Author Birthday [June] : Frances Burney

#AuthorBirthday is a monthly feature, in which I highlight one author each month, mostly the ones I have not yet read. Part of the aim is to get familiar with the author and (hopefully) encourage me to start reading his/her work.

For June, please welcome:

FRANCES BURNEY

Frances or Fanny Burney, born in 13th June 1752, was an English satirical novelist, diarist, and playwright - a prominent female figure in 18th century literary world, whose satirical caricature of English social circle would later influence some famous authors, including Jane Austen. Born from a musician Dr. Charles Burney, and Esther Burney, Frances was believed to suffer from dyslexia until 8 years of age. However, as soon as she's learned alfabets, she quickly educated herself by reading copious books from family library, that she began to scribble stuffs from age 10: small letters and stories, even plays - helped by his brothers and sisters. One of the most influential supporters of her writing is one Samuel 'Daddy' Crisp, who encouraged her writing after reading her journals and stories of life events and observations on family life and London's social circle.

However, five years after her mother's death (when she's only 10 y.o.), his father married a temperamental woman whom his children disliked. Frances, who felt increasing pressure to abandon her writing as it's regarded unappropriate for ladies, burnt her first manuscript: The History of Caroline Evelyn, but which she later used as the foundation of her first novel: Evelina - by making the heroine as the daughter of Caroline Evelyn.

In 1778 Frances published Evelina, or The History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World anonymously. She took effort in copying the manuscript in disguised hand, less the publisher recognized her handwriting; while her brother James posed as the author. The book acclaimed success, and her father eventually supported Frances' writing career, only after witnessing favorable reactions towards Evelina - but partly because he thought owning a successful writer in his household would increase his social value... (old story, huh?) In 1779 Frances wrote a comedic play titled The Whitlings, but her family thought publishing comedic plays is unladylike, so it's never get performed.

After publishing her second novel Cecilia in 1782, Frances took a post at the court, offered by Queen Charlotte, as "Keeper of of the Robes". She knew that she wouldn't have enough free time to write, but considering she's still unmarried in age 34, she reluctantly took the post. However, Frances' health deteriorated under stress of court life and intrigues, that she left her post after 5 years of services, which brought her a warm relationship with the Queen and princesses, even long after her service ended.

During French Revolution, a group of French émigrés stayed in the neighborhood of Frances' sister, where she was staying. She became acquainted with one Alexandre d'Arblay, former aide de camper to the marquis de La Fayete. Frances and d'Arblay married in 1793, but her father - who objected the marriage - didn't attend the wedding. They led a happy marriage, though.

Frances' next novel was Camilla, which she published by subscription in 1796; the profits of which enabled the new couple built their own house, which they called "Camilla Cottege". The d'Arblays then moved to France in 1802 during French Revolution, where Frances wrote what would become her last novel: The Wanderer. It was then published after their return to England in 1814. It is also during her stay on France that Frances chronicled in her letter to her sister, the mastectomy without anaesthesia she'd had after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Dr. Charles Burney died on 1814, followed by d'Arblay in 1818. After these events, Frances stopped writing fiction, and only focused her life to publish the Memoirs of Doctor Burney, and editing her own papers, which was later published posthumously as the Diary and Letters of Madame d'Arblay after Frances' death in London, 1840, at the age of 87.

Frances Burney is now still regarded as the mother of fiction. Throughout her career as writer, Frances' witty style has been admired by literary figures of her time, such as Dotor Samuel Johnson, Edmund Burke, Hester Thrale, and David Garrick. And when she published Camilla, a Miss J. Austen was one of the subscribers. The same miss Austen even borrowed from Frances' final passage of Cecilia to title her own famous novel: Pride and Prejudice.

Have you read one of Frances Burney's works? What is your favorite?

Top Five Classics About Free Will

Do you ever have any favorite topic which you can best relate to in any books? The one that's always fascinate you? Mine is free will (and conscience). Books with these topics will most likely be among my favorites. Why, particularly? Because I regard free will as the greatest gift mankind has ever received from its Creator. Without it, we are just a more intelligent species than other creations, nothing more. I have been fascinated to the 'good vs evil' topic from teenager. More about this, you can read in this post. Right now, let's just get to my top five classics, which, either partly or entirely, discuss about free will. Mind you, that I rank them based on their significance on the topic, not on my preference.

