"She would have laid down her life for 'ee.I could do no more."

"She philosophically noted dates as they came past in the revolution of the year...She suddenly thought one afternoon, when looking in the glass at her fairness, that there was yet another date of greater importance to her than those; that of her own death, when all these charms would have disappeared; a day which lay sly and unseen among all the other days of the year, giving no sign or sound when she annually passed over it; but not the less, surely there."

Tess of the D'urbervilles
1891 novel
by Thomas Hardy

Tess Durbeyfield is a young woman, and oldest daughter of poor Wessex merchants, Joan and John Durbeyfield.When her father is informed of his familial connection to an old,noble,and long-forgotten family by the name of D'urberville, he is overjoyed.There is a last section of the D'urberville family living in a manor in Tantridge.They urge their beautiful,innocent daughter Tess to go and "claim kin," not knowing that this family purchased the D'urberville title long ago.
At first, Tess is against the idea, but eventually agrees, wishing to make amends for accidentally killing her father's only horse.After her visit to her supposed relations in Tantridge, Tess is offered a job on the estate, which she accepts.While living at Tantridge, Tess is introduced to Alec D'urberville, the unruly son of the late Mr. D'urberville, and the blind, invalid Mrs D'urberville, who Tess works for.Tess wishes to make connections with this extended part of her family, but is wary of Alec's behavior towards her.She discovers that she has just cause, when Alec rapes Tess in the middle of the night.
Tess immediately returns to her home in Marlott, where she soon after discovers that she is with child.She gives birth to a child, whom she names Sorrow.Tess loves her child, yet hates his connection to Alec.Sorrow falls ill and dies in the middle of the night not long after he is born.Tess buries him in unconsecrated ground.She decides to leave this all behind her, as she takes a position as a dairy maid at Talbothay's.
In the rural valley where Talbothay's is situated, Tess begins to feel at home,as if she has a new chance at life.She befriends her fellow dairy maids, as well as one Angel Clare, the son of a reverend in Emminster, who is learning agriculture in hopes of owning his own land one day.Angel is equally captivated by the beautiful Tess Durbeyfield.Their friendship soon develops in to more, and Angel, believing Tess to be a saintly virgin, asks for her hand in marriage.Tess,who had previously said she would never marry, eventually accepts, knowing that she truly does love Angel too much to refuse him.
The newlywed couple is immensely happy until their wedding night.Angel confides in Tess that he is not spotless himself, having had an affair with a woman in London.Tess forgives him, and feels that he will surely understand that her virginity was forcefully taken from her.She tells him the truth, seeking forgiveness, but is shocked to find that Angel is mortified, and cannot forgive her, even though he still claims to love her.Angel immediately makes arrangements for Tess to go back to her parents home, while he goes to South America to establish himself as a farmer, the plan being to send for her once he is ready.
Tess, heartbroken, does as Angel desires and the two separate.At first, Tess sends him letters of love and support.Not knowing that Angel has fallen desparately ill, which is why he has not responded, she then writes a letter saying that she does not forgive him, and she never wishes to see him again.
Shortly after this time, Tess runs into Alec D'urberville again.At first she lashes out against him and tries to avoid him.Alec persists, however, professing his undying love for her.He eventually offers her some kind of "proof," which is never revealed, that Angel is never coming back to her.That, along with promises to provide for her poverty stricken family, persuades Tess to become his mistress.
Angel eventually recovers from his illness and rushes back to England to find Tess.He searches for quite some time, eventually finding her staying in a boarding house as a Mrs. D'urberville with Alec.Tess is shocked to see him again, and tells him it's too late, and to leave.Angel does as she wishes.Tess returns to Alec, furious with him for lying to her about Angel being gone forever.The two fight, and Tess stabs Alec and runs away to catch up with Angel.She confesses her sin to Angel, and the two flee from the law together, hoping to make it to a neutral country so that they can escape.
The police find them eventually, and take Tess into custody.Tess is willing to pay for her crime, and departs only after making angel promise to marry her younger sister Liza-Lu, and to try to love her as much as he loved Tess.In the end, Tess is put on trial and sentenced to death.

The story of Tess of the D'urbervilles is not exactly light-hearted, but is a passionate, heartbreaking love story, as well as a commentary on some of the social rules and religious views of the time.

