Far From the Madding Crowd

As a teen, I thought it was imperative that I read only classics, even though half the time I didn't know what I was reading.  I read Wuthering Heights, but remembered none of it except that it was dark.  I read Ivanhoe, but I only remember it had something to do with Knights. I started Emma but don't think I finished it.  And several books just sat on the shelves:  The Turn of the Screw, Far From the Madding Crowd, and Jane Eyre are just a few of them.  So when I saw that Far From the Madding Crowd was being made into a movie, I had to read it.

Diana told me she doesn't really like Thomas Hardy's writing, but she does like this book.  Well, that was encouraging.  But I started it anyway.

It wasn't long before it had me in its grasp.  It was not a book I could read quickly, but it was one I could read slowly and enjoy.  The descriptions were beautiful, and for once, I allowed myself to enjoy the way Hardy put words together.

What I didn't know until the end is that the book was written as a serial in a magazine.  Hence the number of short chapters.  I really enjoyed the shorter chapters - I could pick it up and read for a few minutes, and then get on with things.

The particular book I read was one Diana had used.  It contained many notes from each chapter that highlighted the numerous Biblical and literal references contained in the story.  I found it fun and helpful!

This is a book that is a pleasure to read, especially when one has time.  I highly recommend reading it, and now I can see the movie!  Hurray!