5. La Bete Humaine

You might wonder why a Zola's made it's way to this list, while he supported determinism (the opposite of free will)? Well, it is the lack of free will that I want to discuss here.

Jacques Lantier is an engine driver in the French railway station. He's an educated, and skillful worker, but when sexually aroused, a murderous desire to kill would control him - the beast within. One day he met his cousin Flore, who seduced him. The desire to stab her aroused in him, but just in time he could control it, and rushed away from the scene.

And here is some excerpts from my review, about animal passion and free will:

"On several occasions, his education and conscience prevented Jacques from doing such low moral deed, and that's why he could not kill the man he ought to."

"[Jacques] knew perfectly well why and when the "beast" would show up in him, i.e. when he was sexually aroused by a woman. Jacques was intelligent enough to know that the only thing he must do to prevent it is to stop making up with women and focus his passion solely to his works. It would need a huge effort, but again, we always have the choices and free will to choose one."


4. The Brothers Karamazov

In this masterpiece of his, Dostoyevsky argued about free will and conscience - if God doesn't exist, then everything is permitted. From my review, I quote here my thoughts about one of the most eloquent and important chapters in literature: The Grand Inquisitor - a poem by Ivan Karamazov, questioning the free will God has imposed upon mankind:

"[Ivan] believed that free will is impossible burden for mankind, because we will always have to answer to our consciences; that we will never be happy whichever path of life we choose, good or evil. If it was the cause, then why wasting your energy doing good?"

Ivan questions the essence of free will, that does not make man free anyway. One chapter that makes you work on many reflections and thinking, maybe, without any clear conclusion at the end. Well, we are not to debate, right? Just make the choice.. It's like when I receive a gift from a friend, it would be impertinent and terribly rude to ask 'why did you give me this? It will be a burden for me..' No, I will accept it without questioning his reason or consideration (and just think of his/her intention to be kind to me), and if I don't like it, I'll just throw it away.

3. Harry Potter

There are so many themes being worked on in Harry Potter series, one of these is free will. In the second installment: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry wondered about the Sorting Hat's decision of placing him in Gryffindor while he possesses qualities for being in Slytherin - is it because HE asked it? Dumbledore's answer is inspiring:

"It's not our ability that shows what we truly are; it's our choices."

Accordingly, in the last chapter of Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallow, when Albus Severus Potter (what a heavy name for a child!) was afraid he might get sorted to Slytherin, Harry also calmed him down, asserting that "your own choice is also taken into account".

What a relief it must have been for Albus Severus to have a freedom of choice - free will!


2. Lord of the Flies

In terms of free will topic, Lord of the Flies is slightly similar to The Brothers Karamazov. Of the teenager boys who were stranded on an isolated island (without adults), Jack and the gang chose to be totally free from any rules or consequences by turning into savages (free will is a burden). Ralph, on the other hand, chose the opposite, despite of being alone and threatened to be murdered by others.

Here's an excerpt from my review:

"William Golding has made me realize how difficult it is to keep our pure conscience in the world where morality has been degraded to a terrifying point; when religion is just accessory. Why must we keep being on the right side with all its limitation, while the bad side offers so much freedom?
Ralph's answer when he, too, in a very crucial moment, was forced to choose: "Cos I had some sense."

Ralph has become one of my favorite heroes in literature, because he strives to do good until the end - a mere teenager amidst the horror of his savage friends. He exercises his free will triumphantly!


1. East of Eden

The greatest book about free will that I have ever read. I have written what I want to discuss here in my old post: On Timshel [East of Eden] | The Freedom of Choice. I won't quote anything here, because it would be copying almost the entire post here. Besides, it's the only way to persuade you to read it (if you haven't two years ago, LOL!) Suffice to say that East of Eden argues about God's words to Cain (in the book of Genesis), in which hidden the suggestion that there is still possibility for him (Cain) to do good (thou mayest instead of shalt thou) - the freedom of choice.

