Classic Literature

Christmas Feature: A Very Murderous Christmas edited by Cecily Gayford

/ Theresa Smith Writes / 2 Comments

A Very Murderous Christmas... About the Book: We wish you a very murderous Christmas... The Christmas season is one of comfort and joy, sparkling lights and steam rising from cups of mulled wine at frosty carol services. A season of goodwill to all men, as families and friends come together to forget their differences and … Continue reading Christmas Feature: A Very Murderous Christmas edited by Cecily Gayford

Book Review: The Beguiled by Thomas Cullinan

/ Theresa Smith Writes / 6 Comments

The Beguiled… About the Book: A classic slice of Southern Gothic, shot through with psychological suspense. When an injured Union soldier is found in the Virginia woods as the Civil War rages, he is brought to the nearby Miss Martha Farnsworth Seminary for Young Ladies to recover. For the sheltered girls and their teachers, the … Continue reading Book Review: The Beguiled by Thomas Cullinan

Bingo! The Beguiled by Thomas Cullinan

/ Theresa Smith Writes / 7 Comments

Bingo Saturday is now getting down to the pointy end of the categories. This week, after much procrastination over which square to tick off, I finally settled on the following: A forgotten classic What exactly constitutes a forgotten classic though? The more I thought about it, the more grey this category became. In essence, I thought a … Continue reading Bingo! The Beguiled by Thomas Cullinan

Book A Day: Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice

/ Theresa Smith Writes / 11 Comments

Day 12: Interview with a Vampire This is a long-time favourite of mine. Steeped in old world atmosphere with such memorable characters: Lestat, with his flamboyance, his utter selfishness, his endless attention seeking, and his ultimate cruelty; Claudia, the ancient child who could never grow up, her love for Louis as fierce as her hatred … Continue reading Book A Day: Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice

My Reading Life: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

/ Theresa Smith Writes / 4 Comments

Little Women is a novel that repeatedly shows up as a favourite for so many readers and writers. In fact, in my own interview series, Behind the Pen, many interviewees have cited Little Women as a childhood favourite. Likewise, in the Australian Women Writers historical fiction Sunday Spotlight interviews, a standard question I ask is … Continue reading My Reading Life: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

My Reading Life: Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

/ Theresa Smith Writes / 4 Comments

As much as I like an uplifting story that makes you feel all warm inside, my greatest love is literature that moves me. Novels filled with beautiful prose and vivid imagery that lean towards the tragic more than the happy. In other words, novels that make me cry.   Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas … Continue reading My Reading Life: Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

My Reading Life: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

/ Theresa Smith Writes / 2 Comments

It's back to the classics again this week for My Reading Life and I'm casting the spotlight onto my favourite English literature novel: Great Expectations (1860-1861) by Charles Dickens.     I first came to Great Expectations in Year 12 at high school when I selected it as my classic text for my senior English … Continue reading My Reading Life: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

My Reading Life: Falling Down the Rabbit Hole of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

/ Theresa Smith Writes / 1 Comment

Today I'm talking about how I fell down the rabbit hole of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, and why I stayed there.   I’ve always been rather partial to quirk. Quirky stories, quirky movies, quirky songs, quirky TV shows. If it’s a little bit weird or a little … Continue reading My Reading Life: Falling Down the Rabbit Hole of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll