I'm trying to finish.... (sigh) - some thoughts on Tomalin
Posted by Carolyn B on April 15, 1998 at 22:49:45:
In response to Suggestions for read., written by Kate on April 15, 1998 at 09:25:33
] Rather than clutter up the board, and interfere with the two of us who are trying to finish our Tomalin discussion ;-)
If I had a paperback rather than hardcover Tomalin I would have had better luck carrying it with me to read places. I did make it to p. 256 last night before I fell asleep (haven't had a day off work in nearly two weeks). Let me say that Tomalin's book is very uncomfortable to roll over on in the middle of the night!
But seriously folks....
As an aspiring novelist, I'm trying to gain inspiration from JA working on her books despite being in physical pain from her illnesses. I had tended to think before "well, of course she had time to right; she didn't have anything else to do" but she had her life full with relatives and having to move about and now the family financial crisis (was there any financial incentive to sit down and write, do you think???)
Did JA write Persuasion as "a present to herself, to Miss Sharp, to Cassandra" (and all the other old maids)? I've always wondered to what extent JA's novels "compensated" for her not marrying. And I always find the idea perhaps sadly true at the same time that I rebel strenuously against the thought. (I.e., there's much more to JA's work than that!)
Tomalin has definitely made me want to read the Juvenalia and the "minor works" which I have been putting off. And I think Tomalin's tome will serve as a good reference for when I tackle the letters. (after Fanny Trollope and Cold Mountain - I suggested a Fanny T group read as a joke because everyone was posting suggestions left & right ; )
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