Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The Mean Reds

Have you seen Breakfast at Tiffany's? I remember watching this with my sister Debbie & our neighbor and friend Jennie after we put on this old trench coat my mom had and walked down the street saying things like "step on it darling" & "I'm crazy about Tiffany's."
Lately I have been thinking about the "mean reds" and Holly's cure for the mean reds.
Holly Golightly: You know those days when you get the mean reds?
Paul Varjak: The mean reds, you mean like the blues?
Holly Golightly: No. The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?
Paul Varjak: Sure.
Holly Golightly: Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's, then - then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name!
When I went to New York back when I was a senior in High School I had my best friend Erika take a picture of me standing in front of Tiffany's.


But Tiffany's is not my cure for the mean reds my cure is Jane Austen & anything Austenesque. Although our cures are different the reasons for the cure are the same...
"The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there."
After having a really bad start to my new year I found myself tired & down and desperate for something to lift my spirits when I remembered that Elizabeth Eulberg's new book Prom & Prejudice had come out. I drove straight to Barnes & Noble & got myself a copy.
I read Elizabeth's Eulberg's first novel The Lonely Heart's Club before going to London last year and loved the message of girls staying true to themselves and not doing things because of guys. The Beatles references didn't hurt either. Reading Prom & Prejudice was extremely fun. I loved seeing how Elizabeth made Lizzy & Darcy fit into modern day high school and her twist on things. I only wish I could have gotten more.

Some of my other favorite Austenesque type books are Shannon Hale's Austenland. I don't even know how many times I have read this book or listened to it, yep I also have the audio on my ipod. Not to mention how much I love what Shannon wrote when she signed it...
Another is Enthusiams by Polly Shulman which is a book I have never actually read. I have only listened to it on audio since the library only has it on audio, silly library. I am not one for ordering books online so I was so excited that I found it at Bookmans on Saturday! I gave it to Debbie the Enthusiast in my life. This isn't a modern re-telling it is just about two friend who love Jane Austen & long to find their Mr. Darcy and crash a dance to find one for themselves. 
 Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier, I have not read that the 5 sisters in this fantasy/fairytale retelling are based of the Bennett sisters in Pride & Prejudice but it just seemed obvious. So if you like fairytale retelling & Pride & Prejudice I would check this out.
Ok this is not a Pride & Prejudice-esque book but if you like fantasy/fairytale Shannon Hale type books check out The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal.

1 comment:

  1. Oh Connie, you and I are so alike in this repect. Books are my Tiffany's as well.

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