you've got to read this.

Yep. Its true, some guy thought he was clever enough to pass the works of Jane Austen as his own, as if that would ever happend.

Here it is for you to read.

LONDON (AFP) - A string of publishers failed to spot blatant plagiarism of one of English literature's most famous authors, in a cheeky test to see if she would have secured a book deal today, a report said Thursday.

David Lassman, head of the Jane Austen Festival in Bath, sent manuscripts to 18 editors seeking a publishing contract, using only slightly disguised versions of chapters from the iconic novelist's most famous works.
But only one publisher spotted the fakes, which included perhaps the most famous line in all English literature, the opening sentence of her 1813 work "Pride and Prejudice".
"I was staggered. Here is one of the greatest writers that has lived, with her oeuvre securely fixed in the English canon and yet only one recipient recognised them as Austen's work," Lassman told The Guardian newspaper.
Making only minor changes, he sent off sample chapters from three of her best known books: "Northanger Abbey"; "Persuasion", and finally "Pride and Prejudice" which he renamed "First Impressions".
For the latter, he made no changes to the opening line: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."
But all he got was a series of rejection slips, including from major publishing houses.
"Thank you for your recent letter and chapters from your book 'First Impressions'. It seems like a really original and interesting read," wrote Penguin. Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling's agents Christopher Little said they were "not confident" of being able to place the work.
The only editor to spot the ruse was apparently Alex Bowler of Jonathan Cape.
"Thank-you for sending us the first two chapters of 'First Impressions'; my first impression on reading these were ones of disbelief and mild annoyance, along, of course, with a moment's laughter," he wrote back.
"I suggest you reach for your copy of 'Pride and Prejudice', which I'd guess lives in close proximity to your typewriter, and make sure that your opening pages don't too closely mimic that book's opening."
The publishing houses scrambled to explain their failure to spot what are some of the well-known passages in the English literary canon.
"Our letter was a polite note declining representation and provided a standard response," said a spokesman for Christopher Little cited by The Guardian.
"Our internal notes did recognise similarities with existing published works and indeed there were even discussions about possible plagiarism."
A spokeswoman for Penguin noted that its rejection letter had said only that it "seemed" original and interesting. "It would not have been read," she insisted.

Well, well is all that remands to say. What would Austen made of it all i wonder?

June reading

Not really read much for June, just the two books i've all ready mentioned, which weren't all that good.

For July, i have started to read, 'Half of a yellow sun' which i have to read for my book club. So far, i've manged to read about 32 pages, athough, i've got less than two weeks to finish it.

Its worth a read, from what i've read so far, but don't want to comment on it too much just in case i'm too disppointed in the story.

Happy first of July. Only 25 days till my birthday, not that i'm counting or anything. Me? Never.

One month till my birthday

Yep, its that time again, when I, Calamity will turn 28 on the 26th July (which makes me a Leo, like the best star sign ever) I really hate birthdays, as mine is in the summer and i always plan to have a BBQ and invite a few friends over, but none come as they are away or busy doing something else, once the weather kicks in. All my life i've had people say to me: "Your so lucky to have been born in the summer as you can have BBQs." WRONG, i don't as there isn't anyone around. I know i sound like billy no-mates here, but that's how it feels when it comes to my birthday. I think i'll just have a quite day, hopefully the weather will be nice as i like to read a book in the garden on my birthday for some unknown reason??? In the evening, i'll perhaps order a few pizzas in for the family and very close friends, this is how i see myself celebrating my 28th birthday. Last year, a friend of mine ordered a take away for us and it was nice as we eat it in the garden. Its hard to think of ways to celebrate one's birthday, i've no idea how to. It would all be simple if people actually cared it was my birthday as i don't think i've ever really had a bunch of people turn up for my birthday. Last year, i had a bit of a cry as i had bad toothache and had to go to the dentist and then, found out that no one wanted to come over for my BBQ. It was a sad day for me, but a friend of mine made it up two days later, with the take away thing.
Another problem i have is, what do i want for my birthday? The truth is, i don't want anything really. Just having people turn up is a enough for me. My sister has no idea what to get me and i said i don't want anything, apart from us, going to see the musical 'Wicked' which she had promised me for Christmas. Another friend is taking me to Brighton, in September, as i want to go to Vanessa Bell's house, where all the Bloomsbury group hanged out. She said i would love it and thought that's the best present she could get me. I live nowhere near Brighton and bless her, she is paying for everything, which is perhaps, the most loviest thing one could do for me. I am very lucky with the friends i have as they are kind to me, but seem to go away in July for some reason, but they always make up for missing my birthday as they are my friends after all.

