The Book Broads

(Angela here) It is a truth universally acknowledged, that I’ve declared Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen as my favourite book before. It still is. I thank my high school English Teacher, Mrs.Carol Murray, for lending me a copy back in Grade 12.  She encouraged me to read it over the Christmas holiday break – much to my Mum’s delight. (She loves Jane Austen’s books, too.)  I was completely absorbed by the story … the dashing Mr. Darcy was part of it but that first reading was spurred on by my fascination of the lifestyle of the Bennet girls - coming out, society balls and the hierarchy of the high society all fascinated me.  I’ve re-read Pride & Prejudice pretty much every year since and I’ve owned several editions including the Winchester Austen edition from Worth Press Ltd (pictured at left) as well as e-book copies for Kindle, Kobo and iBook platforms. I like knowing I always have something to read with me. And there’s the added bonus of numerous film adaptations especially my favourite the 1995 BBC version starring the fabulous Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

Hello – Kim here.  My favourite book is A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith. In fact, Peggy bought me a gorgeous bead that has the book cover on it! I wear it everyday. I love being able to tell one and all that it is the best book EVER! Eager to have my daughters get old enough for them to read the book. I have one copy, it was from someone I dog sat for a million years ago. It has been packed and unpacked so many times.

I was asked by My Reading Tree to write about my fave book a few months ago, here is the link to read a bit more about this book that made me weep and cry out loud-  MyReadingTree.com It was the first book that made my emotions bubble to the surface. The characters are rich, the history accurate and the writing is incredible. Please, go to the library, bookstore or online and get yourself a copy… you will not be disappointed!

(Angela here again.) Peggy’s still thinking about this one. I think her favourite book is the Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson and Kim figures it’s something science fictiony so that’ll work. We’re going to publish this post with that guess and ask her to prove us wrong with an update.

(Peg here) Ha! You’re both wrong: my fave book is Crocodile on the Sandbank, by Elizabeth Peters. (Although Cryptonomicon is pretty fantastic.) This is the first book in the Amelia Peabody series of novels, and it’s a mystery / romance. (You know, those books that Kim won’t read?) It’s a rather old-fashioned introduction to Amelia, the first female archeologist in Egypt, and her husband, Radcliffe Emerson. I think what keeps me hooked is the depth of character development, and the richness of language. The Victorian lexicon was so rich, so deep. I think the later books are actually better novels, as Amelia and Emerson (he doesn’t use his first name) have a son, Walter, otherwise known as “Ramses”. Ramses is very precocious, and as an adult, he becomes a spy in the events leading up to and including the first world war. Peters does an excellent job of exploring the issues in the middle east at that time in history. The cherry on the cake is in the character known as Sethos: the Emersons’ arch-enemy. Sethos is a terribly romantic character, with an interesting relationship with Amelia. Mystery, politics, and romance: it’s a very addictive combination.

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