Pride and Prejudice - conquered. Finally. Attempt three was the charm, and, to be honest, the book charmed me as well. I guess, as with all books, this one had to be read at just the right time in order to settle in nicely to my frame of mind.
Even though many readers do not find Austen a challenge, I did, and so I needed to follow it with a lighter book. I chose The Little Paris Bookshop.
Monsieur Perdu identifies himself as a "literary apothecary". He assumes that everyone needs help for something, and upon meeting each customer in his floating riverboat bookstore, he diagnoses the malady and prescribes a book-scription. How does he do it? Clearly, he is an empath, something a lot of people claim to be, or desire to considered.. Empaths are highly sensitive, super intuitive folks who read people's emotions. In Purdue's case, he asks questions,. listens to the voice as well as the response, and observes body language and facial expressions.
Like many empaths, the life has been sucked out of him by those he helps, and also by the loss of a love some twenty years before we ever meet him. Sadly, Mr. Perdu was so removed from his own inner life that he did not take the time to unravel the truth behind why his love left him.
Fascinating premise. Uncomplicated plot. But I have to tell you, even though I fought with Austen, battling though the dialogue delivered in paragraphs rather than the brisker give and take that I like, speculating on whether a turn of events served as a quick and unsubstantial reversal, and trying to reconcile Regency norms with the often unRegent like behavior of her characters.....oops. this sentence has gotten away from me. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that reading these novels back to back illumined for me what a fine novelist Austen is. Her syntax is lush but never gets sloppy. Her themes are universal and her characters multi-faceted. Opinionated Jane Austen. She did not hold back when it came to issues such as women's place in society, and outdated, illogical traditions and laws.
As a reader, Austen made me work and ...20/20...hindsight and all .... Austen won fair and square.
Teachers and students experiencing the first weeks of a new school year - have a great one. Teach well. Learn lots.
First year retired teachers - every day is Saturday. And when you start missing those bright eyes and the satisfaction of a successful lesson just remember your 5:30 alarm, smile, roll over and think about pouring yourself a cup of coffee any time you want.
