tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post1387442814252901464..comments2024-03-25T20:57:40.930-04:00Comments on Gulfside Musing: Classics Spin: The Bell Jar by Sylvia PlathJoAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-90166339816686924512014-07-24T10:38:52.421-04:002014-07-24T10:38:52.421-04:00JaneGS - I was going to dive right into Pain, Part...JaneGS - I was going to dive right into Pain, Parties, Work, but it turns out I need a little break, too. Maybe this winter...JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-65226211143540239692014-07-24T10:37:35.263-04:002014-07-24T10:37:35.263-04:00Brona - Maybe it won't be the case for you, bu...Brona - Maybe it won't be the case for you, but I'm quite certain I would have appreciated this much more 20 years ago...JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-70668513338267712832014-07-19T14:28:48.294-04:002014-07-19T14:28:48.294-04:00Now that I've finished it myself, I could fina...Now that I've finished it myself, I could finally read your post on it! <br /><br />>One can't help but wonder exactly where autobiographical facts end and fictional details begin.<br /><br />I found myself wondering about this constantly--even going so far as to try searching the internet for clues. I guess I came away thinking she pretty much wrote what happened...from her point of view. A biographer would probably reconstruct things a bit differently, but I got the feeling she was trying to be honest.<br /><br />Pain, Parties, Work is on my TBR list, but I need a break before diving into Plath's life again. Very sad and draining...as I knew it would be and why I avoided it when I was young and impressionable.JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-31306596838801216292014-07-19T03:47:51.769-04:002014-07-19T03:47:51.769-04:00Oh, maybe I've left this one too late to tackl...Oh, maybe I've left this one too late to tackle too.<br />Thanks for your honest review.Bronahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11110584237325026052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-29871186580390583232014-07-14T17:07:19.868-04:002014-07-14T17:07:19.868-04:00Katherine - Pain, Parties, Work will probably be m...Katherine - Pain, Parties, Work will probably be more to my liking, but I'm glad to have read The Bell Jar. It's a book I've always felt I should read, too.JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-46206684715116133512014-07-14T09:25:51.593-04:002014-07-14T09:25:51.593-04:00This is on my list of books I feel like I should h...This is on my list of books I feel like I should have read but never did. From the sound of your review and the comments I think I'll read Pain, Parties, Work and go from there. Katherine Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12126062556416434416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-74034983537857803072014-07-12T17:40:23.835-04:002014-07-12T17:40:23.835-04:00Lisa - I've often wished that, too...there are...Lisa - I've often wished that, too...there are so many books I've read about and forgotten.JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-53493662970652148672014-07-12T17:39:20.982-04:002014-07-12T17:39:20.982-04:00Debbie - I think under those circumstances, it may...Debbie - I think under those circumstances, it may have had more of an impact on me, too.JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-74988547907496954422014-07-12T17:38:24.547-04:002014-07-12T17:38:24.547-04:00Stacy - LOL! This is NOT a book to read when you&#...Stacy - LOL! This is NOT a book to read when you're dealing with a preschooler...JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-87285609388491054412014-07-12T17:37:24.938-04:002014-07-12T17:37:24.938-04:00Lilea - Aww, thanks. I tried Catcher in the Rye ag...Lilea - Aww, thanks. I tried Catcher in the Rye again in my late 30's or 40's and found it insufferable, but The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, and a few others have stood the test of time. Surprisingly, I had a much greater appreciation of The Old Man and the Sea at 50.<br /><br />There are still others I want to reread - The Grapes of Wrath, The Winter of Our Discontent, Tender is the Night, Look Homeward Angel... not enough hours in the day!JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-53117383332932625192014-07-12T17:31:38.022-04:002014-07-12T17:31:38.022-04:00Ti - Exactly. I'm glad to have finally read it...Ti - Exactly. I'm glad to have finally read it, but not a great experience...JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-50173281611924047382014-07-12T17:30:55.522-04:002014-07-12T17:30:55.522-04:00Audrey - I'd certainly recommend giving this a...Audrey - I'd certainly recommend giving this a pass now, but Pain, Parties, Work certainly sounds interesting.JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-55569704890110922792014-07-12T17:29:23.891-04:002014-07-12T17:29:23.891-04:00Trish - I'd be interested in your reaction to ...Trish - I'd be interested in your reaction to this one, especially with Pain, Parties, Work fresh in your mind. Will take your advice and listen... Xe Sands is an excellent narrator!JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-62584635878897408942014-07-12T17:28:02.586-04:002014-07-12T17:28:02.586-04:00Quixotic Magpie - Can't wait to hear what you ...Quixotic Magpie - Can't wait to hear what you think! I think I'll listen to Pain, Parties, Work.JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-41161460229632818792014-07-12T17:27:02.497-04:002014-07-12T17:27:02.497-04:00Amy - I like Plath's poetry, but have not read...Amy - I like Plath's poetry, but have not read any of her essays....now I'm curious.JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-29751268413062039782014-07-12T17:23:11.524-04:002014-07-12T17:23:11.524-04:00Melissa - I've never read Kerouac and after th...Melissa - I've never read Kerouac and after this experience, am afraid I never will.JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-52572096083040737112014-07-12T17:22:08.530-04:002014-07-12T17:22:08.530-04:00Sam - I'll be curious to hear what you think o...Sam - I'll be curious to hear what you think of it now.... really wish I'd read it sooner.JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-57148979210444390612014-07-12T17:21:31.867-04:002014-07-12T17:21:31.867-04:00Kathy - This one definitely made me curious about ...Kathy - This one definitely made me curious about Pain, Parties, Work. Hope I can make time for it soon.JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-53740929801705473782014-07-12T09:14:20.027-04:002014-07-12T09:14:20.027-04:00Like Audrey, I'm not sure if I've actually...Like Audrey, I'm not sure if I've actually read this - it would have been in high school, I think. I wish I'd kept a reading journal then like I do now.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17782561487396697870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-36796981255138687452014-07-12T08:07:19.452-04:002014-07-12T08:07:19.452-04:00I read this in my late forties when I had just rec...I read this in my late forties when I had just recovered from a major depression, so it clicked with me then.Debbie Rodgershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15630059470408161434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-25510105028648305922014-07-11T22:38:30.746-04:002014-07-11T22:38:30.746-04:00I read this one in '08, at 36 and liked it mor...I read this one in '08, at 36 and liked it more than you did, but didn't love it. It was depressing for sure. If I read it at this point in my life I'd probably hate it :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-38226917324884944082014-07-11T20:31:37.828-04:002014-07-11T20:31:37.828-04:00I agree with you and many of the above comments. I...I agree with you and many of the above comments. I read Catcher in the Rye in my late 30's or maybe 40's and it was completely lost on me. I love re-reading classics from high school and first time reading the ones that I missed back then. The Bell Jar has always been on my list... but maybe not now. Your reviews have never steered me wrong!Lileahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13467358336863774465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-11593237301769843442014-07-11T16:43:35.188-04:002014-07-11T16:43:35.188-04:00I read it for book club and because I felt that as...I read it for book club and because I felt that as a reader, I should...but I would never say I loved it. It was really depressing and not a likable book really. Tihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00926060806244061354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-68190131370781538932014-07-11T14:45:16.339-04:002014-07-11T14:45:16.339-04:00You know, I'm not sure if I have read this, or...You know, I'm not sure if I have read this, or if I'm confusing it with I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. Not sure I would go back to it now, unless you recommend it, but I did notice Pain, Parties, Work and thought it sounded intriguing.Audreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14912114716426828436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080965436653289398.post-23874761317818551862014-07-11T11:39:02.793-04:002014-07-11T11:39:02.793-04:00I keep saying that I NEED to read this...at 33 am ...I keep saying that I NEED to read this...at 33 am I too late? ;) I think I might do better with a psuedoautobiography of a mom to young kids.<br /><br />I did really enjoy Pain, Parties, Work and I'm guessing you'd appreciate it with just having read The Bell Jar. The audio by Xe Sands is particularly good.Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17225576485797030511noreply@blogger.com