Just imagine, if I can have tea with Émile Zola and Lee (a character from East of Eden) to discuss about free will vs determinism, that would be a discussion I will never forget! ;)

There, we have got a winner.

Do you know any other classics about free will that you think I might love?

Classic Character: The Ambitious Thea Kronborg from The Song of the Lark

Thea Kronborg is one of the most complex characters I have ever analysed for #ClassicCharacter. A daughter of a Swedish Methodist minister in a small village called Moonstone, she is a strong-willed, reclusive, serious, uncommonly intelligent girl. Since childhood she possesses an unleashed desire - of what exactly, she didn't know herself at first. But people around her - at least some of them (her mother, Doctor Archie, Ray Kennedy, Spanish Johnny, Aunt Tillie, Herr Wunsch) - could feel the extraordinary and great talent hidden in her frail body. Though for common people, she is just a queer, selfish, self important girl. Thea Kronborg was loosely based on a real life Opera singer: Olive Fremstad.

I thought at first that she was just an introverted girl, of whom I can relate very well, as our most satisfying moments are those spent on our own. That's me! - cried I silently. But when the story was unfolding, I realized that it is a story of the making of an artist - an opera artist.

Though I'm no artist, we have both few similarities, one of it is perfectionist. We always try to do our utmost best, and would be disappointed when we don't perform as best (or hard) as we ought to (to our own standard). We also enraged or even disgusted when others less talented boasted of their imperfect performance: "how could they??" The other one is uninterestedness where common people's envy and hostility are concerned - the let-them-say-what-they-will, we-don't-care attitude. But our similarities stop there.

Driven by ambition (or is it passion?), Thea left her home for good, to study music and singing. Focus is one thing to pursue one's career, and I endorsed her decision to leave Moonstone for good, for there are a lot of obstacles from even her family, which will weigh her down from reaching up the stars. However I didn't agree with her when she prioritized her job over her dying mother. I told myself, that Thea would be tortured by remorse for the rest of her life. And I'm not completely wrong. During her career Thea is always torn between two natures. She is driven by ambition, but also crushed by uprootness from her origin. She tries to leave the past behind, but at the same time always return to the embrace of the past when in trouble. In short, Thea is UNHAPPY. Yes, she is beaming after a triumphant performance, but then becomes sad and dejected after. And when she begged Doctor Archie to come at her hotel because "there's a lot she wanted to talk about", I began to understand how lonely a great artist can be.

In the end I asked myself, whether Thea Kronborg is purely selfish or merely ambitious? From her relationship with Spanish Johnny and the Mexicans, I know that she's an affectionate girl. But her ambition forced her to sacrifice many things dear to her. Does it really necessary? Can't she care for both - affection and career? When her mother was dying, for instance, couldn't she afford to let go of that one performance and spent time with her mother, even only several hours, after all that Mrs. Kronborg had done for her dear little girl? True that she might not get another chance of the performance for a long time. But one'll never know, there's always another chance, while one's mother only dies once! No, I strongly believe that however big one's ambition is, one's true fulfillment comes from honest consciousness of having performed love and kindness (especially) to one's parents. That consciousness would then clear one's path to whatever achievement one might seek for the rest of one's life. So, to answer my question, Thea Kronborg is ambitious AND unhappy. Maybe that's the only way of making great artists? I don't know. What do you think?

Author Birthday [May] : Dashiell Hammett

#AuthorBirthday is a monthly feature, in which I highlight one author each month, mostly the ones I have not yet read. Part of the aim is to get familiar with the author and (hopefully) encourage me to start reading his/her work.

For May, please welcome:

DASHIELL HAMMETT

Samuel Dashiell Hammett is an American author, screenwriter, and political activist, who was born on May 27, 1894. He is largely known as the founder of hardboiled detective fiction genre. His father (Richard Thomas Hammett) was an alcoholic, womanizer, and an unsuccessful business man; while his mother - Anne Bond Dashiell (original name in French: de Chiel) suffered from tuberculosis, and held a conviction that 'men were a no-good lot'. So, it's no wonder that little Hammett must leave school in the age of thirteen, to help his father's failing business, and did some menial jobs before he decided to join the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in 1815, where he served for eight years, and which would change his life forever.

