The delusion that it was bright hot morning

The quotation I've used today comes from a novel I read a little while ago now; Fitzgerald's Tender is the Night. Now, it being bright hot morning (well, afternoon actually, but near enough!) when I took these OOTD pictures was not in fact a delusion, but rather a harsh, humid reality. Looking at these images, you're likely going to think the only delusion going on is whichever one I had in my head that convinced me to wear a scarf wrapped nearly thrice around my neck in the middle of summer. I don't really have a great answer for that, except that it is quite a light-weight scarf, so I wasn't completely boiling.

Scarf: Calvin Klein via TJMaxx; Watch: Fossil

Top: Forever 21; Skirt: Tommy Hilfiger; Shoes: Enzo Angiolini via TJMaxx

It was actually quite a lovely day today, so I ventured out to the library (yay!) to return my Faulkner novel and James short stories. In their place I am now in possession of the novel The Shadow of the Sun by A.S. Byatt. I've never read anything by Byatt before, and actually never intended to read this particular novel. I became aware of this author through my favourite novel, The Time Traveler's Wife. Texts that make reference to other works are really great sources when you're trying to find new material; I already knew how much I loved Niffenegger's novel so I figured the outside quotations she worked in were worth checking out. By the way, The Shadow of the Sun isn't the book I was aiming for. I'm hoping to get my hands on Possession (also by Byatt), but all of the copies are out. . . and have holds on them for when they're returned. I decided getting something else out by the same author would at least give me a chance to test-drive her work while I wait.

In the interest of continuing to forge ahead con il mio italiano, I picked up three Italian films as well. They are: "Il Generale della Rovere" directed by Roberto Rossellini, "Don Giovanni" directed by Carlos Saura, and "Il Deserto Rosso" directed by Michelangelo Antonioni. If you're interested in foreign films (which I think everyone really ought to be), keep checking back to my blog. I'll be putting up reviews as I watch these films, so hopefully I can give you a couple of new recommendations!


Do you look internationally when selecting movies or literature? If you live outside of North America, are there any great films from your country that you would like to tell me about? Provided I can find them online or in a library, I will happily check them out!


-C
P.S. I thought I'd get back into the swing of things with this OOTD and include a couple of coral pieces. The mustardy-yellow of my top is another of my favourite colours, and putting these two together was, I think, a happy accident!

It sounds just disgusting enough to be fabulous

Today's bizarre quotation comes from the TV show "Gilmore Girls." I realize this series hasn't actually been on television for several years now, but a few months back something made me think of it so I've been re-watching all of the seasons. It's actually incredible how much I want to be a Gilmore. Sadly, even if this were a possibility, I don't think I'd be accepted into the clan due to my general distaste for all things coffee; Starbucks' "pumpkin spice latte" may be helping me combat this issue though. Only time will tell.

Note the coffee cups.

In book news, I finished reading William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying this morning. I found it an extremely interesting read, but it's definitely one that I'll need time to think over. Some research would likely help as well since I really feel as though I didn't understand it entirely and am definitely not above seeking out the opinions of those that might have. Next up on the reading roster is Henry James' short novel The Turn of the Screw. I haven't started it yet, and I'm planning to wait to do so until tomorrow. Then I can sit outside in the sun which will hopefully help me be less freaked out by the story (I'm not sure what the novel's effect on me will be yet, but I'm hedging my bets). I can't directly apply today's quotation to James' novel, but allow me to slightly adapt it by stating that The Turn of the Screw "sounds just [creepy] enough to be fabulous." Mr. James has yet to let me down, so the forecast is looking pretty good.

Have any of you read it? Do you ever step outside your comfort zone with literature/film/television or do you find yourself falling back on old favourites? Between this ghost story and the Gilmore antics, I seem to be doing a little of both at the moment.

-C