Daphne du Maurier

loobyj · Daphne du Maurier

I've just rediscovered her books.... Polished of My Cousin Rachel in just six train trips. Also, finished Rebecca and Jamaica Inn. Have to go in search of more now. Plus there's a couple of programmes on BBC2 this weekend in celebration of her centenary.

lj

pictish

I keep meaning to try them again Cool

- I loved them when I read them years ago.

Jobo

I have only read Rebecca, but I absolutely loved it Smile

Would like to read some others Smile

Piglottie

Wonderful author! And I was lucky to see the play Nigel Havers did of Rebecca last year. One of the best pieces of theatre I've seen in a long time. I must get the book when I go to the library next week. Smile

Anna

I detested Rebecca and didn't read any of her others for years. Then I went to Cornwall and picked up The House on the Strand in a cheap bookshop and I loved it! I have read a few of her others, thanks to the library, but I still don't like Rebecca Twisted Evil

I must try Jamaica Inn and Frenchman's Creek, both of which my mum swears blind she has, but can we find them anywhere in the house? Mind you we do own more books than our local library, between the three of us... study

Jobo

In case you don't fancy Eurovision tonight, there is an evening of Daphne tonight on BBC2, starting with Rebecca at 5.15, then a tribute to her at 8.10 and another drama at 9.00.
Smile

Fi

I love these books I usually re-read some when on hols in Cornwall.

Last year we had to detour over the moors you could just imagine Rebecca walking around.

Sad arn't I.

Anna

Did anybody see these programmes last night? I didn't watch Rebecca, but I enjoyed the Rick Stein one about Daphne and Cornwall (but thought it was very sad that his dog, Chalky, died during filming Crying or Very sad

). I began watching the drama, 'Daphne' I think it was called, but gave up in

. I thought it was a very unbalanced portrait of her, making her appear to be nothing but a drip, always mooning about having crushes on other women, when I don't think she was like that. Yes, she had "crushes" on other women (in a non-sexual way) but she also had plenty of other things in her life and she always struck me as a reasonably content woman, if not entirely happy.

Piglottie

I saw the same two as you Anna and agree 100%. I loved the Rick Stein one and it was great to see actual clips of Daphne speaking, and what an interesting and modern woman! I cried about Chalkie Sad

He was such a lovely dog and it was so sad, but what an amazing life - 18 years for a dog is very good.

With regard to the drama Daphne, I did watch it all but felt the same as you. I felt it was a completely biased portrayal and almost trying to create some melancholic, tortured gothic writer rather than the full of life strong woman Du Maurier appeared in the clips shown earlier. I too felt they made her character very one dimensional, and from the earlier footage, she seemed to live a very fulfilling and active life, rather than the mope she was portrayed as in this. Crikey, from this portray, you would have thought she never wrote a word or set up an independent life or restored an aging ruin! I was slightly miffed.

Fi

Poor chalky, Rick will be devastated.

loobyj

All on tape to be watched tonight! I cried when I heard about Chalky last year, filled up again when I read the article in the Radio Times about the programme - goodness only knows what I'll be like when I watch it. I'm hopeless when it comes to little terrier type dogs!

lj

Civilknit

Bumped - because everyone should read at least one Daphne du Maurier. She is that rare thing - a great writer and a great story teller.