An besonders schönen Tagen
ist der Himmel sozusagen
wie aus blauem Porzellan.
Und die Federwolken gleichen
weißen, zart getuschten Zeichen,
wie wir sie auf Schalen sahn.

Erich Kästner

Letscht Wucha hani hani mal in enandri Richtig welly fahru und wills eso en flotte Tag isch gsi, bini öi es bitzji länger unerwägs gsi wäder suschter eso. Ich ha en super flotte Wäg gfunnu, zersch am Meer, de durchu Wald (Fabi, falls dü das jemals läsusch: Ja. Dasch der Wald wa wier ufum Camping iischers Zält gidreht hei/soz’sägu diräkt am Meer gschlafu hei!) und am Schluss chunt mu widers ans Meer… mich dücht, ich hei vergässu, wie noch dum Wasser das ich hie eiguntli wohnu (ha mi appa scho z fascht an ds Gigäg vane Möwe gigwennt). Ich ha du Fotoapparat mitgno, willich miner australischu Kollegi verschprochu ha z zeigu, wie’s hie eso üsgseht. Ds Foto hie obina hani de grad schpontan aneru Chrizig gmacht, wenni ufi grie Ampla gwartut ha. Mu gseht da wider tiptop du Cykelsti ufer linggu Sita und du Hafu im Hinnergrund. Na lüt dem Bildji chenti mu aber deichu, dass ich und das schwarz Auto d’einzigu si gsi, wa ds flott Wätter üsgnitzt hetti. Das schtimmt aber nid. Schpeteschtenz wa der Wäg inu Wald isch gangu, bini küm me eleinzig gsi (und dasch mer eso mitsch imu Wald wani küm kennu eiguntli öi rächt gsi). Ich mag mi güet bsinnu, dass ich vor zwei Jahr wanich hie bi Üstüüschschtudi bi gsi, eperum gseit ha, dass di Dänu wahrschinli nie feisti chämunt, aber darfer mit schpeteschtenz 65 nimme chennunt löifu, will hie alli wie d’Nola iner Schtadt gehnt ga dschoggu… Tja, ich ha mich da grad dopplut trumpiert: Erschtenz hanich düe no nid gwisst wie ungsund (mega vill Fleisch, grossi Mönü schpat emabu, küm Gmiess aber darfer Nidla im Fruchtsalat – wäh!) summi/e hüfu Lit hie ässunt. Ufer andru Sita hanich bi minum chlinu Tuurli gseh wievill Lit im Walt gehnt ga löifu. Schappo!
Aber wenni’s hie scho vam Waldwäg hä, müessi denu grad fascht öi no zeigu. Ufum Schildji schteit “Knallert forbudt” und das biditut, dass mu da nid mit Pfupferlini oder Wäschgini darf fahru (und deru Zeichu het’s hie im Wald ungfähr alli zwänzg Meter eis). Der chliner Wäg ufer linggu Sita isch fer Füessganger (oder äbu Dschogger) und der breitru rächts fer d Wello. Hmmm, was hani no wellu sägu: Ah ja. Isch herrlich gsi…. wenn’s hittu nid chunt ga rägnu (wie d letschtu dri Täg) gani apa grad nomal.

Oh my… has it really been more than a week? Well well, who can I blame? The weather? Nope, only a lot of rain. The master? Neither, because he’s always innocent. The machine? No, not even that. (oh and PS: Thanks to Arcana Research it runs smootly and quitely!) I guess there’s only one thing left to blame: Our brand new project on C19 to turn our favorite Victorian novel (yes, the first one mentioned below) into an audiobook! An Australian member had the idea and since we’re both members of LibriVox as well, she asked me for helping her with all organisational issues and I guess that’s what has occupied the biggest part of my spare-time lately. It’s so much fun to see how people from all across the world join in – truly amazing!
But back to business:


The first part was about anything Jane Austen, the second about the Brontës – I think it’s time to come to a true gem of a British writer who’s been neglected thus far on here and sadly enough almost everywhere else as well: Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, nee Stevenson. Mrs Gaskell was a minister’s wife, mother of four children who is nowadays probably best known as the writer of Charlotte Brontë’s first biography. She started writing rather late but left the world some extraordinary novels, two of which have been adapted for screen and will be presented in the following.

