I are waiting...

Listen to Dracula: Adventures in Old Time Radio by Orson Welles

I was having trouble finishing Dracula and needed a pick-me-up. I discovered the CD, Adventures in Old Time Radio: Dracula, starring Orson Welles at my local library. How exciting!

And guess what? While researching the production,  I found another source of the audio for FREE (alternatively, there are copies available for purchase by clicking the image below from Amazon). You can listen to the free version via the Internet Archive.



Give it a listen and let me know what you think.



From the CD cover: "Orson Welles selected Bram Stoker's Dracula for the premier broadcast of his legendary radio series, The Mercury Theatre on the Air, hailing the 1897 gothic novel as "the best story of its kind ever written."

A Fool There Was (scribbles)

According to the book, Vamp: The Rise and Fall of Theda Bara by Eve Golden, the path from the film A Fool There Was is quite interesting. The movie was based on a play of the same name by Porter Emerson Brown. The play was based on Rudyard Kipling's poem entitled The Vampire. The poem was inspired by the painting The Vampire by Philip Burne-Jones (Kipling's cousin). The painting was influenced by the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. Whew! Bask in the inspiration below.

• Read a Kindle version of Brown's play for free: A Fool There Was

• Read a Kindle version of Bram Stoker's Dracula by for free: Dracula

• Don't have a Kindle? Get Free Kindle Reading Apps for your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, and Android phone.

• Read Kipling's poem, The Vampire, courtesy of The Literature Network.

• View the painting on the Gypsy Scholar's blog. She's got skills.