My girl Jane

My fave cover of my fave book.
Source: Archive.org

Monday is the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice." If you haven't read this book, WHY THE HELL NOT? It's only been my favorite book ever since, oh, about ninth grade. 

I remember it very clearly. The teacher was out or something or for some reason we spent like four days watching the 1980 TV adaptation of the book. And I was lost and gone forever. The frisson of excitement whenever headstrong, opinionated Elizabeth goes up against headstrong, opinionated and rich and handsome Mr. Darcy. The obligatory ball scenes. The turns about the room. After finishing the series, I immediately read the book. And I've done so a million times by now. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." Opening lines are so key to drawing readers in and P&P's is my absolute favorite. It's been used so often, it's a cliche by now, but reading it in print every time I open the book (I own several copies, digital and print), it's as fresh and fun and comforting as ever: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." Funny, clever, sly. You go into the book knowing this is more than just boy meets-cute girl.

The chemistry between Darcy and Elizabeth is off the charts. Every scene they're in, you want to yell: JUST KISS ALREADY. But of course, back then, that would've been the ruin of them both. But this is one of my favorite scenes:

[Darcy to Elizabeth:] "There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil—a natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome."

"And your defect is to hate everybody."

"And yours," he replied with a smile, "is willfully to misunderstand them."

JUST KISS ALREADY.

And then, and then, there's the proposal scene where she spurns him. (Him: "You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." Her response -- and I'm paraphrasing here: "Oh, hells no.") And then the visit to Pemberley, which is my favorite part of the book, because Darcy's being all nice, and Elizabeth is all: "What the eff? Why's he being so nice? And WOW he has a great house." 

But when they do finally get together, it's just so squee-worthy, because finally they can talk about their feelings. Which has my favorite line from the whole entire book, which I've bolded below.

Elizabeth's spirits soon rising to playfulness again, she wanted Mr. Darcy to account for his having ever fallen in love with her. "How could you begin?" said she. "I can comprehend your going on charmingly, when you had once made a beginning; but what could set you off in the first place?"

"I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun."

I mean, damn. That is why Darcy is my fictional boyfriend. I seesaw between Darcy and Mr. Thornton from "North & South." They're similar in many ways: rich, handsome, taciturn, arrogant, spurned at first by a self-righteous heroine. Sometimes Thornton has the edge, because he's a self-made man, where as Darcy was born into his wealth and status. But really thinking on it, Thornton I love mostly because of the miniseries -- and actor, ahem. But Darcy. There hasn't been an iteration of Darcy that I haven't loved, which leads me to believe it really is the character not just the person playing him, that I love.

Three Darcys: Matthew Macfadyen (2005), Colin Firth (1995),
Daniel Gordh ("Lizzie Bennet Diaries," 2012-13)

And Elizabeth, jeez. I aspire to be like her. Who doesn't? That's all there is to say.

So, thanks, Jane Austen, for writing my favorite book ever. 

Me at Chawton, where Jane lived for a few years.
This is the tiny writing table where she revised/wrote many of her books!

The year in review

With 2012 over, I thought I'd do my own "best of" list. Not everything here was released in 2012, but I did see it this year and since this is my list, I'll make my own rules.

Books

Code Name Verity. Two awesome, distinct heroines in World War II Britain. I mean, it's totally right up my alley. I love the structure of this book -- I think to say more would spoil it. But it's witty and touching and I got sniffly on the bus when I read it so I'm sure people were like, What's up with her? Here's the book trailer (which, btw, I enjoy book trailers; this one is really cool.)

The Fault in Our Stars. I've written about this book before. It's about two teenage cancer patients, but it's not a cancer book. Funny, poignant and sad. I cried and cried after reading it and then couldn't settle into a new book for days after -- always a good sign of a great book. I want to read it again, but I dunno if I can handle it.

Bitterblue. A fantasy-ish book that's part of the Graceling series, so you should probably read "Graceling" first. That book is good -- about a medieval-ish kingdom in which some people have particular gifts. Bitterblue is set 10 years later, centering on a young queen. The part I find really interesting is its focus on how the queen's kingdom tries to recover from its horrific recent past.

Music

The Civil Wars. I want to say some celebrity on Twitter -- Sophia Bush or Scott Porter or someone -- mentioned loving the Civil Wars, and so I checked 'em out. And boy did I fall in love. Haunting harmonies and emotional vocals. LOVE. And I was all, Man, next time they come to D.C., I'm totally going to see them ... and then they decided to pretty much call it quits. Sigh. Just my luck.

Helen Jane Long. She's filed under New Age on iTunes, I think, but her instrumentals are just lovely. Quiet and relaxing. I like to listen to it at night before I go to sleep. Which sounds like a backhanded compliment, but I don't mean it to be. I want to get one of her songs on sheet music and learn it, even though I don't have a piano readily available.

Movies

The First Grader. This movie is streaming on Netflix. Go watch it. It's about this elderly man in Africa who enrolls in elementary school so that he can learn to read. Sniffles abound. Seriously. Sniffles. If you need more convincing, Naomi Harris, who stars in "Skyfall," co-stars here. Such a tearjerker of a movie. But heartwarming too...

Avengers. The one-liners and cadence of Joss Whedon's script and Marvel together means, dang, I loved this movie.

Lincoln. Mostly it's because it's like "The West Wing -- Civil War Edition." Plus it inspired and/or capped my family's exploration of Virginia's Civil War history. We recently toured the "White House of the Confederacy" in Richmond, then Petersburg's battlefield site, then followed Lee's Retreat to Appomattox and ended at Appomattox Court House to see where he surrendered.

Drama

Nashville. My favorite new show of the season. I can't remember the last time I liked Hayden Panettiere -- wait. Yes, I do. I liked her in "Remember the Titans." But she's good here, really -- and of course so is Tami Taylor, er, Connie Britton. Plus the music is awesome. I would've put the soundtrack up in the music category, but I just got it and I don't want to put it on the list without repeat listens at this point.

One Man, Two Guvnors. Okay this isn't a TV show, it was a play on Broadway, but it was fantastic. Quite possibly the best play I've ever seen. The first time I saw this farce -- about a big lunkhead who has to balance have two masters -- I thought it was hilarious. Then next two times just slightly less so -- mostly because you realize where the improv is and where the scripted bits are. But you also see how hard the cast works to make the scripted bits seem unscripted.

Downton Abbey. Watch Season 3 starting Sunday on PBS. No spoilers, but there are some WTF moments. That's all I'm saying. I agree with this review that says that whereas the second season was wobbly but ended strong with the Christmas special, this one is the opposite. Still highly watchable and addictive. Season hasn't even premiered here yet and I've already watched it twice....