Bit of a random post, but I found this amazing website which combines 3 of my great loves;
Jane Austen, coffee and men :D
(Have a look at the page
here...)
Some of my favourite snippets:
On books:
At the moment I’m reading four books: Josephine Hart’s The Truth about Love which is extraordinary. Then, A Night at the Majestic by Richard Davenport-Hines – it speculates what happened in a dinner party in Paris between Proust, Joyce, Picasso and Stravinsky. I’m just getting into Antony Beevor’s Stalingrad. And a David Sedaris book – I knew his sister, who is the funniest person I’ve ever met. He’s very funny too.
On coffee:
I prefer roast and ground. Coffee just tastes better from a cafetiere.
On the readings:
My favourite reading was the Nick Hornby one (High Fidelity). And the Pat Barker (Life Class)was great.
Austen has been a revelation to me. I wasn’t really a fan before doing these readings, but it’s amazing stuff. My mother, sisters and wife always used to bang on about her, and now I understand why. I used to think Elizabeth Bennett (Pride & was silly – but she’s not at all, she’s really bright and witty.
Favourite love scene:
The French always do the best love scenes. My favourite is from a French film called Gadjo Dilo, where the hero and a gypsy girl run through a birch wood ripping off their clothes. A great scene.
Favourite place to read:
I like reading, especially on long train journeys. I did a degree In English Literature at Trinity College Dublin. My favourite authors are probably James Joyce, and then Tolstoy. But for some thing more everyday – Martin Amis and Julian Barnes.
Listen to Dominic reading Pride and Prejudice:
On books:
He doesn’t count reading scripts as reading. “Well that’s work, isn’t it?”
On coffee:
“I’ve been drinking Carte Noire Instant Decaf for years.”
On the readings:
“Well, obviously I like all of them but I guess my favourite is Sons and Lovers. And Persuasion. And the Kiran Desai.”
Favourite love scene:
“I think it’s probably the scene from Sense and Sensibility where Elinor says to Edward ‘Then you are not married?’ and then starts crying and laughing.”
Favourite place to read:
“In bed. Well actually, it’s the only place I read.”
Listen to Greg reading Persuasion:
http://www.cartenoire.co.uk/home/greg_wise/greg-wise-reads-persuasion-by-jane-austen/655
On books:
I'm currently reading The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan, and my favourite book has to be Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. However, the book which has most affected me is On Pilgrimage, written by my mother, Jennifer Lash, during her journey of dealing with cancer.
On coffee:
I'm a coffee fiend... an obsessive.
On the excerpts:
I loved reading Scott Turow's Presumed Innocent with its taught, crisp writing. Little Dorrit has great human insight and warmth, as well as the best love scene - tender and heart breaking.
On reading:
I spend so much time reading scripts that there is little time for novels. Short stories by Raymond Calver and Chekhov are fantastic for shorter breaks though.
On love scenes:
Great love scenes are obviously Romeo and Juliet, but the one I loved to play was in Cyrano de Bergerac, where he can reveal his heart from the shadows, then finds himself liberated like never before. The secret to these scenes is putting distance between the lovers on heat, by using a balcony... works every time!
Listen to Joseph reading Sense and Sensibility:
http://www.cartenoire.co.uk/home/podcast_joseph/joseph-fiennes-reads-sense-%26-sensibility-by-jane-austen/678
Hmmmm... is it weird that I totally love listening to sexy male voices reading Jane Austen? :D
♥