North & South – 2004 (starring Daniela Denby-Ashe, Richard Armitage, Sinéad Cusack, etc.)

The producers and executives for this production might still be puzzled at the amazing and broadspread success of this adaption: It’s almost been two years since the first broadcasting on TV but the online discussion hasn’t ceased – at all, I’m tempted to say. The messages boards (to start with the best, check out C19) are still filled with surprised confessions of newcomers who where completely caught off guard by this adaption and deeper insights of the older members into every single aspect and layer the adaption can be divided into.
North & South is the story of a Margaret Hale, a parson’s daughter from the South who’s forced to move to Milton, a industrial town in the North of England by her father’s doubts in his ability to meet the requirements of the new bishop and subsequent surrender of this post. Her middle-class world is shaken by the ideals of the hectic and direct ways of the North which for her come down into the person of John Thornton, a cotton mill owner and her father’s pupil. In the course of the novel as well as the book, the two protagonists have to overcome their prejudices and learn to see the flaws in their own points of view to appreciate the other. I have read the novel as soon as I found out that an adaption was announced and have to admit that nobody could have played Mr Thornton more to the point of my mental image than Richard Armitage did – he truly amazed me… and tons of other women, as sides like the Armitage Army are undeniable proof of! It took me somewhat longer to get over the differences between Daniela Denby-Ashe’s appearance and the Margaret as described by Mrs Gaskell in her book, but once you see past that you’ll see an astounding portrayal of a young woman’s growth. Despite what everyone else said: The train station scene might be incredibly sweet and romantic but it’s not Gaskell – I’d much rather have the “That man”/”that woman” scene (and know come running after me ).

Wives and Daughters – 1999 (starring Justine Waddell, Keeley Hawes, Anthony Howell, etc.)

This is an adaption of Gaskell’s last and unfinished (it was finished later by her editor – and very likely the way she intended it to end) novel. I have to admit to my own abashment that I haven’t read the novel – just yet, I would like to add because it’s been on my “want to read next”-list for ages and I still believe that I will able to do so in time. My judgement is hence only in reference to the adaption – and no matter how much I liked it (just rewatched it this weekend for the sole purpose to freshen-up my memory for this review ), it will never even come close to the afore mentioned story. Molly is no Margaret (Justine Waddell is a great actress for period drama though) and Roger is definitely no Thornton (not Howell’s fault though – I think he was great) but some of the supporting characters are priceless: First and foremost Squire Hamley (could he possibly go more convincly through more emotional extrems?) and Mrs Gibson (she’s a hoot!).
But there is one character that I’m absolutely not sure what to think of: Is it really the Cynthia as Mrs Gaskell wanted her or is it Keeley Hawes that I would like to slap in at least half the scenes she’s in? I guess the first is true but could anybody please explain me why I had the same urge when watching Our Mutual Friend (which will be review in part IV if I ever get to that)? Let’s focus on something diffrent to critizes: What about Tom Hollander? Yes, the Mr Collins from P&P2005 is playing Osborne Hamely – the handsome son! The mere thought of it sounds like a joke and even though I appreciate his passionate portrayal of poor Osbourne, I still think he’s lacking the looks everybody is appraising all the time. Well, one could argument that I didn’t bother Timothy Dalton’s way too good looks in Jane Eyre and maybe I am that shallow but I can’t help it here.
To sum up and end this post: I liked this adaption – despite all short-comings stated here (which am sure are all because I haven’t read the novel) – and I don’t mind that there was no kiss in the desert.