book clubs

I'm just all over the place with mixed emotions in regards to last night's book club, which i chair. I really like the people in the group, as they are mainly female. (for some reason, men just don't want to attend a book club, why is that?) However, there was a new person who turned up, who is in her late 50's slight dyed pink hair, big chucky silver rings and just kept sucking her fingers (What would Freud made of that i wonder?) She was a bit cocky and full of herself, considering this was the first time we had all met her. She came late, which is fine, but then kept asking us questions about the book, which was 'Rebecca' (no surprises there) She just though her opinions were better than everyone esles and really didn't want to know what others had to say. She said that we should perhaps, read a book by Jodi Picoult, who i'm sorry to say, i find a wee bit trashy to read. I really enjoyed her book, 'My Sister's Keeper' but have no plans to read any of her other books, as the way i see it, there are many books i could be reading that would suit my needs, which i have no idea what my needs are, ohhh just go with it OK? The point is, i find some books trashy, hence Ms Picoult, i bet i'm not alone who thinks that? I then suggested, perhaps we read a book by Carol Shields, who i think was an amazing writer and i always manage to get upset by the fact that she died so young, well in her late 50's??? However, Ms Opinioned, said that, Shields books seem more appealing to women as they are girly books. WRONG. i totally disagreed with that and said so. How can you chose between Ms Picoult's writing over the late Shields? No competition there, as Shields wins every time. I have read many of her books and think she wrote in such a noteworthy way, that some writers have yet to master and probably never will. Sad, but true.

Anyway, after that, i had made my mind up that i didn't like her, as she just kept saying things to disagree with us, because she is sooooo posh and works from home, who cares? I don't. The others seemed to like her, however, i couldn't help thinking that she felt she was a miss know it all beacuse of her age and how much she had read, however, i bet i've read more than her, which i will question some other time.

Basically, i didn't like her demeanour, which i found a bit of putting and then when she decided to talk about something else, that had nothing to do with the book, she said to me what was the next book, which really pissed me off as i kept asking that question and no one would answer me as they were too busy talking about men, sex and periods. I was really fed up as i had to really make myself be heard by them, well esp, due to miss -know -it-all that is. There really isn't anything i can do, apart from get to know her and forget what she has said, but secretly i will be wishing she doesn't turn up each month, which is a bit bad, but i just can't stand people that think they are better than you, as we all have out own sense of self. I think it was also because i was the youngest, which didn't help matters, as i lack experience, which which shouldn't be a problem really.

AHHHHHHHH. i'm going to stop now as i feel like a cow for the stuff i've written, but i felt so strongly about it that i had to write it down. I couldn't even sleep as i was tying myself up in knots and for what? A pathetic old woman, who keeps sucking her fingers, no thanks. I'm really not this bitchy, hard to believe i know, i like to give people the benefit of the doubt, however within reasons.

Enough said for one day.

Is there anyone in your book club, that just drives you nuts? Or is it just me being a bitch?

Please write back. If anyone feels i was unfair say so, but i bet that person behaves just like that woman.

My new book

This is the new book i've started reading, which i begun last night. It was at around 8.20 PM last night, that the delivery guy came with my parcel I knew what it was and just ripped open the amazon box and begun reading. I'm now on page 65 and am wizzing through it as its an enjoyable read. Its still early days. I would highly recommend it to people as its got a good narrator, Blue Ven Meer, who is very clever and reads loads (my kind of gal)

I'll keep you all posted once i've read enough.

Weather great in the UK, hot, so that means, sitting in the garden with my new book.

I treated myself to the hardback copy, due to the illustrations in the book, i just couldn't bear to buy a paperback and not enjoy the illustrations that have been provided for the reader and also i hardly ever buy hardback editions, unless i get them fro charity shops. Its my treat and the only one i will allow myself for a long while.

May reading.

What i have read during the month of May:

The Post-Birthday World by Lionel Shriver- *** (very disappointed, couldn't match up to, 'We need to talk about Kevin)
The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)
by Lemony Snicket - **** (i really liked the film to this)
Rebecca by du Maurier - ***** (i think i've said everything there is to say about the book)

Next book for me to read perhaps?

