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Yes. Rebekah Send a noteboard - 23/01/2011 10:15:04 AM
I read A Christmas Carol for my January/February challenge. I have intended so many times to read it at Christmas time but never quite managed.

I've never read it at Christmas yet, either.

I'm going to this year. I think it would feel lovely to read it in a cold place at Christmas. So on Christmas Eve, just before bed, I will curl up with a glass of port and read this story. Hopefully.

At the same time, it didn't entirely satisfy me. Everything happened too quickly, and Scrooge's conversion from sour misanthrope to cheerful philanthropist is too sudden. I'd have found it more believable if it had happened over a few nights instead of the one, with time for each lesson to sink in properly. But then, maybe it's just because Scrooge wasn't really all that bad. That just feels a little simplistic.

Hmm, maybe. I get the impression the time feels much longer to Scrooge, though. And part of the point is that the conversion should be sudden to everyone else. But yes, there is also the fact that he is not evil.

That's a good point about time feeling longer to Scrooge. Still, I feel he should have ruminated on things, relapsed a bit, and then changed. Would have made a better story.

It has been quite a few years since I read it, though. I should pick it up again. Perhaps at Christmas?

Good plan.

I also think that this is one of those very rare books that is improved by filming. I've seen some gorgeous movies of this book, and have enjoyed them far more than the written story. That said, I liked it enough that I will read it every Christmas from now on, maybe make a tradition of it like so many do.

I agree. I saw a very nice version this Christmas, with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge and Richard E. Grant as Bob Cratchit.

Oh yes, that's one of the ones I was thinking about. Tis gorgeous.

Now. Because the above book is so short, I decided to read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving as well. I kind of wish I hadn't. It would have been better if the book had remained a lovely mystery to me, and I stuck with the delightful Depp film that came out a few years ago. Irving's book is boring.

Really? That is disappointing. I have been meaning to read that.

I wouldn't recommend it.

Seriously. Nothing happens. Yes, the description of Ichabod Crane is quite enchanting, but that's it. Where's the gore? Where's the horror? Why are heads not flying off every which way?

Hmm, those were not my favourite parts of the movie, though. Except you put all the action under "horror". Are you saying there is no crazy witch lady and no headless horsman?

