13.4.08

"I Write This Sitting In The Kitchen Sink"

Well, no, I don't, actually. It's really a rickety chair whose back I've lost any hope of support from, in a shady little Internet cafe somewhere. And I'd be completely won over by my spanking new copy of I Capture The Castle (found seven years after the library from which I first borrowed it refused to let me buy their copy- and I was too gullible to think of just snaffling it anyway), if it wasn't for the fact that it's got one of those movie tie-in covers (which is annoying, even if the movie is reportedly a nice one- I'm fussy about what my book covers look like). But I'm still rather kicked to have my very own copy at last, and still thoroughly charmed by the Mortmain family and its periphera - and I suspect I'm not the only one..
PS: Anyone attempting to place the author might find it helpful to know that she also wrote 101 Dalmatians. I remember liking the Disney movie as a kid, but the book is brilliant too.

12 comments:

yanqin said...

Lovely book! Was wondering if you were as struck by the descriptions of the clothes inside as I was.

Elizabeth said...

I wasn't aware of this book until you mentioned it here. I'll check it out.

Blue Floppy Hat said...

Fashionaddict: Yes, I was! From Topaz's orange tea-gown and the green-dyed clothes, all of it really...
ENC: Oh, I'd recommend doing that- I'm rediscovering it,and enjoying the process hugely..

Anonymous said...

Yup! This book is fantastic!

Elisabeth said...

Wow, will have to keep my eyes peeled for this book!

Tori said...

i don't read alot but there was just something about this book that i love, i couldn't say what, but there's something kind of charming about it. The film version didn't do it justice.

Rebecca, A Clothes Horse said...

Oh my freakin' goodness! I LOVE this book and the movie. I've read the book so many times and have only see the movie once, but SO WONDERFUL!

Miss Cavendish said...

I did the reverse--saw the film before reading the book (which I haven't done yet). I absolutely agree with you on book covers; I'm very picky about which edition I select for my classes and it makes me crazy when the bookstore orders a movie tie-in cover because it's available second-hand.

Anonymous said...

I actually went to Borders to snoop this book out after your post! (:

We've tagged you for the 8 Things meme that's been going around, I hope you have enough time from your internship to do it...

riz said...

I remember really liking the film as well!!

Meg said...

Movie tie in covers are irritating to the max because people who haven't read the book always think that the movie came first, even when the book is a classic. This has happened a lot with Atonement which drives me crazy.
The film was gorgeous, I remember watching it in a practically empty cinema with my best friend and falling in love with the clothes and bohemian antics of the family. Romola Garai did the role much justice.

Blue Floppy Hat said...

Linzi: oh, I agree completely.
Elisabeth: It shouldn't be hard to find, really...I'm sure the local Borders or wherever will have it.
Pamela: I haven't seen the movie, but I think I'll still give it a shot if I ever do find it.
The Clothes Horse: It's just one of those books that's been stuck in my head for years, and I'm thrilled to own it at last..
Miss Cavendish: It's most annoying when that happens, I so agree...especially when a movie's getting a lot of hype and then the tie-in covers are all you find anywhere.
Stephie: I'm thrilled my post made anyone want to snoop this out, I hope you found it :)
Meg: I've never understood that phenomenon either, and it's especially infuriating in the case of Atonement because one minute there were normal covers, and then all the covers were movie tie-ins. Thank heavens at least old film adaptations of books didn't have that concept going..and I'm glad to hear that Romola Garai made a good Cassandra (I think she's actually somewhat underrated), I really must see this now.

About Me

My photo
Fondest of upbeat music and brightly coloured sweets.