Hammett served in Motor Ambulance Corps during World War I, where he was infected from Spanish flu and tuberculosis. While being hospitalized, he fell in love with nurse Josephine Dolan, whom he married in July 7, 1921. It's a pity, though, that the marriage should fall apart five years later after Hammett was forced to live apart from his wife and their two daughters due to his tuberculosis - an illness, from which, he would never fully recover. Nevertheless, Hammett kept supported Josephine and the children financially.

In 1922 Hammett first published his short detective stories - introducing a private investigator The Continental Op, the first hard-boiled detective in literature - in pulp magazine called Black Mask. One of these short stories, The Glass Keys (1930) was dedicated to Nell Martin, Hammett's lover, who was a short stories and novel author herself. But this relationship didn't last long, for in 1931 he had another romantic relationship with a playwright called Lillian Hellman - a relationship which would last for thirty years.

A few notable novels from Dashiell Hammett are Red Harvest (1929) and The Maltese Falcon (1930), where Sam Spade - one of the most famous crime detectives in literature - made his one and only appearance in a novel (he further appeared in some short stories). The Thin Man (1934) was Hammett's final novel - though he still sporadically wrote some works after that. Hellman later said that Hammett stopped writing since he wanted to do something new. Indeed, he became anti-fascist from 1930 and joined the Communist Party in 1937. He also joined the League of American Writers - whose members were mostly member of Communist Party, or at least supporting the idea ("fellow travellers") - and became its President in 1941.

When World War II broke, Hammett listed again in the US Army. After the war, he returned to politics, and in 1946 became President of Civil Rights Congress (CRC). Later, US government classified CRC as communist front group. Hammett testified at court in 1951 but refused to provide information about CRC trustee, so that he was put into prison for six months, where he worked as toilet cleaner. In his eulogy, Hellman wrote that "he submitted to prison rather than reveal the names of the contributors to the fund because he had come to the conclusion that a man should keep his word."

Alcohol, smoking, and jail life has made Hammett more and continuously ill. In 1950 he lived alone and became very sick. He attempted to write a novel titled "Tulip" but left it unfinished. Couldn't live alone, he finally moved in to stay with Hellman. After all the hard drinking and lavish Hollywood parties, Dashiell Hammett died in January 10, 1961 from a lung cancer, and since he was a veteran of two World Wars, was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Since 1991, the International Association of Crime Writers, North American Branch (IACW/NA) has been awarding the Hammett Prize to Canadian or US citizen for a book in English in the field of crime writing every year. Dashiell Hammett's hardboiled detective stories continue to inspire many writers until today (and for many years to come, I believe).

[Mini Reviews] Big 4, Blue Train, 7 Dials, and The Murder at the Vicarage

It is one long sentence for a title, and this post is indeed consisting of (very) late reviews of four Agatha Christie's I've read last years (about 6-7 months ago). All of the four were not my favorites (maybe THAT's why I kept putting off writing the reviews). Well, let's have it done in this one post!

The Big Four

This one is perhaps my least favorite from Poirot-Hastings stories. It's also one of my least favorite theme of Christie's: the secret-society-wants-to-dominate-the-world. Shortly, it's about an international crime cartel of four prominent people in the world: The Big Four.
1. Li Chang Yen - Chinese political mastermind (the brain)
2. Abe Ryland - American wealthiest man (the money)
3. Madame Olivier - French genius scientist (the technology)
4. An elusive man who did all the dirty jobs called The Destroyer.

Hastings arrived in England from Argentine (following his marriage) to visit his dear friend, Hercule Poirot. An injured Sectet Service man forced his entrance to Poirot's flat, and told them the most fantastic story about a mysterious but dangerous society of Big Four. Poirot and Hastings then travelled across continents, picking warm bodies of No. 4's victims each time, and even eluded some deadly danger themselves, to unfold little by little the mysterious cartel, and finally destroyed it. As usual, the story is full of (too many) actions, red herrings, disguises, that if you don't read this book in one sitting, or at least in one or two days, you'd get lost of what's going on. I've even lost count of how many murders there are. And there is no mystery, because you know from the beginning that it has got to do the the Big Four.

