"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Monday, October 2, 2017

TTT: My Top Ten Literary "Crushes"


Reprise: I originally posted this in 2010. I thought I'd revisit the list for ideas from last time and I liked rereading it so much I decided to just repost it with a few additions.  -Anne
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I didn't think I could come up with a list of ten personal literary "crushes".  But I've been playing around with this list all week and here's what I came up with (in no particular order) and I found even more than ten:

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen): I think that every girl dreams of someone like Mr. Darcy, at least some time in her life.  He is handsome, reserved, honorable, and rich.







Captain Frederick Wentworth (Persuasion by Jane Austen): When he first meets Anne Elliott he has no money or pedigree, making him an unsuitable match for a gentleman's daughter. When he returns seven years later he has made something of himself and though he appears to feel the opposite at first, his heart still belongs to Anne.

John Ridd (Lorna Doone by Richard Blackmore): When I was in 6th grade my mother loaned me her copy of Lorna Doone which had belonged to her mother.  I read this antique book over and over again and was completely taken with the clandestine lovers, John and Lorna. When I attempted to reread the book as an adult I was shocked that I understood a word of it as a young girl. Nevertheless, their love affair made a deep impression on me and I always dreamed of having a young man scale a waterfall to find and save me from my captors.


Karl Shoemaker (Tales of the Madman Underground by John Barnes): This marvelous book was just published 2009 so you might be wondering what a grown woman is doing by having a crush on a literary high school boy? Well, I'll tell you.  Karl lives in the 1970s when I was in high school.  He is just about the best friend anyone could ever have.  He is hard-working, kind, thoughtful, and just about ready to fall to pieces. He stands up for the little guy and literally saves a friend's life.  I wish I'd had a boyfriend just like Karl.

Marius Pontmercy (Les Miserables by Victor Hugo): The kind and devoted gentleman who falls in love with Cosette, is kind to his friend Eponine, fights on the correct side of the revolution, and he is a devoted and faithful friend.  He's just about the perfect guy.

Theodore "Laurie" Laurence (Little Women by Louisa May Alcott): the next-door neighbor and friend to all the March girls, but especially Jo. I loved his friendships with the girls and his kindnesses to the family.  I always wanted Laurie and Jo to become a couple but understood that they weren't an ideal match. It didn't keep me from having a crush on him, though.

Prince Caspain (The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis): Caspain is the brave prince who fights for the rights of all Narnians and wins the devotion of his people and wins my heart along the way.

Mr. George Knightley (Emma by Jane Austen): the kind and practical friend and almost-brother to Emma who remains devoted to her even though she continues to bumble around with her match-making efforts. When he confessed his love to Emma I was swept right up, too.

Denys Finch Hatton (Out of Africa: a Memoir by Isak Dinesen, nom de plume for Baroness Karen von Blexin-Finecke): is it possible to have a crush on a literary character who was actually a real person? Well, I had a crush on Denys after the movie Out of Africa came out because he was such an adventurous soul who dearly loved Africa, was devoted to Karen, and died a tragic death.

Tristran Thorn (Stardust by Neil Gaiman): from Gaiman's magical fairy tale, Tristran falls in love with a star who has fallen to earth and morphs from a bumbling idiot into a handsome, swash-buckling hero.  This is one case where I actually like the movie better than the book, but both are good.

Sergeant Joe Harmon (A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute): Jean Paget meets Sgt. Joe Harmon when they are both Japanese prisoners-of-war in Malaya during WWII.  Joe becomes her hero when he steals a chicken so that the prisoners can have something to eat.  For this act of heroism he is flogged and, Jean thinks, killed. She learns many years later that he is still alive and she goes to search for him in the Australian outback.  I still have a crush on Joe and reread the book with some regularity.

