Libraries in Literature

Books always have a place in libraries (who knew?) but sometimes libraries have a place in books. I thought that as libraries are in the midst of a fight for survival at the moment, why not have a look at some of the libraries that are immortalised on the page.

Possession by A.S. Byatt: Now, if you're an English literature graduate, there couldn't be a more perfect read. The novel opens in the London Library and opens it up as a site of academia, knowledge and, above all, mystery. The London Library was founded in 1841 and situated in London's St James's Square.

Atonement by Ian McEwan: Used slightly less as a literary institution... more for a sneaky moment of passion and a subsequent misunderstanding that proves to be the novel's pivotal scene. In the film the library was shot at Stokesay Court in Shropshire, England and it is believed that some of the bookcases were left behind and are still there.

Matilda by Roald Dahl: If I stumble back to my childhood, one of the first libraries I came across was the place of respite for one of my favourite children's characters, Matilda. In the film of the novel, the library scenes were shot at the University of Southern California in the lobby and reference room of its Doheny Library. (P.S. the library set in the RSC musical is phenomenal...)

Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin: Rankin himself spent a lot of time at Edinburgh's National Library and Central Library researching his PhD and so it is no surprise that it appears in his first Rebus novel. Rather than full of academics and young authors, however, the fictional version is much more action-packed!

Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling: Finally, my all-time favourite fictional library... the Hogwarts Library. Irma Prince, floating books, recipes for pollyjuice potion, Hogwarts a History, Quidditch Through the Ages... its got it all. Let's not forget the library in Diagon Alley, however, where one of the most important books in the series (Tom Riddle's diary) makes its first appearance...

Other books with libraries at the centre include The Swimming Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness and Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett.

Midnight in Paris

Gil is a talented but frustrated writer in Hollywood. On a holiday in Paris with his wife, Inez, and her parents, Gil seeks inspiration for is magnum opus in its winding streets, cobbled riverside paths and European charm. As his in-laws become less and less in tune with the European city, Gil increasingly realises he is in the hub of European creativity. This becomes very literal when Gil, baffled by his in-laws disinterest in their surroundings, stumbles across time barriers and finds himself walking into his favourite era, the 1920s, amongst the writers, musicians and artists he idolises.


Now I know what you're thinking - I shouldn't reeeeeally list this as a book review, I know, because it's a film blah blah blah but it couldn't be more literary so I'm going to do it anyway! Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen's latest flick, came out on DVD on Monday and I will be quick to add it to my Amazon wishlist because, quite simply, it's bloody brilliant! Beautifully shot, filled with humour and has a phenomenal cast: Rachel McAdams, Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen, Tom Hiddleston and even French first lady, Carla Bruni.

I suppose one of the reasons I loved this film was because it was such a pleasant surprise. I was interested in watching it because the cast was good and Woody Allen is a legend - I had no idea what the plot was. I went to see it on a second date and probably was a pretty rubbish companion because I couldn't move  beyond talking about the film and all my book-geekiness came out in full force. I, myself, love the 1920s - one of my favourite eras in history, music, literature, fashion, art and so on. The thought of drinking cocktails with Cole Porter and the Fitzgeralds or sharing a cab with Ernest Hemingway was just too much for my geeky brain!

Aside from the book references, it's really very funny! I was laughing out loud at the characterisation, the sudden plot changes and the witty dialogue and I believe even my date for the night enjoyed it, despite the more book-related jokes mostly slipping him by.

Go watch it! This film got 8/10

Happy 200th Birthday Charles Dickens!

To celebrate Charles Dickens' birthday, I thought I would do a very general biog on the man who is thought to be Britain's first celebrity writer.

Charles Dickens was born Charles John Huffam Dickens on Friday, February 7th 1812 at 1 Mile End Terrace in Portsmouth, England. His parents were John and Elizabeth Dickens and were thought to have inspired some of Dickens' characters, most famously Mr Micawber and Mrs Nickleby in Dickens' semi-autobiographical Nicholas Nickleby.

He was married to Catherine Hogarth in April 1836 in St. Luke's Church, Chelsea, which still stands today. 

Before the couple separated in 1858, they managed to have a staggering 10 children! Even more amazingly for the time, all but one child, Dora Annie Dickens, survived infancy. 

The Pickwick Papers, Dickens' first novel, was published monthly during 1836 and 1837. It was extremely popular at the time and remains so today. Consequently, I believe, Dickens' books have incredibly never gone out of print!

Like many great literary minds, Dickens was far from average. It is thought he had obsessive compulsive disorder, brush his hair hundreds of times a day and being very particular about the position in which he slept. He also suffered from epilepsy. As would be no surprise from some of his writing, Dickens had a wicked sense of humour. He was close friends with the writer, Hans Christian Andersen, but that didn't mean Mr. Anderson never overstayed his welcome. One time, Dickens made a sign in his guest's bedroom, reading 'Hans Anderson slept in this room for five weeks, which seemed to the family like AGES'.

Following his separation from Catherine, Dickens had a relatively clandestine affair with an actress called Ellen Ternan, which went on until his death. Interestingly, in June 1865 Dickens was traveling with Ellen and her mother when their train crashed in Staplehurst. Although Dickens, himself, was not killed, it is thought that his coming to the aid of those injured and dying meant that he never fully recovered mentally.

