The Mayor of Casterbridge - any Hardy fans out there?

[ipanemagirl]

What can I say? Am adoring this book so much. I haven't read it for years and had forgotten how beautifully Hardy writes, am i a swoon with it and don't want to do anything but read it til the probably tragic end.
Can't even remember the end! No spoilers though please!

For the withered arm look here:
here

I loved Hardy's cottage! I had the place to myself and dh for about 15 mins before a bunch of ramblers came and broke the spell - such a pretty atmostpheric place.

return of the native is my favourite book ever.

Wordsmith--I remember climbing the ladder up to the little room at the top and clunking my head on the beam.

Wonder if he ever did that too.

Was given some books by a neighbour of my parents who said offhand one day, "You like reading, don't you?" Must admit I expected airport-embossed-cover-secret-cabal-ex-SAS- officers stuff. Instead got most of the Hardy novels and was delighted.
Did Jude for A-level and got the others from the library shortly after IIRC. Wonder how many of us were either bound for life to an author or repelled for life by an exam board's choice of set texts?
I like Hardy's poetry too.
BBC7 serialised the Mayor of C recently, didn't they? Remember being annoyed as the hour-long chunks are great for doing boring jobs to and the BBC Radio Player wouldn't work on my computer. Was listening to Trollope last year when packing to move house as couldn't be bothered to go downstairs and turn it off. Thought at first "Flipping boring Victorian twaddle" but was engrossed and packed happily for hours every day.
"Amelia" by Joni Mitchell is one of my all-time fave songs.

Oh, I love Amelia and Chinese Cafe and pretty much everything else--check out Radio 2 tonight at, I think, 7.30 because there's a programme devoted to JM with interviews and all.

no, no, no! read my post again! The dark room is Good. It is to Cheer Us Up!! Happy songs make me depressed. Depressing stuff purges me and makes me feel happy. Geddit? (Of course The Smiths are on my list except for they are too funny to really qualify.)

Now, are you still coming?

Do you know, I loved that thread we had once about which books made us cry...

Oh, I'm still coming all right (got a little sidetracked there).
What about films? I know loads of catharsis driven movies.

Did anyone hear Joni last night?
I listened while I tackled the foothills of my European ironing mountain.
Can you do listen again on bbc7 drama
whoop!

Oneword are doing Mayor of C at the moment - it's very good.

I did but thought Amanda Ghost was awful, really irritating, "I'm ignorant about how it all started for you so I'll assume the listeners are too. Can we go back to Detroit again and you can tell it because you obviously haven't talked about this before?". BAH!

This is Joni and the BBC should have sent someone who had a clue.

Rant over (but I do love Joni).

Ipanemagirl, BBC7 do have a Listen Again; it's great for listening to several episodes if you want to. Also great for rewinding when interrupted by inconsiderate children & husband & phone.
I'd forgotten about Oneword, thanks for the reminder
Missed Joni M, must see if they repeat it or have it on Listen Again.

Oneword is getting near the end and I still don't know what's going to happen!!!! Elizabeth Jane is coming to live with him and Newson has been and gone and I can't remember what happens in the end.....
very exciting.