I'm rereading I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. It's such a charming book. I would love to live in that old rundown castle with its mismatched furniture. (I think I'm longing again to have a house and garden.)
Smith wrote the book in the US in 1948. But these days it seems to be enjoying a Renaissance, especially in the UK.
Have you read it?
The book's main character, Cassandra, has a conversation one evening with her sister Rose about whether Jane Austen or Charlotte Brontë is better.
"Which would be the nicest," Rose asks, "Jane with a touch of Charlotte, or Charlotte with a touch of Jane?"
"Fifty per cent each way would be perfect," says Cassandra.
(Notice: there's no mention of Emily!)
Photo illustration, above, by Julie Kwon.
As the latest Jane Eyre movie opened in US theaters earlier this month, filmmakers were busy putting the finishing to touches on a new adaptation of Wuthering Heights.
"The debate of 2011 is shaping up to be: Charlotte or Emily Bronte?" says the Daily Beast's Jennie Yabroff. "Ever since the release of Charlotte's Jane Eyre and Emily's Wuthering Heights within months of each other in 1847, the Brontë sibling rivalry has been an epic war of words."
So here's the question of the day:
WHICH SISTER WAS THE BETTER AUTHOR?
(My slightly off kilter interpretation of the sisters from here.)
Photographer Irina Werning has long been fascinated with old photographs, especially the ones that capture the goofy poses and dated interiors.
"Most of us are fascinated by their retro look but to me, it’s imagining how people would feel and look like if they were to reenact them today," she explains on her website. "A few months ago, I decided to actually do this. So, with my camera, I started inviting people to go back to their future."
Her subjects dug out their old photographs, and -- with a little creative staging -- allowed Werning to recreate their past.
The result is amazing:
GAHH, people are so funny! I love them.
Werning -- who took most of these photos in London and Buenos Aries (where she's living at the moment) -- has more photos like this on her website.
ALSO:
She looking for new subjects for her Back to the Future II series.If you're in New York or Boston (in May) or in Europe (in June)
and don't care about reliving your past,drop her a line!
BTW, she has a hilarious set of photos that she took of her friend's hairless dog, Chini.
(Via Better Shelter Blog.)
This is an amazing effort -- largely by women style bloggers -- to raise funds for Japan.
The goal was to raise $5500. As of this evening, more than $45,000 was pledged.
Grab the banner and donate here!
I'm looking forward to staring my new book this weekend -- The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery. And, I really want to go to the flea market to search for lovely little treasures to incorporate into the jewelry I'm making at the moment.
What are you doing this weekend!?
(Photo by Aeioux.)
