Something other than Pirates

Yes I have been neglecting this place. Not entirely sure that matters as I'm pretty sure that no one actually reads this but still I waffle far too much and so writing to no one is just as good! I have been far to busy with work and too lazy to update this plus it would all be on pirates anyway and frankly even Mr Nobody would get bored!

This post is mostly going to concern Wuthering Heights and Turn of the Screw and is mostly for me to collect my thoughts and decide what essay to write. Either one on gender in Wuthering Heights or one looking at if Turn of the Screw is a ghost story or a story of madness.

Heights is full of gendery stuff - with both Cathy's transgressing gender roles as fulfilling gender stereotypes. There is even a theory that Heathcliffe is a woman (not literally of course!). But then again I would also have a lot to say about Screw and if the ghosts are real or not. I personally don't think they are and the governess is just a bit crazy! (Inflicted by sexual hysteria through repressed sexual lust according to some theorists :p).

I think I will probably end up writing about Heights simply because I love the book (mostly because I'm weird and like to hate all the characters!) but then I have quite a bit of love for Mr James and Screw. Coincidentally there is an adaptation of Turn of the Screw over xmas - I must watch it although I see differences already. First off they have given the governess a name when she has none in the book. I also wonder if they will show that the story is being narrated by someone who is narrating what it is being narrated to him by another man who is narrating what the governess told him. (Yes makes your brain hurt! Even more confusing that the Heights which is narrated by a man who is narrating what the housekeeper tells him!).

Books are like Magic

I like books. No in fact I love books. Just as well considering the English and History degree requires me to spend half my life with my head in a book. I can't remember a time where I haven't had at least one book on the go (currently I have three 'Blood of Elves' by Andrzej Sapkowski, Neil Gaimon's 'Smoke and Mirrors' and Henry James' 'Turn of the Screw' and that's not including all the Pirate History books I am using for dissertation research!) and I can't remember a time when books haven't formed a big part of my life.

I use books as an escape - somewhere to disappear to when the world gets too much which is why it is mostly fantasy and classical (Austen, Bronte and the like) stuff although I will read just about anything (with the exception of Twilight and other soppy teenage fiction!). Books are amazing - they can take you away from things or get you closer to them, let you travel the world or visit fantastical worlds. And most of all share in the brilliant imagination of the authors.

I choose what I read based on reviews, reccomendations, browsing the shelves or Amazon's frankly creepy mind reading 'Reccomended for You Section' (which is far better than the Youtube one which frequantly suggests I watch either porn or High School Musical - neither of which I have ever looked at on my account!). From here they all go on my 'To Read' list which just gets longer everyday! I chose 'Blood of Elves' from Waterstones as it was by a Polish author and I was about to go to Poland plus it was part of a 3 for 2 offer and my Mum needed to find a third book for the offer!)

I first got into fantasy when my Dad read one of his favourite books to me and my sister when I was five. It was 'The Hobbit' and I loved it (especially when he did the voices!). I read 'The Lord of the Rings' when I was eight (with only a little bit of help!) and it hasn't left my bookshelf since although the books around it have. The large collection of 'Animal Ark' books have gone and the trilogy has seen the likes of Meg Cabot, JK Rowling, Garth Nix, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaimon share a shelf with it at some point or another!

On a completly different subject I had a fantastic time camping :D Lots of activities were done, large amounts of Cider was consumed and Orange Stilt Men were hung out with (yes I did try my hand (or legs) at stilt walking). Although no wenching was done!!

Today I'm working on making myself a new bag and looking after my poorly kitty.