Famously, Dickens was forced to quit school when he was 11 years old and take his first job in a blacking factory. Dickens had to help support his family this way after his father was sent to a debtors' prison. Although it is thought Dickens never spoke about his experience, it is documented in his novel, David Copperfield. The blacking factory itself does not exist any more, but its site is on Chandos Place, near Trafalgar Square, in London.

As well as David Copperfield, Dickens had many famous works, many of which have been televised. In the most recent adaptation of Great Expectations, Herbert Pocket was played by a descendant of Dickens himself, Harry Lloyd.

From David Copperfield

Dickens died on June 9th, 1870, aged 58 and was buried at Poet's Corner in London's Westminster Abbey, should you wish to visit!

To celebrate Dickens' 200th birthday today, there are tonnes of events. I was hoping to go to Claire Tomlin's talk in Southwark Cathedral tonight but unfortunately won't be able to go! Would be fascinated to hear what it's like. Also, do go and check out the exhibition at the Museum of London!

Unplanned hiatus

Apologies for lack of blog posts the last few days. Not from lack of inspiration, I assure you! Have had various important things going on around me and had to be out of London without internet. Expect new posts soon :) RH x


For now, I've just read this short fun article and thought I'd share :) http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/feb/06/ebenezer-scrooge-most-popular-dickens-character

Bridget Jones 3

One of the most popular film adaptions of a novel has to be Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding. Two films later and we're being promised a third but it seems it's not quite ready yet... In true Bridget fashion, it seems some bickering and going round in circles is happening off screen.

The film has already seen one director jump ship after 'creative differences' but Peter Cantanneo came to the rescue. It's not the director causing the problems though. According to the Guardian, Hugh Grant has had some concerns about the screenplay and has made that very clear to Helen Fielding and David Nicholls, resulting in a temporary break in production.
Working Title have promised that this is not the end for the project though and that we will see more from the big-knicker-wearing Bridget in the future. Let's hope so!

In the meantime, tune in to ITV and watch Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason at 10.30pm, Saturday 11th, to have your Bridget fix. 

The Outcast

One summer's day in 1957, nineteen-year-old Lewis Aldridge stands alone at Waterford railway station. The only person awaiting his return is a fifteen-year-old girl called Kit Carmichael. Like him, she endured a childhood spent in the stifling atmosphere of an English village recovering from the ravages of the Second World War. A decade earlier it was Lewis who waited for his father's homecoming from the war. His mother, a free-spirited and glamorous woman, holds husband and son in her thrall. But when tragedy strikes, Lewis and his father, unable to console one another, are torn apart by their grief. As menacing as it is beautiful, The Outcast is a devastating portrait of transgression and redemption.
I think it's fair to say that Sadie Jones' The Outcast is one of my top favourite books. Winner of the 2008 Costa First Novel Award, this is a truly beautiful novel. I gave this book to a colleague for Christmas and she's just finished it and can't stop raving, which inspired me to post this!

It's not distant in its style and tone from Richard Yates, actually, who I talked about a couple of days ago. Also, it may sound like a weird thing to say but the whole book feels very green... Maybe I was just made to think that from the cover, but generally it has a real green haze to it! Very fresh, very English Home Counties. Besides from being green... it's a really touching story. It's essentially about relationships and how they can both break and form when tragedy strikes.

My favourite relationship in this book is that between Lewis and his father and I'm sure Freud would have lots to say about this relationship too... I don't give much away by saying that their relationship is difficult from the very start and this seems to stem from a lack of any fundamental understanding of one another. It's incredibly frustrating to read, so much so that at one point I did well up. I think now is a good time to say that I very rarely cry in books and so welling up is a momentous reading experience for me... It's not quite up there with the Snape scene in the Deathly Hallows (please forgive the reference...) but The Outcast did similarly comfort me by affirming I'm not a cold-hearted non-crier...

Simply, it's fantastic. I couldn't recommend it enough and I can't wait for her third book to come out in March - The Uninvited Guests. Her first novel, though, gets 9/10!

Gordon's Wine Bar

Last night I went for a drink with a good friend of mine at London's oldest and probably most famous wine bar, Gordon's, on Villiers Street. You stumble down some narrow steps into the old wine cellar, choose from a great selection of wine and sit under the low arched stone ceiling and enjoy. 

We sat actually outside under the heaters and, although after half an hour lost feelings in most of our bodies, had a great time. It does get very busy but the hustle and bustle is part of Gordon's charm. It isn't just the wine and atmosphere that's great, though. You walk in and the waft of delicious smelling food makes it hard to leave...

Now you might be wondering what this great bar has to do with books. Well, if you've got a wine bar that's been around for hundreds of years in one of the most famous and literary cities in the world, you're going to have writers. Most famously, Rudyard Kipling and Samuel Pepys both lived in the building above Gordon's Wine Bar. It is thought that Rudyard Kipling wrote his famous novel, The Light that Failed, in the parlour above the bar. The building is now, fittingly, called Kipling House!

Gordon's Wine Bar
47 Villiers Street

London WC2N 6NE
United Kingdom
http://www.gordonswinebar.com