Middlemarch watch-along: episode 2

A little note before we start the second episode recap of the Middlemarch watch-along. Hamlette let me know that her first episode was longer than mine (75 vs 60 min), but that she had 6 episodes in total, similar to me. So it looks like there are content differences between my 'European' version and Hamlette's 'American' version. Is this the case for anyone else?
I will keep doing the episode recaps according to my dvd, but please let me know in the comments if you think I'm missing any scenes that you do have, I'm very curious where the differences are!

On to the episode! Where the previous episode was about getting to know all the characters, in this episode we are introduced to some of the main themes of Middlemarch: progress vs stagnation, old vs new.

Wait, if you don't know anything about art, then why did you praise MY work?

Televison review: 37 days

This year, it is 100 years ago since the Great War started. All around the world, this fact will be remembered this and the coming years. The BBC partakes in this centenary with the production of new television and radio programs about WWI, both documentaries and dramas (you can find an overview of all the programs here). First among the dramas produced by the BBC was the three-part series 37 days, which tells about the prelude to the War.

Middlemarch watch-along: episode 1

Here we are, the first episode 'recap' of the Middlemarch watch-along. I hope you all enjoyed starting this period drama. I sure did! Even though it's a rewatch for me, the previous time I watched it was over 5 years ago, so I've forgotten a lot of the details.

In this first episode we meet the wide cast of characters whose lives we will follow. What arrested my attention was how we are thrown right in the middle of the lives of these people. No introductions, no voice-over, we get to know them as the story goes along. And quite a lot already happens in this first episode!

First, we meet dr Tertius Lydgate (Douglas Hodge), a young and ambitious physician who arrives new in Middlemarch and who hopes to do revolutionary work there. The building of a new hospital is in an advanced stage of planning and dr Lydgate discovers he will be a member of the board and will have to make some difficult decisions. 

What was dr Lydgate actually doing in these scenes?

Upcoming: Middlemarch watch-along

Recently, I was reminded of the wonderful George Eliot novel Middlemarch twice. First, I read the book My life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead, a wonderful exploration by Mead about her favourite novel. Then, Miss Laurie from Old-Fashioned Charm posted a review about the 1994 adaptation of Middlemarch. 

So, I couldn't deny it anymore, I really needed to either rewatch or reread Middlemarch! I chose a rewatch and I thought I'd share it with you all, with a watch-along. 

How's it going to work? I will watch one episode every week and post my thoughts about it here. I'll also try and come up with some discussion questions. And, at the end of the watch-along, there will be a give-away!!

I hope you'll join in and watch or rewatch Middlemarch with me! I plan to post my first episode 'review' at the end of this week. I made two buttons for this, my very first blog event. I would love it if you could post them on your own blog.

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Book review: The fall and rise of Lucy Charlton

Lucy Charlton dreams of being a lawyer and working alongside her father. Not an easy feat for a women in 1920. But with her place at Durham University, she's at least on her way. Lucy travels home to Newcastle for her sister's wedding, but that very night something happens which uproots her whole life. Soon, she finds herself without a home and without people to fall back on. Lucy finds a place to live in Durham with two kindly old sisters and befriends WWI veteran Joe Hardy. And when she finds a job in a lawyers office, she might be on the road to fulfill her dream after all.

Impressions of Glorious 39, Spies of Warsaw and George and the dragon

  

Glorious 39 (2009)

Adaptation of: no adaptation
Length: 129 min

Summary: In the tense last summer before World War II, the adopted daughter of a high class British family discovers a family secret which could not only endanger her, but the entire nation.

New Femnista & Book review: I shall be near to you

Earlier this week, the new issue of Femnista came out. The theme this time is A Nation at War, with articles mainly about the Civil War and some other war-related stories. For this issue, I wrote an article about the women who fought in the Civil War disguised as men, inspired by a wonderful book I recently read: I shall be near to you by Erin Lindsay McCabe.

Happy reading and also: check out the topics of the upcoming Femnista issues here and think about if you might want to contribute something. Femnista is always looking for new authors!