Pride and Prejudice - The BBC Drama Miniseries : A Review

   Only a very few films have the privilege of being said to be as good as the book or even more. And this is one of those few. I absolutely love the Pride and Prejudice, BBC miniseries. The miniseries was produced for BBC by A&E. I have to say that this is by far the best portrayal of the novel by Jane Austen, so loved by all. Colin Firth as Darcy takes your breath away. He is subtle and stoic, and definitely handsome!! Jennifer Ehle is the perfect depiction of Elisa Bennett. And no one else could have brought the character to life better than her.

   As a lover of Jane Austen's works, I have to admit  I have never been satisfied with a single movie that was made from her books, with the exception of this miniseries. This miniseries is the best adaptation of a novel I have seen till date. Those of you who have not read the book will also get stuck to this movie. The series is available on VHS and DVD, the VHS having a better color quality, whereas the DVD is much more convenient. I received the DVD as a birthday gift a couple of  years ago, and love it.  I can watch the four and a  half  hour movie in one go. And I have done that time and again. Each time I watch the movie I am left thinking of Mr. Darcy for the next couple of days ;) It is just so splendid!

Unaccustomed Earth: A Review

   Ever since I heard of this book, I could not wait to lay my hands it. I recently received it and took to reading it immediately. In plain simple words: I loved it! I could not put it aside. Even though it was a collection of eight short stories, I wanted to read them all one after the other. In this book, as in her previous works  Jhumpa Lahiri chronicles the stories of Bengali immigrants in the Northeast of US. All her stories reflect the pain and loneliness experienced by Indian immigrants on the US soil. The struggles of the immigrants and their offspring  to survive and flourish in a new country is depicted beautifully. Although at times too dramatic, the feelings are only too real.    The book begins with a quote from Nathaniel Hawthorne, "Human nature will not flourish, any more than a potato, if it be planted and replanted, for too long a series of generations, in the same worn-out soil. My children have had other birthplaces, and, so far as their fortunes may be within my control, shall strike their roots into unaccustomed earth." Lahiri herself a Bengali immigrant, born in London and raised in the US echoes the very sentiments. At times her stories challenge Hawthorne's views, and question if such a transplantation strengthens a plant or weakens it. Her stories depict that the place to which individuals feel the strongest ties isn’t necessarily the country they belong to by birth or lineage. But the place which helps them gain an identity and makes them who they are. And this place might not even have a geographical existence.
   Her stories are not just for immigrants, the emotions portrayed are universal and felt by all. I am certain you will not be disappointed. Her stories and the characters stick out to you, and you will not easily forget them. I loved them all greatly and  my favorite is the title story, Unaccustomed Earth. For all our sakes I hope Ms. Lahiri will keep more coming our ways. Do pick up a copy when you get a chance. Get ready for a journey from Cambridge to Seattle to Rome to India and Thailand. I know I am ready for a second visit.

PS: In case you haven't read her older releases, Interpreter of Maladies and The Namesake, please read them as well.

Count Your Blessings

  This morning I remembered a hymn we used to sing in school. Our teacher would first sing and then we all followed suit dutifully, repeating each line after her. I had no idea why she taught us this song, or any other song for that matter. But I did enjoy the singing lessons. Once we learned the song, we sang it many more times in the school assembly during morning prayers.We used to know the words by heart. But never even once did I stop to think about the words and what they meant. Reason could be that I was too small then, perhaps in the 3rd or 4th grade. For some reason I started humming the song this morning. I hardly remembered the lines, but the two that I had not forgotten were:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
  I suddenly wanted to recall all the lines and remember how the whole song sounded. And thanks to You-tube I found it and listened to it after many years.
Click the link below if you would like to listen...
Count Your Blessings
  Now as an adult I know why my teacher taught me that song. And I believe its enough to remember just those two lines. And yes I have learned to count my blessings, and there are many of them.

Little Pink Slips: A Review

No! The book is not about lingerie. It is the other pink slip which no working soul ever wants to hear of. I saw the cover at the book store and dismissed it off as typical chick lit. But I am really glad I picked it up. The author Sally Koslow, McCall's former editor-in-chief provides a perfect distraction from everyday life. This book is perfect for times when you need a light, breezy read. At the same time it is not all fiction. the author based her book on facts and her own experiences in the magazine industry (the author survived the famous Rosie invasion of McCall's). This is another Devil wears Prada, albeit a little more cynical and more humorous. The plot rotates around Magnolia Gold, editor-in-chief of Lady magazine, who has her dream job, and a fabulous New York City apartment, when Lady's publishers suddenly decide to get a celebrity Bebe Blake, on board— against Magnolia's warnings that Bebe will alienate the magazines conservative readers. They further rename  Lady as Bebe and demote Magnolia to 'corporate editor,' a bogus position that's soon eliminated. The whole story revolves around how Magnolia survives the Bebe circus and untangles problems in her personal and professional lives. I will not divulge the plot further. All you ladies will really love reading this book, and at the end of it will be left wanting  more. Do pick it up, and you will not be disappointed you did. Its perfect for your beach bag!