Casino Royale

I have just finished reading Casino Royale. It didn't take too long ... I had wanted to read it since seeing the film last Saturday. I think the two complement each other nicely. My husband read the book first, then saw the film - I did it the other way round. There are obviously a number of changes to the film, which probably does improve the book in many ways, although I have also enjoyed the book. It is actually quite funny - I had been surprised to see my husband laughing quite a lot as he read the book, but I think I understand now. Although his written comments such as "hilarious!" in the margin on a few occasions did not generally occur at the same points that I found amusing ... One passage I thought was quite funny was when Vesper Lynd and Bond order their meal before the game of Baccarat. Vesper orders strawberries (in French) with cream, then asks if it's wrong to be so extravagant (or something like that). Strawberries?! Little touches like that make it clear that the book was written a while ago!

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

I loved Agatha Christie, and her easy style and denoument resonate somewhat with Sherlock Holmes. I enjoyed the Scarlet Cord short story (don't think that was the correct title, though!) The one with the slippery customer ...

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Strawberries ...

This book brings back memories of a lecture in the large lecture theatre in first or second year. The lecturer told us that each point he made would begin with P (or was it S?) So ... passion, pride, (emmm, I'm struggling ... was it sex, strawberries ...hmmmm .... I think it was just as well that I wasn't leading that lecture!)

Anyway, the lecture as a whole was memorable, even if the topics aren't now!

The Picture of Dorien Gray

I remember seeing this as a film first of all, when I was young ... I seem to recall the film being in black and white, then, right at the end when the portrait is revealed, the portrait is in shocking colour.

I studied this book as part of a Theology and Imagination course. Good book. What is beauty? What is goodness?

The Strange Case of Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde

Another Robert Louis Stevenson, but this time I *know* I've read it! And more than once. The last time I started reading it again was during a cover lesson at my last school, where pupils had to read the description of the street in which was Dr Jeckyll's lab, and then draw a picture of the door. Very atmospheric.

A seminal book. A cliche.

Do I have a Jeckyll and a Hyde side? I don't think I've got such a dark side to me - I hope! - but I think I probably have different aspects to me. As we all do, so that's not very insightful!

Treasure Island

I have to confess that this is one that I'm pretty sure I've read, but such a long time ago - early secondary - that I can't be certain. Wooden legs, pirates, X marks the spot, pieces of eight and a bottle of rum ... very generic description ...

Far From the Madding Crowd

Gabriel Oak, the gentlewoman farmer, sheep, storms, the other man, buying your staff for the year at the market ...