Calamity gets post

Wow, i was soooooo overwhelmed by the many post i've received already. 4 in total. There i was thinking i had done the blog thing all wrong. I quite like this blog thing.

Right o me dears, today i'm going to discuss how utter dull the 'Myself when young' actually was. I felt i had wasted £6 of my good money down the drain. The problem is, in London the libraires near by do not provide enough books for us and therefore have to resort to Amazon.co.uk, where i am keeping them in business. I really like knowing about the books Daphne Du Maurier had written as i really loved reading 'Rebecca', however, felt a little disappointed when she wrote her autobiography . I wish it was a book my library stock as then i could just read and give it back, but i've brought it and have to keep it now. I have only 25 pages remaining and plan to sit out in the garden and read it till the end as i want to get my money's worth. I will be of course, drinking a glass of cool cold water while i read.

Do check it out yourselfs and tell me what you think, perhaps its just me, but when someone writes a great book such as Rebecca, you expect them to carry on that style of writing. I think i expect a bit too much out of books.

Another book for you to stay well away from is, Sally Beauman's take on 'Rebecca' named 'rebecca's Tale' which i got from the library last week and had to give upwithin the first 60 pages as it was so dry. I felt it was a postmorden take on 'Rebecca', which gave it no commotion that du Maurier gives to her own work. I was though, impressed with Antonia Frasier's take on 'Rebecca' that she wrote, back in 1976, named 'Rebecca's story'. Its a very short story with a differnt view to Rebecca, which Frasier was inspired by Jean Rhys take on Jane Eyre. The voice of the first Mrs de Winter as we should all know of. Its so worth reading it. Even du Maurier was impressed on it and wished she ahd though of it before.

Goodness, there i go again writing about 'Rebecca', well i plan to now read something different, not sure which as my copy of, Special Topics in Calamity Physics, which i was hoping would have come today. I'll now have to wait till Monday for it to show up, but do need to read a book in the meantime. I got from my local charity shop the other day, a copy of 'Gilead' by Marilynne Robinson, who won the 2005 Pulizter prize for fiction. If by chance, any of yous have read it, could you pass your comments on to me as i would like to know what others thought of it before i read it.

the naming of a blog

I've been thinking long and hard for a catchy name for my blog and, well I managed to come up with, Calamity reads, as i've just ordered online the book: Special Topics in Calamity Physics, which i'm very keen to read, i've heard so much about it that i'm bound to love it, if not, then i'll tell all. I've also called my blog site areaderscorner as i love reading and plan to write book reviews on my blog. I've just read 'Rebecca' and will pass my thoughts on that soon. I am now reading, Daphne Du Maurier's only autobiography, 'Myself when young' which is OK, a nice and simple book to read, as she is looking back on her life before she married. I have to admit that, i imagined it to be written in a complex style, that she usually used for her other books, but this one, is just an easy read. I think i expected more from an autobiography, esp. from Daphne Du Maurier as she is an ace writer. I really enjoyed reading 'Rebecca' it was beautifully written as though the scenes stood out, like a play.
The opening lines to the novel "Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again". Is so dark and full of mystery, that it brings a shiver down my spine, whenever i read those words. The power of words, that she is able to use when writing. I wish i were able to write
something as sinister as that, in order to capture my readers imagine from the first page.
I thought Hitchcock's take on the book was very good and very faithful to the book.

Daphne Du Maurier i feel, had open a can of worms as many books have kind of taken the two Mrs de Winter story, such as Angela Carter in her collection of short stories, 'The Bloody chambers'. However, 'Rebecca' has been strongly compared to 'Jane Eyre' as that too, has an element of mystery with not one Mrs Rochester, but two and not forgetting the fires at the end of each story. They have both been described as being 'romantic gothic' novels, which sounds about right, however, more so for 'Jane Eyre' rather than 'Rebecca'

Not much happending in sunny old England, although i've no idea where the sun has gone??? I quite like it when its not too hot as then i'm unable to go out and do things. I get so hot and bothered, although when its really hot, i like nothing more than to grab a book and read. I get my pink plastic cup that i brought ages ago from Topshop and enjoy filling it up with refreshing cold drinks to cool me down. I love all sorts of drinks esp. water, nothing can compete with the taste of water when its so hot, as its the only drink i seem to crave when its 35 degrees.

Keep reading folks and if you haven't read 'Rebecca' then treat yourself to it and pass your views on it to me. I would love to hear what others have to say about it.