Pride and Prejudic - An Eaternal Classic

By Jane Austen

I love this comedic Romance - which, of course, is entirely predictable. Every girl loves Pride and Prejudice. It's just so clever and romantic. Most of you know the story, but let us review anyway, shall we?

Elizabeth Bennet and her sister, Jane, are two very likable gals, despite their unfortunate relations. Elizabeth is witty and smart. She does not believe in marrying for money. Living in the era of Regency, in which you were only respected if you were rich/high in rank, this is not a very popular sort of attitude. She is considered the "odd duck" of the family, being sensible. Jane is also a lovely girl, and she is ready to think the best of everyone around her. When two rich young men come into town, (Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley) everyone immediately falls in love with Bingley, he being agreeable, enjoyable, and all-around very likable. Jane takes particular interest in him. Mr. Darcy, however, is twice as rich as Bingley, and ten times as disagreeable. Basically, everyone hates him and thinks he is proud, especially Elizabeth. No one has an any idea of Mr. Darcy's past, however, which is surprising and interesting. In the end, it turns out he is not so bad after all, and Ms. Elizabeth's opinions about him take a turn in the opposite direction ;)

A lot of you have read and enjoyed this as well as many other of Austen's books. They truly are brilliant.
I highly recommend the OLD BBC movie version of P&P (with Jennifer Ehle and Collin Firth.) I like it much better than the new version, but of course, that is only my opinion.

I rate it...um...#4.

Thank you kindly for reading. I am sorry it took to terribly long.

As always,
Lady Arwen

O Captain! My Captain

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!

by: Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up -- for you the flag is flung -- for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths -- for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Booklist - 2010

First off - Happy New Year, my fellow DC Geeks! Well, I figured that I would re-post the old booklist, to remind everyone of the books that should be coming up. Nothing is added or changed, because we want to finish this list before we start another. The books will be taken off as they are reviewed. Thanks for your comments and support, and let's hope that 2010 is a great year for Darles' Chickens!

The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
Little Britches - Ralf Moody
The Spectre Bridegroom - Washington Irving
Two Gentlemen of Verona - William Shakespeare
North to Freedom - Anne Holm
Pinocchio - Carlo Collodi

Thanks again!

~The DC Peeps

Pawn of Prophecy

Hey everyone!

Good news! I'm posting. Just kidding, that wasn't my news. My news is that I think I fixed our stupid Hindu translation problem. (I don't think they're Hindu, but whatever.) So yay! Things will be in English!

So anyway, a while back I read Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings. In a word... incredible. I was absolutely hooked. There are five books in all: Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's Gambit, Castle of Wizardry, and Enchanter's End Game - all of which are equally incredible. I read the whole series in about a week. I can't tell you much of the story because it would seriously ruin it. :( Basically, there are the good guys and the bad guys and they all have different powers and assets, and they end up in an epic battle and so on... if you've read fantasy, you've read that pattern before, I'm sure. This was a really fun book that included many personalities and many relatable characters. When I say relatable, I mean characters that you would want to be similar to. That is always cool. The books really draw you in and make you desperately connected to the adventures and fates of the characters.

If you need an awesome journey into a fantastical world, I would definitely recommend Pawn of Prophecy and the rest! Although these were fairly easy reads, if you are younger, I would have an older sibling read them first and make sure that all of the content is a-okay! I hope you enjoy! I really want everyone to read at least the first book so that I can make sure that I'm not just biased. Thanks!!

~Tony

5/5 Recommended

Benjamin Franklin

By Steven Vincent Benet

Ben Franklin munched a loaf of bread,
While walking down the street,
And all the Philadelphia girls
Tee-heed to see him eat.
A country boy come up to town,
With eyes as big as saucers,
At the ladies in their furbelows,
The gempmun on their horses.

Ben Franklin wrote an almanac,
A smile upon his lip,
It told you when to plant your corn,
And how to cure the pip,
But he salted it and seasoned it,
With proverbs, sly and sage,
And the people read "Poor Richard,"
'Til Poor Richard was the rage.

Ben Franklin made a pretty kite,
And flew it in the air,
To call upon a thunder storm that happened to be there,
And all our humming dynamos and our electric light,
Go back to what Ben Franklin found
The Day he flew his kite.

Ben Franklin was the sort of man,
That people like to see,
For he was very clever, but as human as could be,
He had an eye for pretty girls,
A pallet for good wine,
And all the court of France were glad to ask him into dine.

But it didn't make him stuffy,
And he wasn't spoiled by fame,
But stayed Ben Franklin to the end,
As Yankee as his name.
"He wrenched their might from tyrants,
And its lightning from the sky,"
and oh, when he saw pretty girls he had a taking eye.

The End

I love this poem! It's really cute. Go Ben Franklin!

Old Ironsides

THE frigate Constitution, which had figured valiantly in the history of the United States navy, and had won the famous sea-fight with the English ship Guerriere in the War of 1812, was popularly called Old Ironsides, and had won a warm place in the hearts of the American people. On September 14, 1830, the Boston Daily Advertiser announced that the Secretary of the Navy had recommended that the Constitution be broken up, as no longer fit for service. As soon as he heard this Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote his poem Old Ironsides, which appeared two days later. It immediately became a battle-cry; was repeated all through the country; and caused such a wave of feeling for the time-scarred frigate that the plan of dismantling her was given up, and instead she was rebuilt, and given an honored place among the veterans of the country's navy.

OLD IRONSIDES

by: Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894)

Aye, tear her tattered ensign down!
Long has it waved on high,
And many an eye has danced to see
That banner in the sky;
Beneath it rung the battle shout,
And burst the cannon's roar;--
The meteor of the ocean air
Shall sweep the clouds no more!


Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victor's tread,
Or know the conquered knee;--
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!


Oh, better that her shattered hulk
Should sink beneath the wave;
Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
And there should be her grave;
Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the God of storms,--
The lightning of the gale!


It's kind of sad, isn't it?

Tony D.

The Destruction of Sennacherib

Here is a poem to keep us occupied while Dewhurst is reading his book.

It is written by George Gordon Byron.

I believe Dewhurst just started his book, so her or I might post another poem before the next post.
Enjoy this poem. I like it a lot.

https://englishhistory.net/byron/poems/destruct.html

P.S. Has anyone posted The Lady of Shalott poem yet??