Books o' the Month: The Male Brain, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park

Another must-read book for you, The Male Brain, by Dr. Louann Brizendine. The joke is that it must be more of a pamphlet. But no, there is more to the male brain than guys often get credit for. Hubby had been anxiously waiting for me to finish reading this book. I think I now have a better understanding of what's going on in there. And in there, too.

I've been continuing on my Jane Austen kick. Pride and Prejudice was wonderful. I followed it up with a viewing of the BBC miniseries (keywords: Jennifer Ehle, Colin Firth) and the more recent film version (keywords: Kiera Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen). There are aspects of both adaptations I liked a lot (but not the last imagined scene from the 2005 movie which, I understand, was only added for American audiences.) I thought Jennifer Ehle's Elizabeth had perfect poise to complement the reserve of Colin Firth's Darcy in the BBC version. I enjoyed Matthew Macfadyen's more emotional portrayal of Darcy, while I was at first unnerved by Kiera Knightley's playful Elizabeth in the 2005 version. Have you seen both versions? Which do you prefer?

I also read Austen's Mansfield Park. It was long and I really enjoyed all the details and finding out how it all turned out in the end. I find that the more Austen I read, the more I realize that people today are just like what they were at the turn of the 19th century. We are such simple yet complex creatures, basically just animals living in a structured society (see The Female Brain and The Male Brain). I watched the 1999 film afterwards, which was interesting, as based upon the novel and Austen's journals, but I found it too different from the book.

The party is at Turn the Page ... Tuesday today--check it out!