I find myself doing a lot of re-reading these days -- comfort reads for these perilous times. I'd read The Guernsey Literary etc. a few years ago and, turning to it again, found it even better than I'd remembered. The vivid characters, the beautiful landscape, the intertwined lives and stories were just the thing to take my mind off the Bowling Green Massacre and other alternative facts.
Guernsey and the other Channel Islands would be a lovely place to escape to . . . though with climate change and rising oceans, for how long?
I've been intrigued by the Channel Islands ever since I read Green Dolphin Street many years ago. It begins and ends on one of the islands with a sizable middle section set in New Zealand -- another island that has always sounded like a nice place to live.
Green Dolphin Street is another of my comfort reads -- the story is perhaps implausible -- a long distance proposal that results in the wrong sister travelling halfway round the world to marry a befuddled suitor -- but the settings and descriptions are the sort of thing I can fairly wallow in.
I believe there was a film years ago but I've never seen it. Have any of you? And if so, how was it? Also, I read that film in beginning this spring on TGLAPPPLS. Something to look forward to!
7 comments:
Vicki, I remember greatly enjoying reading that first Society book and recommending it to others. I know of the other two books but never got round to reading them.
(Wondering is you got the NY Times article I emailed you? I came across it right after seeing your quilts post.)
xo
I also return periodically to Guernsey Literary as well as 84 Charing Cross Road. Another of my favorite go-to comfort books is Walking Across Egypt which always lightens my mind. Green Dolphin Street was the first "grown up" book I remember reading. I loved it at the time, but I haven't thought of it in years.
I loved her books as a young girl . Our school library had them all ... the nuns found her novels inspiring .
Thank you for reminding me to dig them out again ; I could do with something peaceful and inspiring again right now .
Speaking of nuns, I'm now re-reading for the umpteenth time, Rumer Godden's IN THIS HOUSE OF BREDE -- also very comforting.
I remember watching "Green Dolphin Street" as a teenager, and not long ago, I found it through my library and enjoyed it just as much. It starred Donna Reed, and Lana Turner as the two sisters, and their romantic interests, Richard Hart and Van Heflin. I hope you get to see it one of these days. I loved it. I also read the book, also really good.
Yay for reading including improbable plots! Comforting escape in these hard times.
Ah, I love TGLAPPPLS! The audiobook is a particular delight. I found myself doing long-delayed housework just to have an excuse to get an extra few chapters in!
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