Nevertheless, it's not all bad. I remembered at least two interesting things in this book.
First, the first appearance of Countess Vera Rossakoff, who *cough*... will have not a small influence over Poirot further on next stories.

Second, the sweet affectionate friendship between Hastings and Poirot. It is when one is on deadly peril, that one can judge who's one's true and loyal friend. Hastings is never brilliant, but he is a loyal friend.

Rating: 3/5


The Mystery of the Blue Train

The first of many novels with train setting from Dame Agatha Christie. Hercule Poirot presided again as the detective, as he was traveling by the Blue Train, where Ruth Kettering, the daughter of the richest man in America, was killed. She was bringing with her a famous ruby called "Heart of Fire", which her daddy has purchased in a shady deal, to give her as gift.

Of course the diamond was missing, and you could not but suspect that the diamond has to be the main motive. But of whom? This is where Christie geniusly weaved a second complication: Ruth's unhappy marriage with a scoundrel Derek Kettering, and her love affair with Comte de la Roche. And guess what: both men are broke! So, it's between pure jewel robbery or love triangle murder.

While Hastings are away in Argentine, having a reunion with his lovely wife after his dangerous adventure in The Big Four, Poirot found an accomplice in Katherine Grey, an ex-companion of a wealthy widow, who inherited money, and travelled on the same Blue Train, having been (supposedly) the last person who talked to Ruth before she was strangled. She is an intelligent, reserved, independent girl; and it was sweet of Christie in giving her a slight love story - no doubt to add more spice and complication too!

Not a very remarkable story, one that you might easily forget after a while, but, still, as with most of Christie's, it's quite engaging and entertaining.

Rating: 3,5/5


The Seven Dials Mystery

When Superintendent Battle is teaming up again with Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent, you know that there'd be some cheerful notes accompanying a (or some) murder. This will be a greatly entertaining and fast-paced story! And I'm not wrong. Actually, I rather liked this slightly better than The Secret of Chimneys (where Superintendent Battle and Bundle first made appearances). At least, here, its cheerful note supersided my dislike of international conspiracy theme.

The Cootes is the current tenant of The Chimneys (house of Lord Caterham and his daughter Bundle), and they invite a gang of young people to stay and cheer them up: Gerry Wade, Jimmy Thesiger, Ronny Deveraux, and Bill Eversleigh (who we already know from The Secret of Chimneys). Gerry is a late waker, so his friends set a prank. They placed eight alarm clock besides Gerry's bed, and set the alarm to ring loudly one after another next morning to wake him up. The clocks rang, waking everyone up, but not Gerry. Not because he's a severe oversleeping person, but because he's dead!

I always remark this story as a "prank gone wrong". Even after the murder, there's a youthful atmosphere enveloped the whole story as Bundle, Jimmy, Bill, and the gang takes over the adventure, while Superintendent Battle investigating the case. It consists of as many red herrings and disguise as you can imagine, and.... a "naughty" plot twist from Christie in the end.

I was a bit surprised that many people dislike this book, lamenting that Christie "took a different line from her usual approach". I think, on the contrary, it's the different note that lent this story its attraction - at least that's how it works for me. It's cheerful, funny, light, fast-paced, entertaining piece!

Rating: 4/5


The Murder at the Vicarage

After international espionage, train traveling, and mysterious secret society, now Christie is back on track to the village - St. Mary Mead. Yes, this is the first appearance of Christie's second detective: Miss Jane Marple, a quiet, witty, very intelligent spinster, who - I read many times - was Christie's own favorite. Mine is still Poirot; I always find Marple's a bit boring. :)

Colonel Protheroe is the wealthy church warden - an unsympathetic man with unbearable personality. Disliked by most if the villagers, but most of all, by his family: Anne Protheroe (his young second wife), and Lettice Protheroe (teenage daughter from first marriage). The later, at least, had been heard publicly wishing for his father to die. The same wish had even heard of from the Vicar: Leonard Clement, who is also the narrator of this story. Moreover, Anne Protheroe, the unhappy wife, is having an affair with Lawrence Redding - an artist who uses a room within the vicarage building as his study. We have here at least four close suspects, not mentioning others who hated the Colonel.

