Monday, July 28, 2014

Teaser Tuesday 228: The Bell Jar

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current book or recent read.
* Share a few "teaser" sentences from somewhere in the book.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!



I started The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath over the weekend for another classic group read. I wasn't planning on reading this one, then happened across a used copy in fairly good condition for less than a dollar. Here's a snippet from early in the book:



There is something demoralizing about watching two people get more and more crazy about each other, especially when you are the only extra person in the room.

It’s like watching Paris from an express caboose heading in the opposite direction—every second the city gets smaller and smaller, only you feel it’s really you getting smaller and smaller and lonelier and lonelier, rushing away from all those lights and that excitement at about a million miles an hour.

(Chapter two)




ABOUT THE BOOK:

Plath was an excellent poet but is known to many for this largely autobiographical novel. The Bell Jar tells the story of a gifted young woman's mental breakdown beginning during a summer internship as a junior editor at a magazine in New York City in the early 1950s. The real Plath committed suicide in 1963 and left behind this scathingly sad, honest and perfectly-written book, which remains one of the best-told tales of a woman's descent into insanity.




16 comments:

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

I read this one many years ago, and it is so memorable that I often think of it. Since I recently read the novel Pain, Parties, & Work, about Sylvia's summer in New York, I downloaded The Bell Jar for a reread. Eager to begin.

Thanks for sharing, and here's mine: “EVERGREEN”

Heather said...

Laurel-Rain: It certainly sticks with you. I hope you enjoy your reread. BTW, my comments keep going to your spam folder. Stupid WordPress! :-\

Sandra Nachlinger said...

I read this book ages ago, but I'd like to read it again from an older and wiser viewpoint.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and taking the time to leave a comment.
THE MOST UNSUITABLE WIFE.

Unknown said...

I can understand the feeling. Thanks for sharing this quote. I feel like I have something in common with the narrator. I must read this book.
Here's my teaser.
Kero @ Kero's Book Blog

Heather said...

Sandy: This is one of those books I somehow escaped both HS and college without reading, though I know one sister had to read it in HS. It's been an interesting read so far.

Heather said...

Kero: The feeling depicted in this passage resonated with me as well. Thanks for visiting!

I tried commenting on your teaser, and I see two people have somehow managed it, but when I click on "comments" it drops down to the bottom of the page where there is a large empty space and I receive no error messages, which tells me the problem is yours, not mine. ;)

Cleopatra Loves Books said...

I loved the Bell Jar and it is one of those books I've never forgotten. I do hope you enjoy it and get to have some good discussions. Thanks for visiting my TT http://cleopatralovesbooks.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/teaser-tuesday-july-29/

Anonymous said...

I've read this one before and it was wonderful. Thanks for the memories.

Mine this week is from a series mystery. http://wp.me/pZnGI-ae

Unknown said...

Great teaser . I have The Bell Jar on my TBR .
Thank you for stopping by my blog and commenting .

Heather said...

Cleo: I don't know if I'd say I was enjoying it, but it pretty good.

Heather said...

madamevauquer: I'm glad to hear so many liked this book. Thanks for visiting!

Heather said...

Jenny Q: Thanks for visiting - I hope you like this one when you get to it. ☺

Yvonne said...

I never did read this one. Great teaser, though!

Unknown said...

Oooh, sounds interesting.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Alice Audrey said...

I've read some of her poetry. Powerful, but I can't take that much of a downer for long.

Heather said...

Thanks, Yvonne!

PD: It was interesting, though depressing. I'm glad my posts went through, and apologize if you got it more than once. I'm really hating WP these days. >:(

Alice: I don't think I've read any of her poetry, but after reading this, I am inclined to believe it is quite similar -- excellent writing, but depressing.