You can find Tess of the D'urbervilles at any bookstore.
Also, if you're interested, BBC made it into a movie in 2008.
You can see the preview here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snhZ_flom1Q
OR you can begin watching the actual movie here, and follow consecutive links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFLSYxx9Jvo

"Sometimes when she was alone...she permitted her mind to play in a garden,and she smiled."

John SteinbeckBorn February 27, 1902
Died December 20, 1968

John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. was born in Salinas, California in February of 1902.His father was the county treasurer, while his mother was a school teacher.It was Steinbeck's mother, Olive, who instilled in him his passion for literature.John lived in the small town of Salinas until he graduated from highschool.He then relocated to Stanford in order to attend the university there.He invested very little time in furthering his education,however,and left without a degree.
In 1925, he moved to New York City, where he had high hopes of becoming a published author.He had no success for quite a while,and started taking up odd jobs to make ends meet.If it wasn't for his father, who later gave him a house and enough money to seriously focus on his writing career, Steinbeck would've had a much more difficult time.
John Steinbeck published his first successful novel,Tortilla Flat, in 1935.He went on to publish around 24 more highly successful novels.He was given many awards and honors, including the Nobel Peace Prize for literature.He passed away due to heart disease on December 20,1968.

One of Steinbeck's greatest works is
East of Eden
Published in 1952

The novel is set in Steinbeck's hometown-the Salinas Valley and uses real people,including some of Steinbeck's own family.It tells the story of Adam Trask.Adam lives with his father who became a widower while Adam was still in his infancy,due to Mrs. Trask's suicide.Adam's father remarries a much younger girl named Alice,who gives birth to Adam's younger half brother, Charles.Adam's father is a distant man,who never shows affection and is obsessed with the military.He raises his sons in a boot camp,of sorts.Adam is also at odds with his brother,Charles, who has violent tendancies.Charles dislikes Adam,because he feels that their father favors Adam more than him.One night,when the boys are teenagers, Charles goes on a rampage and tries to kill Adam.After beating Adam,Charles goes to look for a hatchet,and Adam hides until he can get back to the house.Seeking to separate the boys,Adam's father gets Adam to enlist in the military.
After serving in the military for several years, Adam begins to make his way back home,at Charles' request.He takes his time,and is picked up on vagrancy charges,but eventually he gets back to Massachusetts.Things are awkward between Adam and Charles,the latter trying to make up for lost time but still posessing a quick temper.Both Alice and Cyrus have passed away by this time.Cyrus Trask died a supposed war hero,a career which both of his sons believe he developed based on lies.So,there is a large sum of money to be split between Adam and Charles.They argue about the money,and neither of them touch it for a while.
One day,a battered,dying young woman crawls to their house for help.They give her a room in their house,and have a doctor treat her.She can't even speak for a long time due to a broken jaw,but when she can, she tells them that her name is Cathy.Adam,besotted, spends all of his time taking care of her, not knowing that she is a blackmailing murderer who killed her own family in cold blood.Cathy finds Adam to be a nuisance,but she's in no position to take care of herself,and she has no intention of telling him the truth.Adam asks Cathy to marry him,she accepts because she needs protection.Adam decides to move with his new wife to the Salinas Valley.Cathy quickly becomes pregnant with twins.Adam,overjoyed,goes about making plans and developing their new land,deaf to his wife's claims that she's leaving as soon as the babies are born.When she actually does give birth,Adam tries to convince her to stay,but she shoots him in the shoulder and walks away.
Adam raises his sons,Aaron and Caleb "Cal," with the help of his Chinese servant, Lee.He never tells them who their mother is.The story unfolds like that of Cain and Abel as the twins get older.Cal is always jealous of Aaron, who is a better person than him.The two become more distant as they grow up,with Cal purposely doing things to make Aaron angry and sad.When Cal discovers that his mother,now going by "Kate," is running a whore house in town, he brings Aaron to her brothel and shows him that she truly is their mother.Aaron,who is very religious,goes into shock and feels like he has lost all meaning and purpose.He enlists in the army and gets killed.Kate,who is always in pain due to arthritis among other things,also suffers from the aftermath of her meeting with her sons.She slowly goes insane and becomes paranoid.She poisons herself,believing to be inside the story of Alice and Wonderland as she dies.For a while, Adam has no idea where Aaron has gone,or that it was Cal who drove him to it.When he recieves the telegram saying that Aaron is dead,Adam has a stroke.He is bedridden for a long time,without any hope of recovery.
Cal feels extremely guilty about his brother and confesses to his father,asking Adam to forgive him.Adam simply says the word "Timshel" which means "thou mayest," insinuating that it is up to Cal to forgive himself if he wishes to feel happy.

