Some of the greatest literature has been written in the form of a short story. Even what we now consider as the “classic novel” by writers such as Dickens, were originally released a few short chapters at a time in journals. But currently short stories don’t appear to be ‘on trend’ in the consumer world. Is this because they are easily accessible online or seem less value for money in print?
Do you regularly read short stories, and where from? What types of books are on your shelves? Please let me know by answering the poll below (select three answers) and commenting with any further opinions.
Thanks!
I am currently reseraching a feature piece on the short story. The feature will specifically relate to short fiction writers, groups, awards and book shops found in Cardiff, more information (for you Glyn) can be found on the features page.
“Oh but they’ve changed the book, the novel was so much better. They’ve ruined it for me! Forever! They missed out x, and put in y!” These are some of the many comments thrown about by book lovers after one of their favourite novels makes the shift in medium from imagination to screen. Adaptation rarely lives up to readers’ great expectations, but TV and film companies are constantly remaking old classics and new works for the screen. Sometimes they get it right and sometimes they get it wrong. We still get excited/nervous when a new adaptation is announced, and we still go and see it, even if we complain the whole way through that it’s ruined everything (I’m talking to you mum: Knightley’s Pride and Prej, 05).
Jane Eyre was released this autumn in the UK by director Cary Joji Fukunaga and stars Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender. I’ve seen several Jane Eyre adaptations in my time and particularly enjoyed the BBC’s four part series with Ruth Wilson. If you are a fan of the original text, there are three reasons why I think this version is better than other adaptations.
REASON ONE- THE ENDING
Not the ending of the film, but the ending of the book. In fact, the end forms the start of the film. The last third of Jane Eyre is always the rushed part, in reading and in films. Adaptations often linger over every detail of Jane’s youth and her interactions with Rochester. Then they gloss over, or cut completely, the last third of the novel in a rush to get Jane back across the moors and into the arms of her (slightly singed) lover.
This version starts at the end. It then retells Jane’s childhood and her time and Lowood through a series of flashbacks. While many parts of the novel’s last third are still missing or skimmed over, the film gives equal importance to all three parts of Jane’s life through the way her story is retold.
REASON TWO- MIA WASIKOWSKA
I love Mia. Like Ruth Wilson, she fits the ‘pretty-plain’ mould necessary when actresses audition for the role of a plain character. I think Mia’s unique features suited this role well. What I liked most about her in the role, was that she reminded me that Jane is just a girl. Without losing the sexual chemistry/curiosity with Rochester or her underlying, quiet confidence, there is an overriding sense of innocence and youth from her that made everything more believable.
REASON THREE- BLANCHE IS BRUNETTE
One thing that always wound me up about Jane Eyre adaptations (and here I come close to a “How dare they change the book!” rant) was when they had a blonde Blanche Ingram. I don’t know whether this was because, visually, directors thought this set up a good contrast between fair Blanche and dark Bertha, with mousy Jane somewhere in the middle? Or maybe because, with a name like Blanche, she sounded fair?
BUT WHY???
The novel describes Blanche several times as a dark haired beauty, and while it may seem like a small detail to get hooked up on, I think it’s an important aspect of the book. Blanche is supposed to mirror Bertha, not act as her opposite. She is a dark, exotic looking temptress wanting to marry Rochester for his money. The fact that Blanche reminds Rochester of his first wife is exactly why he is not interested in her, and would therefore prefer someone completely different, like Jane.
As the detailed diagram below illustrates, this version had a dark haired Blanche, and therefore I was happy. Well done Fukunaga.
Still not convinced? Well, the whole thing is beautifully shot and atmospheric, it has Judi Dench in it, and although I’ve yet to see One Day, I’m sure it’s safe to say that Mia’s yorkshire accent is a lot more believable than Anne’s.
Reviews I enjoyed (and that obsess less over hair colour):
This is what ran through my mind as I packed to leave home and move to Wales. I was no longer a student of literature and my parents would never accept three boxes full of breeze-block sized “course” books, seeing as the last trip down the M4 probably damaged the suspension on Dad’s Focus irreparably.
When moving house temporarily, either for travelling or living away at university for a year, it is difficult to pick which books should make the move with you. It can be a big and telling decision. You have to decide which books are your favourites, which books you might fancy reading again and which book might come in useful to you throughout the year.
And so, inspired by Issue four of oh comely magazine– which printed illustrations by readers of their bookshelves- I set myself the bookshelf challenge. To draw the small collection of books that line the back of my desk. It was a relatively easy challenge, seeing as I only packed a few books to bring with me, but I think that makes the choices all the more interesting.
My books are as follows (I’ve used brackets excessively to provide more detail): Half the Sky (currently reading), A Theory of Adaptation (Old course book), The Tethers (Bit o’poetry), Tying the Perfect Parcel (“Everything your should know how to do”- practical!), How to Be a Woman (Borrowed- currently reading), The perks of being a wallflower (To reread before the film comes out), How to Win Friends and Influence People (Does what it says on the tin, read my review here), Written on the Body, Everyday Grammar, Wild Swans (Currently reading), A Room of One’s Own, The Elements of Style, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Collin’s Dictionary, Odour of Chrysanthemums (D.H.Lawrence short story, unread).
