Book 98, 2017
Nov. 29th, 2017 06:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chez_jaeThe book I finished reading last night was quite a departure for me. It was Emma Lou - Her Book by Mary M Mears. The book was published in 1896, and it read like a diary written by teenage Emma Lou Hansen. This is not something I would ordinarily read, but I had planned to meet a friend for dinner after work, but I had some time to kill first. I had good intentions of taking my work book with me to read, but I forgot it. So, I went to a local resale shop to browse, and I happened upon an old book in the children's books section. I think I was much more pleased to buy a book from 1896 for $2.00 than anything. Ha ha! However, I began reading it that evening while waiting for my friend, and then I kept it in my desk to read if I ended up staying at the office for lunch. I only had one chapter left, which is why I brought it home last night to finish.
As mentioned, the book read like a diary, written by our intrepid heroine. Emma Lou is a fifteen year-old girl, from a family of modest means. She's smart as a whip, though, and when a local school district asks her to fill in teaching its students, Emma Lou jumps at the chance. She is soon discouraged by the sad state of the school house, and when a good storm destroys the building, Emma Lou is relieved to be rid of the job. From there, the narrative rambles along, telling bits of her life, including her travels to Lanark to visit an aunt, and a competition she deliberately lost so that another girl could win, to her next job of copying sermons for a local pastor.
Emma Lou is too serious by far, but she's an earnest young woman, and she has a keen sense of right and wrong. Initially, I thought to read the book as a lark, but I actually found it interesting. It was fun to read about traditions and chores and fashions, as well as Emma Lou's first communication via telegram. In short, it was quaint, but quite delightful.
Favorite line: "How appropriate that they should be called 'old maids', for have not the natural hopes of both been blighted?"
"Oh no," I returned, "Most old maids are old maids because they refused to have their hopes blighted."
:D
Surprisingly good read, four stars:
****
As mentioned, the book read like a diary, written by our intrepid heroine. Emma Lou is a fifteen year-old girl, from a family of modest means. She's smart as a whip, though, and when a local school district asks her to fill in teaching its students, Emma Lou jumps at the chance. She is soon discouraged by the sad state of the school house, and when a good storm destroys the building, Emma Lou is relieved to be rid of the job. From there, the narrative rambles along, telling bits of her life, including her travels to Lanark to visit an aunt, and a competition she deliberately lost so that another girl could win, to her next job of copying sermons for a local pastor.
Emma Lou is too serious by far, but she's an earnest young woman, and she has a keen sense of right and wrong. Initially, I thought to read the book as a lark, but I actually found it interesting. It was fun to read about traditions and chores and fashions, as well as Emma Lou's first communication via telegram. In short, it was quaint, but quite delightful.
Favorite line: "How appropriate that they should be called 'old maids', for have not the natural hopes of both been blighted?"
"Oh no," I returned, "Most old maids are old maids because they refused to have their hopes blighted."
:D
Surprisingly good read, four stars:
****
