The Bell Jar
9 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wyldetwo from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Fellow Birmingham Bookcrosser Anne/veran gave me this unregistered copy from her PC a few months ago, after I had been talking about how much the film 'Sylvia' had affected me.
Very sadly, Anne lost her battle with cancer at the weekend while Uncon 2007 was going on.
This book is now next on my TBR pile and I am considering a ring with some sort of fund-raising element to it in aid of the Indian Library fund which Anne had been busy seeking publicity and funds until very recently.
Very sadly, Anne lost her battle with cancer at the weekend while Uncon 2007 was going on.
This book is now next on my TBR pile and I am considering a ring with some sort of fund-raising element to it in aid of the Indian Library fund which Anne had been busy seeking publicity and funds until very recently.
Journal Entry 2 by wyldetwo from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Thursday, July 19, 2007
A gem of a book. The descent of the heroine into mental illness is described vividly but dispassionately. The descriptive language she uses is fantastic.
Thanks Anne for giving me a chance to read this - I might never have got round to it otherwise.
Thanks Anne for giving me a chance to read this - I might never have got round to it otherwise.
Journal Entry 3 by wyldetwo from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Thursday, July 19, 2007
I have now got 12 participants for this ring (which means £6 from me for the Indian Library Fund) - email or PM me if you would like to join in as well!
Amanida - UK, post anywhere
wilksie - UK, post anywhere
Haugtussa - Norway
pinkydinky - UK, post Europe
bookcloud - UK
vespa - UK, post UK only
KT-J - UK
stubee - UK
jaffacake - UK
max9 - UK
ratwoman - UK
birmingham-rose - UK
juliako - UK
Details of how to make your own donation to the Birmingham BookCrossers Indian Library Fund will appear here shortly ....
If you would like to make a donation, you can either do this via my PayPal account (email address wyldetwo @ gmail . com) or PM me and I will let you know katisha50's address to send a cheque to - she is the fund treasurer. Unfortunately we can't use a site like justgiving.com as the charity is not recognised there.
Amanida - UK, post anywhere
wilksie - UK, post anywhere
Haugtussa - Norway
pinkydinky - UK, post Europe
bookcloud - UK
vespa - UK, post UK only
KT-J - UK
stubee - UK
jaffacake - UK
max9 - UK
ratwoman - UK
birmingham-rose - UK
juliako - UK
Details of how to make your own donation to the Birmingham BookCrossers Indian Library Fund will appear here shortly ....
If you would like to make a donation, you can either do this via my PayPal account (email address wyldetwo @ gmail . com) or PM me and I will let you know katisha50's address to send a cheque to - she is the fund treasurer. Unfortunately we can't use a site like justgiving.com as the charity is not recognised there.
Journal Entry 4 by wyldetwo from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Wednesday, August 8, 2007
On its way to Amanida - sorry for the.h delay!
Arrived safely & tbr soon. Thanks!
An extremely compelling story - well written, humorous in parts and a bit scary.
Thanks for the ring wyldetwo - will be off to wilksie once I get the address.
17.08.2007 - sent off to Wilksie today.
Thanks for the ring wyldetwo - will be off to wilksie once I get the address.
17.08.2007 - sent off to Wilksie today.
Journal Entry 7 by wilksie from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, August 20, 2007
Arrived this morning, thanks very much Amanida.
I have a couple of rings to read first but an looking forward to having more time in the next coupe of weeks and am hoping to read it soon :-)
I have a couple of rings to read first but an looking forward to having more time in the next coupe of weeks and am hoping to read it soon :-)
Journal Entry 8 by wilksie from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, September 16, 2007
I found the book interesting enough to read through to the end but can’t say I ‘liked’ it very much. I felt that the author, like Esther, was cold and completely dissociated from life. As such it was very difficult to like her or feel any sympathy for her. Such, I suppose, is the nature of mental illness. Not only do sufferers feel alienated from society but society so often feels little empathy for them. I know far too little about mental illness but felt that the author was no more ‘better’ when she was writing it than Esther was at the end of the book. I'm pleased to have read it it though and it did make me want to know more about Sylvia Plath.
Sending on to Haugtussa as soon as I get an address.
Sending on to Haugtussa as soon as I get an address.
The book arrived safe and sound today!
This was my first encounter to the works of Sylvia Plath. Strange - I alwasy thought I'd read her poetry first. I certainly will at one stage.
I both liked and disliked the book, as I found the book well written, but it's a disturbing subject. I struggled with the main character, as I didn't feel like I got to know her through the story. I found her both selfish and cold.
I have problems with books about mental hospitals set in that time period due to the methods used for treatment. Lobotomy what a hoorible thing to do to people! (It doesn't help that Jack Nicolson's face from One Flew over a Cockoo's Nest always comes to mind!)
Thank you to wyldetwo for sharing this book.
I'll get it passed on to pinkydinky as soon as possible.
I both liked and disliked the book, as I found the book well written, but it's a disturbing subject. I struggled with the main character, as I didn't feel like I got to know her through the story. I found her both selfish and cold.
I have problems with books about mental hospitals set in that time period due to the methods used for treatment. Lobotomy what a hoorible thing to do to people! (It doesn't help that Jack Nicolson's face from One Flew over a Cockoo's Nest always comes to mind!)
Thank you to wyldetwo for sharing this book.
I'll get it passed on to pinkydinky as soon as possible.
Arrived in the post today. Will read asap.
This is not a book I'd read again. It was compelling in part because you wanted to know what happens. Couldn't really connect with any of the characters. As others have said the main character was cold. It does convey the way she feels detached from life around her really well.
Bookcloud has asked to be skipped. Have PM'd Vespa
Have Vespa's details. Will post ASAP
Bookcloud has asked to be skipped. Have PM'd Vespa
Have Vespa's details. Will post ASAP
Arrived this morning. Will read as soon as possible
Received yesterday. Thanks vespa for sending this on to me and thanks wyldetwo for letting me join this ring. I look forward to starting this soon.
I was quite surprised that I read this as quickly as I did as I thought dealing with mental illness this would be quite a hard book to read. Like previous readers I struggled with Esther as you didn't really feel you got to know her at all throughout the book and she wasn't particularly likeable as a character. However I thought the book was really well written and the descriptions are vivid.
Thanks again for sharing this, I'm glad I read it. I've passed this on to Stubee.
Thanks again for sharing this, I'm glad I read it. I've passed this on to Stubee.
Journal Entry 16 by stubee from Bury, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on Thursday, February 7, 2008
Thanks wyldetwo for starting this ring, I've got a few rings/rays before this one but will get onto it as soon as I can.
:-]
:-]
I just finished this while on holiday, I really enjoyed Esthers story, the feel of the book really reminded me of Elizabeth Wurtzel's Prozac Nation which is of a similar nature. Thanks wyldetwo for including me in the ring, I've PM'd Jaffacake for their address so this should be sent on soon.
Received by post from stubee... I'll be starting it today :-)