And here is the result:
Two of my good friends have also had a go, and here are the contents of their bookshelves:
Illustration by Ellie Walker-Arnott, Literature graduate and current intern with Red Magazine. Blog
Illustration by Rosie Grindrod. Drama graduate. Artist, Illustrator, photographer and all round creative type. Blog
What’s on your bookshelf? Could you pick just one shelf to keep? And if you could only take a handful of books with you to a new home, which ones would you take? Practical books? Light books? Favourites? Comment and share below. Or, if you are the creative type, email a sketch of your book shelf to expresslitblog@gmail.com so it can be shared and added to the list. Tweet with #bookshelfchallenge
New additions:
By email- Grace Nikobari: ‘If I could only take some home, they would be the ficitional books, to read on my travels, also they are smaller and lighter!’ See her blog here.
Bryony Crane, via twitter @BryonyCrane, find more of her illustrations at her blog
Women in Shakespearean tragedies rarely get a great deal and are usually killed off before their male counterparts. Would Juliet, Desdemona or Lady Macbeth have met the same fate if she had a sassy gay friend to show her the error of her ways?
As a Shakespeare derivative this is about as loose as it gets, unless you have been unfortunate enough to be subjected to the truly offensive Tromeo and Juliet, (Wikipedia it, I dare you). Sassy gay friend gives a 60 second summary of a well known Shakespeare play, before the central female character is presented with an alternative ending moments before she is about to meet her maker.
Is it offensive? Well, it stereotypes gay men and labels some of the Bard’s greatest heroines “Stupid bitches”. But it’s inspired by literature, it’s even shorter than a spark notes summary and it made me laugh so, die hard Shakespeare fan or no, it deserves a watch.
Juliet- “You love him? You met him Sunday. It’s barely Thursday morning. Slow down, crazy! Slow down!”
Desdemona- “Your husband thinks your fingers have been all over Casio’s keyboard, so we gotta go.”
Ophelia- “Oh-phelia so bad for yourself, move away from the water.”
Offended? Amused? Know of a heroine you think might need the help of a sassy gay friend? Feel free to comment.
Nothing captures the concept of “express literature” more than writing a story in six words. Except perhaps writing a story in less. Ernest Hemingway once did just this (“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”) and claimed it was the best thing he ever wrote.
And a few days ago the twittersphere, already used to tweeting with a restricted character count, embraced the six word story and got it trending. Here are a few that stuck out for me.
While twitter did have some great 6 word stories (although a worryingly high percentage concerned Justin Bieber and One Direction), it’s probably better to leave this task to the professionals. In 2007, an article titled To cut a long story short by the Guardian asked several contemporary writers to follow in Hemingway’s economical footsteps.
Dad called: DNA back: he isn’t. Helen Fielding
See that shadow? (It’s not yours.) Jim Crace
“Apple?” “No.” “Taste!” “ADAM?” Oh God. David Lodge
Megan’s baby: John’s surname, Jim’s eyes. Simon Armitage
As a trainee journalist still finding my way in the world of standfirst word counts and headline character counts, I’ve realised the task of condensing information down into the bare minimum is a difficult process. Each word has to fight for its right to be there and subsequently each word is loaded with information. It’s a little bit like poetry.
And so I’ll leave you with one last story by a fantastic author who spoke at my graduation ceremony. It goes one step further than the six word story and demonstrates how an absence of words can be the most powerful of all.
Hilary Mantel:
“Mind what gap?” … … …
Feel free to comment with your own six word stories
When it comes to beefy books, there won’t be many thicker on our shelves than Rowling’s Harry Potter saga. The Order of the Phoenix probably rivals War and Peace or Fielding’s Tom Jones in thickness (and yes you can have them all on the same shelf without committing a literary crime). Harry Potter may be viewed as a children’s book and an easy read, but the latter four titles still take a while for even the speediest reader to get through.
If you need to recap Harry’s life and times (and there will be numerous occasions when you might have this need), Illustrator Lucy Knisley is here to help. She has created eight brilliant posters which cleverly condense the Harry Potter books into page long comic strips.
The rest of the illustrations are available to view and download for free on Lucy’s website.
Many people may not have the time to read a hefty classic novel every day, but you can certainly find time in your day to gaze adoringly at one. It goes against the clichéd mantra, never judge a book by its cover, but I suspect many people (myself included) often judge books by how nice they look sat on our shelves.
Stylist magazine recently listed 50 of what they felt were the most beautiful books, where the covers were “crafted with as much love and consideration as the story on its enclosed pages.” Here are a few of my favorites:
See here for the other 47 beautiful books Stylist picked out.
It’s true that some of the best books have simple covers, and some of the most beautiful books aren’t worth looking inside. But from time to time the two combine and we can find beautiful words wearing a beautiful jacket.
In September, Virago Press saw the release of several designer hardbacks in celebration of the most innovative women writers of the 20th century. The hardbacks are designed by contemporary textile designers which have earned them a well deserved feature on the Vogue blog, describing the books’ patterns as “charmingly retro”.
The Guardian saw the dual appeal this set would have to book-lovers and fashionistas alike: “There’s no question, of course, that the words are the thing – but when the medium and the message combine as attractively as they do here, what’s not to celebrate?”
And I can only echo that sentiment. Of course the content is important, but we probably spend just as much time looking at the books on our shelves as we do the pages inside. As real books come into competition with e-books and e-readers, having a beautiful cover and looking aesthetically pleasing may be of increasing importance to publishers, authors and buyers.
Do you have a favorite book cover? Would you risk buying a book simply because it looked nice? Please share!
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