At the first hint of spring I pack away all my warm clothing so that I am freezing until June. Seriously. Right now I am wearing a knee-length brown jersey skirt, a purply-red tank, a hoodie, and my favorite orange mary janes. I am suffering, lemme tell you.
It is also that time of year when I break out my favorite book, The Blue Castle. This book just makes me happy. I laugh and cry and laugh and cry every time I read it. It is written by the much-loved Canadian author L.M. Montgomery who is most famous for her "Anne" stories, which are also very good. I read it every year without fail and I need a new copy. For one, the paperback cover is falling off. Secondly, this mass-market publication is riddled with minor typos. Thirdly and Most-Importantly, the cover. The godawful cover:
It looks like a trashy romance novel! First of all, the main characters are not fashion models. That is a vital point of the story. It takes place waaaay before the 80s, so that fella needs to cut his hair and actually wear the sweater. The cover is painfully deceiving. Full-o-Angst. And it looks like it is the stupidest book ever written. Which it is not. And that is why it is my favorite book.
Alas, The Blue Castle is now out of print! I really want a hardbound version, but the cheapest that I have found is forty bones. I gave one of my two copies to my mother-in-law because she enjoyed it so much. I am glad I did, because she takes care of things extremely well.
I am moderately cold. I am going to swallow my pride and pull my garishly-plaid flannel pj's out of the depths of the wintry boxes. Sigh.
5 comments:
Louise. i cannot even tell you how much i LOVE this post. mostly because i LOVE the Blue Castle! my sisters ridicule me for it, but that never stops me from reading and enjoying with every emotion it's wonderful story! and it's cover is ridiculous. thank you for brightening my day! <3
never read it, bt now i want to - despite the cover!
a couple we are good friends with have been buying books up with covers just like this at garage sales and re-using the covers as birthday cards that are HILARIOUS... so if u're ever so inclined to be rid of it.
cozy up w/that cutie of yours louise, summer is coming soon!
I've read your copy three times..when you were at school. I was afraid at first, the cover is a bit icky...but I almost remember the story. It's neat how you read things at a certain time a year. And we will get the heater working so you can read NOT sitting with your feet in warm water.
Hm hm.. that's interessting but to be honest i have a hard time visualizing it... wonder what others have to say..
That's my copy. (Just kidding- sisters' rights) Good idea about using awful covers for cards!
Good to see you back on the blog!
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