Steinbeck's novel,East of Eden, was also made into a movie in 1955, starring James Dean.

"Hello,gorgeous."-Fanny Brice

And NOW,Think Classic, 1968 Columbia Pictures and William Wyler proudly present to you:

The GREAT Barbra Streisand

In one of the greatest movies of all time....

Funny Girl
1968
Starring Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif and Walter Pidgeon

The film is set in the days just before WWI, with Barbra Streisand acting out true events of the life of actress and comedienne Fanny Brice (1891-1951).

It opens with the famous Fanny Brice, sitting alone in the theater, having just recieved news that this is the day her husband will be coming home.From where, it doesn't specify.Fanny then has nostalgic flashbacks to the early days of her career, when she first met her husband, Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif), and the early days of their marriage.
At the onset of the flashbacks, the younger Fanny lives in New York City, NY.She's desparate to be an actress-to be on the stage,and be taken seriously,but no one ever gives her the chance to display her talents.Almost by accident, she gets a part in a burlesque performance at Mr. Keeney's revue,which is where she first meets the handsome,charismatic Nicky Arnstein.She doesn't stay long at the revue, though, because it isn't long until the legendary Florenz Ziegfeld (Walter Pidgeon) comes calling.Ziegfeld offers her a part in his show, which she naturally accepts.
Despite a disastrous opening performance, Fanny eventually comes to headline the Ziegfeld Follies.Nick is very supportive of Fanny and, even more remarkable in Fanny's mind, he seems as genuinely interested in her as she is in him.He comes in and out of her life several times, never staying long because he never has definite plans.This leads to some discord between the couple,which they eventually smooth over.After a more steady courtship, Fanny unconventionally proposes to Nick.Arnstein,who gambles for a living,says he will marry her as long as he earns enough in a single card game.Fanny is worried that he won't come through,but in the end he wins a fortune and the two get married.The early days of the Arnstein's marriage are happy and apparently untroubled,but they don't last long.They begin to fight more and more as Fanny's career escalates and Nick's good name gets sullied due to a bad streak of luck whereby he loses his fortune.Nick,wanting to be the man of the family,eventually becomes desparate enough to get involved in a phoney bond deal in order to rake in some extra cash.He gets caught and is arrested.He pleads guilty at his trial,and is sentenced to two years in prison,saying that if he's "lucky," he'll be out in eighteen months.While meeting with his wife just before being escorted to prison, Nick tells her that he wants her to divorce him.Fanny is shocked, and isn't ready to let go.The two of them make a deal,at her insistence, that if he still feels that way after he's let out of prison,then she'll divorce him.
We then return to Fanny,still sitting alone in the theater after reminiscing.She finally goes to her dressing room to prepare for her show that night.Minutes before she's due to go on stage, Nick shows up.His feelings haven't changed,just as Fanny suspected they wouldn't.They say goodbye and go their separate ways.Fanny is heartbroken,but the show must go on.She steps out onto the stage and the film ends with her performance of the song "My Man."

"Oh my man, I love him so.He'll never know.All my life is just despair,but I don't care.
When he takes me in his arms the world is bright, alright.
What's the difference if I say I'll go away, when I know I'll come back on my knees someday?
For whatever my man is, I am his forever more."
The film is brilliant.One of my favorites, it's full of humor and jokes, catchy songs, happiness, love and heartbreak.
It was Barbra Streisand's first film role,for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress.
The film features 16 songs.The songs "I'd Rather Be Blue," "Secondhand Rose" and "My Man" were all frequently performed by the real Fanny Brice during her career.And the film itself was produced by Fanny Brice's son-in-law, Ray Stark.

To view the official trailer,follow the link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5H3Z-ITtCs