This morning I woke up wanting to read "Enchanted April" a 1922 novel by Elizabeth von Arnim. It's quite charming, and occaisionally I just feel like reading about terribly nice upper middle class ladies (and a minor member of the aristocracy, who is slumming it), in the 1920s, swanning off to Italian villa for a month and finding that it solves all of their problems. Because wouldn't it just? It's one of those stories that's very much of it's time and class, so I'm sure any hard-core socialists would hate it, but, if that doesn't bother you unduly, it's a nice light read. Not a lot really happens; except everyone starts off sad and ends up happy.
I first became aware of it when I saw the film adaptation, which is perfectly cast and beautifully shot. If you haven't seen it I have to say it's a very sweet film that you could safely watch with your grandparents (bearing in mind my socialist caveat) and feel a lot more relaxed by the end of it. I didn't read it until a few years later when I found a second hand copy from the book stall by Brighton Pier (Oh, I miss Brighton!)
Maybe it's because Christmas is over and I have to be back at work tomorrow, and the weather forcast is grey for the next few weeks, but I really feel like reading descriptions of gorgeous Italian gardens, and a plot that revolves around the premise that being a little bit of selfish pampering of yourself can be a very good thing for everyone around you, because it makes you happier and therefore more pleasant.
So I glanced at my bookshelf and immediately I knew that that particular book wasn't here; because, as an ex-bookseller, I tend to memorise the spine of books for ease of location, and there were no tall dark green ones on my shelf. I think it must be in the attic at Mum's house (Mum, find and read it! You'll like it!)
Rats!
I mentioned my book sadness to Doc C and he asked if I'd tried to find it vfor the iPod. Which I hadn't thought to do. So I went to Project Guttenberg, via the iPod Bookz app, and there it was! Yay! Wisteria and sunshine will be mine after all!
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