"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=========

Friday, March 9, 2018

Friday Quotes: Emma---A Modern Retelling

Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City Reader. Share the opening quote from the book.
The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice.  Find a quote from page 56.

Check out the links for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Participants don't select their favorite, coolest, or most intellectual books, they just use the one they are currently reading. This is the book I'm reading right now---


Title: Emma: A Modern Retellings by Alexander McCall Smith

 Book Beginnings:
"Emma Woodhouse's father was brought into this world, blinking and confused, on one of those final nail-biting days of the Cuban Missile Crisis."
Friday 56:
"Governesses, he thought, were perhaps on the same list of endangered species as butlers."
Comments: A Jane Austen fan, it is natural that I would want to read the modern retellings commissioned in 2011 by The Austen Project. This one, Emma, is written by a favorite author Alexander McCall Smith. He has such a good sense of humor. I enjoy his books so much. I like the book beginning because it gives some of the back story and answers a question that the original doesn't, namely why is Mr. Woodhouse such a worrier. I finished the retelling of Pride and Prejudice, Eligible, last week and thought it was quite fun. Neither are as good as the original. But they never are.

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18 comments:

  1. Sandra NachlingerMarch 9, 2018 at 9:28 AM

    I didn't realize that The Austen Project had commissioned retellings of her books. I love that idea! I'll be looking for Emma and others.
    My Friday post features The Marsh King’s Daughter.

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  2. MargaretMarch 9, 2018 at 10:14 AM

    I see McCall Smith doing a good job with that!

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  3. Laurel-Rain SnowMarch 9, 2018 at 10:52 AM

    Great excerpts! This one looks tempting. Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

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  4. Catherine @ Book Club LibrarianMarch 9, 2018 at 11:23 AM

    I like McCall Smith. I've read several books in his Scotland Street and Philosopher's Club series. Enjoy!

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  5. JoMarch 9, 2018 at 1:39 PM

    Oh I like this!! Loved the quote!! Have a great weekend!!

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  6. Yvonne @ Fiction Books ReviewsMarch 9, 2018 at 2:24 PM

    Mmmm! Not one for me I fear, as I hate to see classic stories plagiarized, re-written, or adapted in any other way.

    I guess there must be quite a few people like me out there, as ratings and reviews for 'Emma' have been pretty average or even a little below.

    Both the extracts you share are good and on any other occasion might be enough to keep me reading on.

    Thanks for sharing and I hope that the book picks up a little for you :)

    Yvonne

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    1. Anne@HeadFullofBooksMarch 9, 2018 at 8:10 PM

      I read the bad reviews, too. I think the people who are giving these reviews may not have read the original. Austen's Emma is a snob and does all these mundane things as she tries to match-make. Alexander McCall Smith is very humorous and I find myself laughing at points in the story that might not be very obvious to someone who hasnt' read any of his other books.

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  7. reeseMarch 9, 2018 at 2:27 PM

    I've never heard of these. They do definitely sound like fun. And I really enjoyed McCall Smith's Botswana mysteries.

    Thanks for visiting.

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  8. The Candid CoverMarch 9, 2018 at 2:36 PM

    I love a great retelling. I have not read any of the books in this series, but they sound amazing I will have to give them a try. Thanks so much for sharing! :)

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  9. fredamansMarch 9, 2018 at 3:39 PM

    I love his books. I'll have to check this one out! Happy weekend!

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  10. Nicki J. Markus / Asta IdoneaMarch 9, 2018 at 4:04 PM

    I hadn't heard about this project. I will have to look it up! Thanks for sharing.

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  11. BoyishbookwormMarch 10, 2018 at 1:26 AM

    This one sounds a lot of fun! I confess I started to read Emma once but gave up because I found it boring. I love the BBC mini-series adaptation, but could never get into the book. This retelling must be hilarious though judging by the snippets you shared.

    Ronnie @ Paradise Found

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  12. Lauren StoolfireMarch 10, 2018 at 6:14 AM

    I've heard of the author and I really want to try his stuff. :)

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  13. Ashley SappMarch 10, 2018 at 12:29 PM

    This sounds like a great one! Hope you have a great weekend! :)

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  14. DMSMarch 10, 2018 at 12:59 PM

    I haven't read anything by this author. This sounds good. Glad you enjoyed it, even if it wasn't quite as good as the original. :)
    ~Jess

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  15. Sassy Brit @ Alternative-Read.comMarch 12, 2018 at 1:54 AM

    I hadn't heard about this project either, but sounds really intriguing. As does the book. I'll look them up! Thanks. :)

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  16. @CatsandCoffeeMarch 14, 2018 at 11:42 AM

    O, wow! Like everyone, this is news to me. Thanks for getting the word out.

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