Play: The Importance of Being Ernest, Oscar Wilde

The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde. What a fun play!

I am a bit frustrated with myself…the version that I downloaded to listen to was not great. It was a group of American actors trying to sound British. The male characters were ok, but the female characters were rather monotonous and stumbled over a few of the words. It came across as if they were just reading the piece for the sake of getting through it. So that was a bit disappointing, but I take full responsibility as I could have looked for another version, but had already downloaded this one.

Here are some wonderful quotes from the play:

‘The Amount of Women in London who flirt with their own husbands is perfectly scandalous. It looks so bad. It is simply washing one’s clean linen in public.

All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does, and that is his.

Memory... is the diary that we all carry about with us.

Audiobook: Oscar Wilde: His Life and Confessions, Frank Harris

Oscar Wilde by Frank Harris has been keeping me company while I worked in the garden for the past few weeks. I must admit that I knew absolutely nothing about him, except that he might have written 'The Importance of Being Earnest,' which I have also not read. 

I enjoyed the beginning part of the book of when he was young. Rather fascinating! He really enjoyed the good life, and he enjoyed talking much more than writing. 

I will be honest I did not know that he was gay. It's quite shocking that he was thrown into jail for two years because of this! It was also rather sad to learn about all the little children that were jailed at that time and the very cruel circumstances. I am very grateful for how things have changed. 

He sounded like a horrendous friend in his later life, constantly borrowing money so that he could pay off debt. But then, instead of paying off his debt, he would buy a bicycle for a boy that he liked. It was also interesting to learn that he was married and had children, but he really didn't think much of women. 

Here are some of the quotes from the book that I liked:

Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds (William Shakespeare)

Sickness is a symptom of weakness (Oscar Wilde)

Strong men are made by opposition; like kites they go up against the wind  (Frank Harris)

Creation is the first condition of art (Oscar Wilde)

Book: Teacher Man, Frank McCourt

Years ago I was enthralled with Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, it was a magical read. His next book 'Tis, I didn't enjoy as much. But, Teacher Man, was an absolute delight to read. Not as good as Angela's Ashes, but a good read nonetheless. He has a wonderful sense of humour and I just really appreciate the way that he describes things. 

Call it synchronicity, random, a fluke; regardless of how different the books are that I am reading, there is always something somewhere that relates back to the previous book I read or am reading. I am currently also audio-booking the biography of Oscar Wilde. He was also a teacher, also Irish. And, both books are written by Franks. 

Four things that I found particularly interesting in Teacher Man:

1. He loved the creativity of the sick notes that he received. 

So what are we supposed to do with these excuse notes? We'll read them aloud. I want you to realize that this is the first class in the world ever to study the art of the excuse note, the first class ever to practice writing them...

2. Instead of reading the prescribed textbooks, he thought out of the box and got the students to read recipe books and put it to music.

3. I learnt what Pedagogical Paydirt means. I will admit that I had to Google it, but, now I know:

pedagogical = relating to teaching.

Paydirt = a useful or remunerative discovery or object.

The fourth was a reminder:

“Language reveals the man. Speak that I may see thee.” Ben Johnson

The above quote reminded me of Jim Rohn's good advice when it comes to language. 

He believes in broadening your vocabulary; words impact your success. "Vocabulary enables us to interpret and to express. If you have a limited vocabulary, you will also have a limited vision and a limited future."  If you do not have words to express yourself you will end up expressing yourself poorly, and you will make poor decisions.

Looping back to the book, it's an easy, light read 4/5

Book: Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Dates with Death, Tales from a Month of Mystery

Alfred Hitchcock is an author that I have not read yet (and too much of a wimp to watch his movies!). But, I have wanted to read one of his books for some time, so was thrilled when I found this one on my Mom’s bookshelf. I must admit that I borrowed it ages ago, but just never got into it. While I was reading it on the aeroplane the other day, I realised that it is not his work, but rather a compilation of his favourite short stories. I have never been a massive fan of short stories; my preference is to dig my teeth into a novel or biography.

With that said the selection of stories were entertaining.

I particularly enjoyed the writing of Ross McDonald, The Singing Pigeon. Here are a few of my favourite lines from his story:

“…the words blurred by distance...”

“More than ever he resembled a dilapidated boy whose growing pains had never paid off in manhood.”

“Under her mounds of flesh she had a personality as thin and hard and abrasive as a rasp.”

[My favourite line: ->] “I could smell the fear on Donny: there’s an unexplained trace of canine in my chromosomes…

3/5

Book: Adrian Mole: The Wilderness Years, Sue Townsend

Sadly, I am enjoying the Adrian Mole series less and less. Read this one on the plane and train to Nijmegen. Adrian writing a book, about someone writing a book, with long excerpts from both got tedious.

Book: The Woman Who Walked Into Doors, Roddy Doyle

I honestly thought that Roddy Doyle was a comedy writer, this was not one of them.

Always keen to have a look at second hand books,  I was happy to explore a book sale at Constantia Village, all books R5!

One of the other buyers pointed out this book and said that it is very good and that I must read it. I was keen for another light hearted read and was happy about a recommendation.

There is A LOT of swearing at the beginning of the book; I found it very curious that someone would recommend such a book.

It is an incredibly sad and depressing book about a woman who is abused by her husband; with that said, it is written well and I finished it in two days.  (I didn't want to go into the new book with this depressing book).

Book: Myths of Ancient Greece, Robert Graves

For sometime I have wanted to brush up on my Greek mythology.  The first book I acquired,  I really did not enjoy and barely made it to the second page, it felt asif I was reading a doctoral thesis, not my idea of fun.

Finding this version,  the 'Retold for young people,' was perfect and just right for a quick read during the December holiday.