For some reason I feel incredibly silly when I tell people the only television I've been watching for the last few weeks is Gilmore Girls. But I find the show well written, strongly woman-positive and strangely surreal (I mean, who wouldn't want to live in Stars Hollow?!?).
Rory, the youngest daughter character, is a committed reader
and is often shown in scenes reading or holding a book. Some internet citizen
with far more free time than I have collected a list of books read, shown, or
referred to on the series — nearly 350 of them. I'm only in Season Two right
now, but clearly there are many more books ahead.
My dear friend Gigi (who introduced me to Gilmore Girls in the first place)
downloaded the list and highlighted the books she's read; she tagged 77. Then
she passed the list on to me; I tagged 88. Some highlights from this process:
• My Hemingway list is hopelessly incomplete: I've read some
of his lesser-known books but have missed two of the major novels.
• Ditto Jane Austen: I've never read Emma or Northanger Abbey.
• I abandon too many books unfinished: I could have added
half a dozen books to my count if I hadn't given up (yes, I'm looking at you, Moby-Dick).
• B will love this: I need to make a more consistent effort
to read the books I already own, as doing so would have added another half-dozen
or so titles to this count.
• Thank goodness for my full-year undergrad Shakespeare
course, where I read a pile of Shakespeare's minor plays (this point applies to
the list and many other areas of my life, too).
• There are SO many books I want to read again. Working
through the list made me miss certain books the way I miss people.
Here's to TV writers and directors who are not afraid to
represent bookishness in a positive light. And yay, Rory! And thanks, Gigi!
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1 comment:
I've heard a lot of good things about Gilmore Girls; it's on my "I'll get to it eventually" list.
I read Northanger Abbey last year. It's not bad, but not as enjoyable as Austen's acknowledged great works.
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