Henry Crawford (Mansfield Park by Jane Austen): Henry Crawford is one of Austen's cads. He sets out to win the heart of Fanny Price but she never truly trusts him.  She is right, of course, as Crawford ends up dishonoring the whole family by his affiar with Fanny's cousin.  If I were Fanny, however, I would have swooned by Henry's attention. He was fun-loving and high-spirited.  Crawford's spot on this list is my nod to all literary "bad boys."

Captain Antonio Corelli (Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres): Caught in the middle of WWII, Captain Corelli and Pelagia fall in love.  He is an "enemy" invader to the Greek Island, but he is charming and musical and their love story transcends the horrors of war.  I want someone to sing me an Italian love song, just like Antonio sang for Pelagia.





Sam (When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore): a transgender boy who is so kind and loving and the best boyfriend/person anyone could hope to have.



Levi (Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell). I think he is just about the perfect boyfriend. Up to the point when this book hit the market I thought no author would ever be able to design a perfect guy but Ms. Rowell did it.



Who are some of your literary crushes?  What do you think of my choices?


50 comments:

  1. Great list! Captain Wentworth is a great choice.

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  2. You've go some very yummy heroes on your list.
    Although Persuasion is my favourite Austen book, my one Austen crush is Emman's Mr. Knightley.

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  3. I didn't make a top ten this week because I couldn't think of any crushes but I totally agree with you on Marius from Les Miserables.

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  4. Absolutely agree with you on Wentworth & Darcy!

    Here's mine:http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2010/10/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-fictional.html

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  5. I'm with you on George Knightley! He's in my top 2 favorite Austen male leads *swoon*

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  6. Mr Darcy is on everyone's list, it seems !Love him! And Laurie too.

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  7. I'm sad to say that I have not read any of these books! But a bunch are on my to-read list! Thanks for participating in this week's Top Ten Tuesday!

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  8. Mr. Darcy is not on my list, but yes I suppose he's alright :P

    And I totally agree with you about Stardust the movie being better than the book!

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  9. Wow -- you really came up with a lot! I had trouble with mine. Didn't even make it to 10.

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  10. Great list! I completely forgot about Prince Caspian-he should be on my list as well.

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  11. I love a lot of the men on your list! I can't believe I forgot about Prince Caspian, he's totally crush-worthy!
    But Darcy will always be first :)

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  12. Oh man I have the biggest crush on Prince Caspian!! And even though I haven't read the book, I adore Tristan Thorne in the movie. What a hottie!

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  13. What a romantic list :o) I am warming up to Mr. Darcy though since I'm reading P&P for the first time, he didn't make my list.

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  14. Tristan from the movie Stardust is so awesome, love him. Also yes to Darcy and Knightley...both amazing guys!

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  15. I adore Captain Wentworth and Mr. Knightly! I haven't read Pride and Predujice yet so I don't yet have an opinion on Mr. Darcy ;)

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  16. Wow! What an amazing post, Anne, with all the pictures, too - very impressive.

    Believe it or not, I've never read any of these books (embarrassing to admit, but I've never read a Jane Austen book), though I did see Pride & Prejudice in movie version.

    I'm not sure I've ever had a literary crush...hmmm....I probably have but can't think of one at the moment.

    Very enjoyable post -

    Sue

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  17. I just don't know where to start--most of my crushes are from my mystery stories, like Spenser. :)There are many in Dick Francis books too. I do remember having a terrible crush on Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables.

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  18. Great list. Lots of Austen! Darcy is on my list too. I didn't even think of Tristan Thorne. He's the perfect guy for me, he starts out nerdy, then turns into a sword-fighting hero in the end!

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  19. Great list! I love Laurie from Little Women too (The movie though, never read the book)

    Here's my Top 10 List

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  20. I wasn't terribly sure I could come up with ten crushes, either. (I'm just a tad past the age of crushes.)

    You did well.

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  21. Thanks for joining in the conversation. This blog was fun for me because it caused me to recall all my old literary crushes and rekindled some of them...perhaps soon I can cuddle up with one of these guys again by picking up the book and rereading "the good parts." Ha!

