Friday 2 November 2012

Holiday Reading

Hello Lovelies,
when I was a child we always holidayed in Britain. Either under canvas or preferably ( for me ) in our little touring caravan.
One year, when I was about fourteen or fifteen I guess , I found a novel to read in our caravan that really captured my imagination.I got lost in another world while reading it that holiday.
 Of course it's a lot of years since I read that special story and I could not recall much about it.Not even it's title.
 I had just about forgotten all about it till I found some old books in the loft ( it was not among them but they  jolted my memory a little). I could remember it was set in a castle and there was an incident with some creme de menthe.
Thanks to google just entering these details was enough to throw up a books name...I Capture the Castle.

How wonderful .
 I didn't hold out much hope of finding it but miraculously, on the second page of links, there it was !
 Of course I could not resist doing a bit more research. I read lots of reviews from people who loved this story too and ordered a copy from Amazon the same day. It was so lovely to realize it was special to a lot of people .....and they were adults of all ages.

 I was really looking forward to re-reading this long forgotten story on holiday..........


I'm not a big reader of fiction but now the boys are getting older I'm realizing I can enjoy it a little on holiday like I used to before I had children.

I won't tell you  about the plot as I think it's nice to  discover it all yourself. There are some good reviews and information  HERE .   But really DON'T look at the Wikipedia page ......it tells too much, including the ending......I really wished I had not looked at it .

But despite that mishap I REALLY enjoyed the story again .....thirty years later


I guess books are like music....very personal, but I love this book and wanted to share it with you .

J.K. Rowling said  "When I read I Capture the Castle it quickly became one of my favourite books of all time, and I was very annoyed nobody had told me about it before. "    Source


It was perfect to enjoy as a  teenager, but it is still special for adults too. It turns out it was also made into a film in 2003 . Now I just need to decide whether to watch it or keep the wonderful  images I have in my minds eye...tricky.I wonder what you would do ? and if any of you lovelies have  read this classic or seen the film.

Jacquie x

21 comments:

  1. Sounds like an interesting book ~ I love to read fiction so I have just requested it from the library. I'll let you know how I get on with it. Hope you have a great weekend :O)xx

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  2. Oh, I will have to check it out! Right now I am reading Birdsong and à la J.K. Rowling I am so annoyed I didn't know about this book before. Wonderful.

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  3. Hello Jacquie

    Thank you so much for the book review, I am going along to the library to look for it. Personally, if I have read the book I would not watch the film
    as I have been disappointed so many times, as things are always changed including characters. Much better to keep the true memories and pictures in your mind.
    luv
    irene
    xxxx

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  4. I read the book as an adult and I guessed what the book was from your description. I really enjoyed the film because there are some beautiful images. It was filmed here: http://www.manorbiercastle.co.uk. Now I want to watch it again and re-read the book!

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  5. I love rediscovering texts I read as a child. I have not heard of this one and will have to check it out. Adults reading encourages kids to read and aids literacy. I gave my boys the love of books and they are voracious readers. My youngest is a dad and he is encouraged to read to his girls as they have the "book gene".
    I read before I go to sleep every night. A great way to end the day.

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  6. Thanks for the book recommendation! I shall look it up (but not on Wikipedia!)

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  7. There, you see,....just goes to prove yet again that we are twins.
    I chose this book a while ago as my choice for book club, and I adored it sooo much, as did everyone else. It's so tenderly written, and makes you very grateful for all of life's luxuries, yet a little wistful for simplicity at the same time.
    Another of my go-to's that I've re-read countless times is the Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher. Man, I LOVE that book, although it does desperately make me want to pack everything up and move to Cornwall.
    I am not an avid reader (I prefer magazines and crochet), but can always find time for heart-squeezing reads such as these.
    x

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  8. Although I enjoyed both, the book is soooo much better than the movie (doesn't it always work that way?) But it is worth a watch, just because the story is so good. I also read it as an adult, you're never too old for any book!

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  9. I also love this book. I once saw a piece of the movie but cannot get it here in the Netherlands. I have it in my bookshelf for overr 20 years and retread it it recently. It has such a nice ironic style. I mean read it over.

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  10. I love I Capture The Castle - I first read it about five years ago, and was quite put out that no one had told me about it as a teenager! I have my own copy now so my girls can read it when they're older.

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  11. Thanks for the heads up. I bought of copy of this book a while ago at the charity shop and have yet to read it. I will bump it up my list of "want to read soon" books. Hopefully it will appeal to my 11 year old too.

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  12. I love this book and have read it several times - it's one you can come back to again and again. I have just dug it out for my eldest to read and I hope she likes it as much as I did when I first read it. As for the film, I haven't seen it but in my experience films of books I love are always a disappointment. X

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  13. I am glad you found your special book. Its really difficult to know whether to watch a film made from a special book. Sometimes the films can run roughshod over your images and imagination. I risked it with the Time Traveller's Wife which was one of my favourite books ever and I must say it dod not spoil the book for me. You could start to watch a bit and if you feel its going to spoil things, just stop watching it. xxx

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  14. Thanks for recommending this book Jacquie. I'm always on the look out for new books to read, so this one is definitely going on my list.
    Anne xx

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  15. I have read it several times and first heard about it on Ragged Roses blog years ago as it is her favourite book too. I've not seen the film as so often they don't live up to the book and the imaginary pictures we create. But I didn't know it was filmed at Manorbier (thanks Julie!) we were there on hoilday at Whit and it is a beautiful place so I might put the film on our Lovefilm list.
    Nothing as good as loosing yourself in a wonderful book!

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  16. You have piqued my interest, and I just this minute have requested from my local library both the book and the movie! Hopefully in a couple of days I will be immersed in the book, after having watched the movie for 'reference!'

    Sharon in Alabama

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  17. I am yet to read this novel Jacquie, thanks for recommending it. I do love a holiday read and generally tend not to re-read books but have found myself pondering the idea of doing this with some of my all time favourites. i think it's great to read something with a bit more life behind you! xox Penelope

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  18. I actually did read this book as a teenager and loved it. Although I knew Dodie Smith was more famous for 101 Dalmatians, I didn't realise till fairly recently how well regarded I capture the castle is, but it seems to have been mentioned a lot lately. I seem to recall the narrator talking about sitting on the draining board with her feet in the sink!i bought this book for my daughter, who is 31, a few years ago, she loved it too. And I have seen the film, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I might reread the book soon!

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  19. One of my favourites too. Dodie Smith was so much more than 101 dalmations. And I'm in the kitchen sink whilst writing this.....!

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  20. This has been on my to-read list for ages now, so maybe I'll et it jump the queue after hearing such a positive review and reading everyone else's comments.
    I really didn't get on with the Harry Potter films to start with and stopped after film 3 because they didn't match the books or the pictures in my head. I've come round to them recently though and enjoy watching them, I've just built a mental divide between the books and the films. Maybe if you watch the film with the expectation it won't resemble the book and watch it as a separate entity you might like it?

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  21. A book I love! (Hi! this is my first comment on your blog). The movie isn't as good as the book - some bits are made a little racier, which is a pitty, but it's still probably worth seeing for the beautiful sets, countryside and costumes. I would say the characters are well played; it's more the screenplay that is dissapointing at times.

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