The Whitsun Weddings

 

This is English poet's Philip Larkin's most famous collection. I liked The Less Deceived more. Three poems stuck out for me. "First Sight" suggests that nothing is everlasting in life. He goes on about how lambs learn to walk in snow, kind of like how humans start out in innocence begin they begin their journey through this world alone. In "Ignorance" he goes on about how we really aren't aware of the people around us and the unpredictability of life. "Wild Oats" was the poem I remembered the most. He talks about how he chose a plain girl over a beautiful one because he found it easier to talk to the other. He goes on about how he regrets his choice. At first, I was annoyed, but then this really explains the way of life. I've had unrequited crushes like that too. Larkin seems like he was more likable than the usual poet. He didn't live an extravagant life. He kept the same librarian job through the rest of his life but the little poetry he wrote is truly outstanding. 

Princess of Cleves

This had a mediocre rating on Goodreads. I'm glad I ignored it and read it anyway. It's not a masterpiece but I enjoyed it. This classic was written in the late 1600's anonymously probably because I'm guessing it was a female writer. A woman is infatuated with another man during her marriage. She doesn't have an affair, but she does confide in her husband about the man. The news brings about her husband's death. Seeing her mistake, the woman changes her life and becomes holy.  I thought it was involving. The book apparently was the first psychological novel written. 

The Less Deceived

 

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. It's really good poetry. It's simple to the point where it's easily comprehensible without being pretentious. I never heard of Philip Larkin before so that was where some of my skepticism came from. He's not as giant of a name as Sylvia Plath. However, I still have a lot to learn about poetry. There were three poems that stood out for me. "Maiden Name" takes a different approach on marriage saying that a girl has something to lose when she gets married. Her old identity gets lost in the process. "Born Yesterday" goes on about how happiness can be found in just being average. "Triple Time" is about the missed opportunities of adulthood. It doesn't look like Larkin wrote a massive amount of poetry which is a shame because he really was talented.   

The Broken Heart

'Tis Pity's she a Whore so far as been my favorite John Ford play, but this was good. This play was written in the late 1600's.  Because of her brother Ithocles' unwise decisions Penthea has to marry the overbearing jealous Bassanes instead of Orgilus. Her brother soon realizes the error of his ways, but Orgilus sets out to get his revenge. The title of the play refers to the fate of Calantha, Ithocles love.  This covers topic like murder and suicide but 'Tis Pity was juicer. 

The Critic

 

This was just ok. Frankly I thought it was easily the worst Richard Brinsley Sheridan play I've read. It's about a critic Mr. Dangle and him seeing an atrocious play by a man named Mr. Puff. The play Mr. Puff wrote is supposed to be a satire of the plays of the time. I have to admit I probably would have appreciated this play more if I was more familiar with the plays of the late 1700's which is my own fault. Still, Sheridan's The school for scandal is an excellent play and The Rivals was good too. The man had talent. 

Boston Adventure

 

I love Jean Stafford, and this was her first book. It's promising but she did way better later with her masterpiece The Mountain Lion and her short stories. I loved those works so much that I read a biography of the author. This is probably loosely based on her life, a book where she talks of a childhood with a father who deserts them and a mother who eventually becomes mentally ill. Jean becomes a secretary for a rich woman writing her memoirs later on. The problem for me laid with the length. It was over 400 pages. I loved the first hundred, but it started to run out of steam. 

Loving

 

This was all right. It wasn't bad but it wasn't exactly a page turner either.  It concerns the life of the servants of the Tennant household during World War II. We go through the loves of the servants and various situations like the theft of a ring. I got lost because little happened. I kept thinking that maybe I missed something, but I didn't. The plot line of the IRA was kind of interesting, but I'll be surprised if I read another book by Henry Green.