No witch, no horseman, except in legend. Was most upsetting.
*MySmiley*

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
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A few thoughts on my Classic challenge book. Well, books, as it turns out. Rebekah - 22/01/2011 11:48:21 PM 1682 Views
This month is just making me hate classics. ? - 23/01/2011 12:06:08 AM 1517 Views
Aw. That's a shame. Rebekah - 23/01/2011 12:21:10 AM 1409 Views
Re: Aw. That's a shame. ? - 23/01/2011 12:55:44 PM 1474 Views
Hrm... a high fantasy classic... ranagrande - 23/01/2011 01:15:05 PM 1281 Views
Yeah? Okay... *NM* ? - 23/01/2011 01:16:15 PM 654 Views
Yes. Rebekah - 23/01/2011 01:17:18 PM 1409 Views
Dunsany is good. And Grimm, but Camilla - 23/01/2011 01:25:40 PM 1294 Views
There's really only one high fantasy classic, no? Or two, if you count the Silm separately. *NM* Legolas - 23/01/2011 01:35:03 PM 654 Views
Perhaps Gormenghast? Camilla - 23/01/2011 01:58:50 PM 1471 Views
Perhaps, haven't read either Dunsany or Peake. Legolas - 23/01/2011 02:02:51 PM 1424 Views
Re: Perhaps, haven't read either Dunsany or Peake. Camilla - 23/01/2011 02:05:31 PM 1576 Views
Maybe Alice's Adventures in Wonderland? *NM* ranagrande - 23/01/2011 02:20:49 PM 679 Views
Re: Dunsany is good. And Grimm, but Rebekah - 23/01/2011 01:37:56 PM 1308 Views
Re: Dunsany is good. And Grimm, but Camilla - 23/01/2011 01:59:18 PM 1464 Views
H. Rider Haggard. Rebekah - 23/01/2011 01:24:01 PM 1409 Views
Sounds interesting. ? - 23/01/2011 01:34:45 PM 1415 Views
Re: Sounds interesting. Rebekah - 23/01/2011 01:39:34 PM 1480 Views
King Solomon's Mines is also awesome. nossy - 23/01/2011 03:52:04 PM 1240 Views
You can't love all of the classics, but it's not like it's a genre of its own that you can dislike. Legolas - 23/01/2011 12:32:01 AM 1453 Views
Precisely Camilla - 23/01/2011 09:40:26 AM 1674 Views
True true... ? - 23/01/2011 12:58:42 PM 1427 Views
Fortunately, that's precisely what this site aims to do! *NM* Legolas - 23/01/2011 01:34:16 PM 685 Views
You just aren't reading the right books (and reviews), it seems Larry - 23/01/2011 12:41:07 AM 1512 Views
The Swiss Family Robinson is hardly a "classic", unless by "classic" you mean "old". Tom - 23/01/2011 06:55:30 AM 1273 Views
Fine then. ? - 23/01/2011 01:02:48 PM 1318 Views
Re: This month is just making me hate classics. Camilla - 23/01/2011 09:05:52 AM 1494 Views
A lot of "classics" need proper context to be appreciated DomA - 23/01/2011 12:22:44 PM 1654 Views
Well said. Rebekah - 23/01/2011 12:46:35 PM 1474 Views
Re: Well said. DomA - 24/01/2011 02:33:10 AM 1532 Views
That reminds me I need to get back to the Mémoires of Marguerite de Valois. Legolas - 24/01/2011 10:17:17 PM 1242 Views
Very true Camilla - 23/01/2011 01:04:56 PM 1405 Views
Speaking of Dumas... DomA - 24/01/2011 02:45:02 AM 1251 Views
ooooh Camilla - 24/01/2011 08:51:46 AM 1605 Views
The Molière movie is called... wait for it... Legolas - 24/01/2011 10:21:48 PM 1445 Views
oooh Camilla - 24/01/2011 10:24:19 PM 1443 Views
Re: oooh Legolas - 24/01/2011 10:29:23 PM 1316 Views
Re: oooh DomA - 25/01/2011 01:15:39 AM 1418 Views
I really should watch that movie. Legolas - 25/01/2011 09:43:35 PM 1376 Views
Re: I really should watch that movie. DomA - 25/01/2011 11:15:10 PM 1533 Views
Why not? We liked Le Déclin de l'Empire Américain and Les Invasions Barbares. *NM* Legolas - 26/01/2011 06:45:26 PM 660 Views
Re: Why not? We liked Le Déclin de l'Empire Américain and Les Invasions Barbares. DomA - 27/01/2011 12:26:48 PM 1648 Views
I guess I'd have to see it to have an opinion on that. Legolas - 27/01/2011 08:00:53 PM 1591 Views
Re: oooh DomA - 25/01/2011 01:50:04 AM 1345 Views
Re: oooh Camilla - 25/01/2011 10:22:21 AM 1604 Views
Re: oooh DomA - 25/01/2011 12:46:30 PM 1556 Views
That's it! Camilla - 25/01/2011 12:50:18 PM 1548 Views
Re: A few thoughts on my Classic challenge book. Well, books, as it turns out. everynametaken - 23/01/2011 06:25:50 AM 1410 Views
The big problem with Dracula is that it's an epistolary novel. Tom - 23/01/2011 06:58:25 AM 1403 Views
Yeah, agreed. Legolas - 23/01/2011 09:46:57 AM 1375 Views
But Frankenstein doesn't even have good writing to recommend it. Rebekah - 23/01/2011 10:09:58 AM 1344 Views
Dracula is the book I hope to review (properly) today. I love it. So very much. Rebekah - 23/01/2011 10:08:34 AM 1219 Views
The challenge is making me wish I hadn't already read Frankenstein Brian - 23/01/2011 07:38:49 AM 2098 Views
Really? ranagrande - 23/01/2011 07:52:24 AM 1389 Views
I didn't mind The Importance of Being Earnest too much Brian - 23/01/2011 08:38:14 AM 2109 Views
Frankenstein ranagrande - 23/01/2011 09:05:10 AM 1457 Views
... Camilla - 23/01/2011 09:08:03 AM 1303 Views
Thank you. *NM* Rebekah - 23/01/2011 10:10:34 AM 640 Views
For, as usual, being my wonderful, divine self and bringing light to the world? *NM* Camilla - 23/01/2011 10:12:30 AM 683 Views
Something like that. *NM* Rebekah - 23/01/2011 10:15:37 AM 605 Views
There's a reason why they include Wilde among the "decadents". Legolas - 23/01/2011 10:16:33 AM 1340 Views
Re: A few thoughts on my Classic challenge book. Well, books, as it turns out. Camilla - 23/01/2011 08:53:01 AM 1405 Views
Yes. Rebekah - 23/01/2011 10:15:04 AM 1363 Views
Re: Yes. Camilla - 23/01/2011 10:18:02 AM 1388 Views
I just read A Christmas Carol as well. It's very short, alright. Legolas - 02/02/2011 08:46:16 PM 1419 Views
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