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  22. I'm with you on Captain Wentworth, and Mr. Knightly almost made my list!

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  23. Glad to see one of your other followers also gave a shout-out to Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables fame. I once wrote a paper in high school comparing that story to P&P--no suprise I'm also a Darcy fan.

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  24. Replies
    1. I reread Little Women this past year. I still have a crush on Laurie and wondered how Jo could resist him.

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  25. A wonderful list! It's funny, right now I can't think of a literary crush, but I know I've had them and now over the next couple days they will probably seep into my mind when I least expect them.

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  26. Captain Wentworth made my list too! Fab list!

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  27. I knew Mr. Darcy was going to have to make someones list. Marius is way too whiney for me, but I wouldn't mind having Valjean!

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    1. Marius wasn't quite as whiny in the book as in the play.

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  28. Oh, Caspain! It's been so long since I saw a Narnia movie; I should do a moviethon sometime, haha.

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  29. I had a friend of mine harass me for 2 years to read fangirl because the main girl reminds her of me.

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  30. Oh Laurie! He made my list too. And I'm probably going to need to check out some of the other books from your list because it sounds like we have similar taste in book boyfriends. - Katie

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  31. I was so close to adding Levi to my list this week, too. I agree with you I think I actually prefer Stardust movie.

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  32. I think what I should have done is a compare and contrast between what I would have selected if I'd started blogging at twenty and what I'd select now at sixty. The dark and brooding romantic ideal of my youth wouldn't make a great companion in my old age, I think.

    https://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2017/10/childrens-picture-books-you-need-to.html

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  33. Hi! Mr. Darcy and George are two of my favorites from Jane Austen. I still need to get to Fangirl! :)
    My TTT
    Leslie

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  34. Teddy. I always forget about Teddy!

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  35. Wonderful list! Darcy made my list as well. Prince Caspian is great! I should have thought of him too. Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.

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  36. Okay, now I seriously need to read Fangirl!

    Here’s my TTT!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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  37. Darcy, Colonel Brandon, and Wentworth are my three favorite Austen heroes and crushes. I adored Levi but I loved Park much more. I need to update my list. I've added some more to my literary crushes each year.

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  38. Marius is a good choice! :-)

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  39. MR Darcy was on my list as well, he`s such a classic. I also shipped Jo and Laurie together and was sad to see that it did not happen.

    Carmen / Carmen`s Reading Corner

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  40. A thousand times yes to Mr. Darcy and Captain Wentworth. I love both so much. Great list!

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  41. I definitely like all of Austen's heroes for the most part but my favorite (though not my favorite book) is Henry Tilney from Northanger Abbey. He's such a smart ass:). Great list!

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  42. Mr. Darcy is the very definition of 'book boyfriend' he's a classic choice. I also adore Sam and Levi!

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  43. Hi, what a lovely post!! <3 You has me going that this was a list of classics gentlemen then you slapped Levi on the end as the champion! For some reason I love it (and kudos to all the gentlemen!)

    This week I twisted the topic and talked about why fall in love with characters... http://wp.me/p3LRfZ-5Wm

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  44. OHMYGOODNESS!! So many favorites I neglected. Ah, well. This means I have a legit reason to create a "part 2" list. :)

    Tristan, Knightley, Wentworth, and OHMY, I haven't put John Ridd on any of my lists! Why, I don't know. Movie John is one of my very favorite characters (haven't read the book) and reminds me I really need to re-watch this one. :)

    Thanks, as always, for visiting Finding Wonderland, Anne.

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  45. I didn't really like Fangirl, tbh, but I loved Levi so so so much, he was utterly precious and amazing. And Darcy, of course, deserves a place on any literary crushes list. :)
    Great list!

    Veronika @ The Regal Critiques

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  46. The Chronicles of Narnia's Prince Caspian is a good one!

    Hope you'll visit my TTT list!

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