Typical problem for the police in a village murder case is lack of accessibility. And so, an attentive spinster who spends most of her time gardening such as Miss Marple is a valuable asset for them.

This story is the kind I should have liked, but I don't know, I found it a bit flat, and certainly easy to forget. I even forgot the murderer identity while writing this review, and must consult Wikipedia to fresh my memory.

Rating: 3,5/5

Jazz Age June: A Reading Event

2020 is the 100th anniversary of the publication of The Great Gatsby, which, in Literature, is the epitome of The Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties. Early this year Laurie and I have discussed about the possibility of hosting a reading event, but then the pandemic came, and I, for one, have been struggling with reading and blogging. Nevertheless, we thought it would be an exciting distraction to our present condition, and so we decided to - borrowing Cole Porter's song - Let's Do It!

#JazzAgeJune
01-30 June 2020

It's very simple; just READ any book published between 1920 to 1929.

Blog your reading, add link to your post in Laurie's blog, and share it in social media with hashtag #JazzAgeJune.

You can also accompany your reading by discussing 1920s musics, movies, arts, fashion, or just anything related to the Jazz Age.

Easy and fun, right?

Don't know where to start? Just check on Laurie's post for more reading ideas. 

I will be reading Fitzgerald's Flappers and Philosiphers, and maybe.. This Side of Paradise.

Zola's Book Covers - Old vs New

One activity I usually do during Zoladdiction is checking any new Zola books which is being or going to be published. This year in particular, I've been waiting for the new translation by Oxford World Classics of Doctor Pascal - the only one left from the Rougon-Macquart series which OWC hasn't been published.

I wasn't waiting in vain; during Zoladdiction, Alok - one of the Zoladdicts (=Zola's enthusiasts) I follow on Twitter (@alokranj), shared OWC's upcoming translation of Doctor Pascal, yay finally! Of course, I immediately opened Book Depository, and pre-ordered it. Instead of immediately closing the website after transaction, however, I went on taking a peek at Nana's new edition, which I learned also from Alok (I learn many things on literature from him - he's worth a follow!) Then I found out that, apparently, besides Nana, OWC has also published (or going to publish) several other new editions of Zola's with NEW COVERS! And so, I'm sharing my enthusiasm with you today.

What I always love about OWC's edition of Zola's compared to other publishers, is, first, the translators (Brian Nelson is by far my favorite). Come to second, is the Impressionist paintings they use as covers (I also love their neat white ribbon for the title). Why it make a difference, while there are many paintings used for covers in the literary world? It's because of Zola's close relationship with Impressionism and its painters. If you look at his writing style, there's a thick quality of painting in it. The painting-covers has become an inseparable part of the novel itself - not merely a beautiful image to decorate a book. Therefore, you can imagine my astonishment when looking into the new covers of these four latest editions of L'Assommoir, Pot-Luck (Pot Bouille), The Masterpiece, and Thérèse Raquin - which use modern arts instead of Impressionist paintings! 

Just look at these comparisons, and tell me - the new covers: yay or nay?

While there's new freshness from the red substances portrayed in these covers, they lost the interpretation of the novels. It looks pretty for decoration - and perhaps you would want to grab the book from a bookstore's shelf on impulse, especially if you love red color - but it doesn't have any meanings, and certainly doesn't represent the book's contents at all! 

I don't know why OWC - which I have hitherto praised for their cover choices - decided this kind of change. Maybe they think the new covers represent vigorous life - which is indeed the essence of Zola's concept - but still, there are a lot of Impressionist paintings out there they could have picked for the new editions! They did that with Nana, why not all these four (and other titles in the future)?

What do think? Which version do you prefer? And why?