Oops…

by chuckofish

Is it Friday? I’m sorry to say that I completely lost track of the days and forgot that it is my turn to post. Here goes, but be warned that my extempore wit isn’t what it used to be.

Last weekend I won this pretty little inlaid mirror at a local auction.

Much as I love a good auction, I am increasingly put off by skyrocketing buyer’s premiums (up to 30%!) and exorbitant shipping fees, so it was nice to be able to support the auctioneer in the next town, whose fees are much more modest (about 12%). I rescued the little mirror for a pittance and it now sits on the dresser I bought in Vermont a few weeks ago. I also put new drapes in the bedroom in which the dresser resides, but I’ll wait until the room gets painted and everything looks nice before I post any pictures.

Aside from the auction excitement, I read more Joseph Conrad: Amy Foster, The Secret Sharer, and the Shadow Line. Of the three, I liked the Shadow Line the best — it was quite exciting. The Secret Sharer was psychological and mysterious, but ultimately not that satisfying, and Amy Foster just left me baffled. I’ve seen the 1997 film version, Swept from the Sea, starring Vincent Perez, Rachel Weisz and Ian McKellan. They turned Conrad’s ambiguous tale into a straightforward romance, albeit not one as lurid as the poster suggests.

It is a pretty good movie, but it takes liberties with the story by (forgivably) transforming the squat, wispy-haired Amy into Rachel Weisz and (unnecessarily) adding Ian McKellan’s homosexual attraction to Vincent Perez. I rather wish film-makers would leave Conrad alone.

Now I’m indulging myself with a late Mary Stewart book, Touch not the Cat, which although not her best, is certainly pleasant reading. It features a crumbling mansion, mental telepathy and moderate peril — perfect for the end of spring break. What are you reading?