Review: The Duchess

This weekend the Husband and I ate way too much pumpkin cheesecake, watched way too many episodes of The Office Season 6 (Confession: I teared up a bit when Jim and Pam got married), and dreamed way too much about owning lakefront property. We took a short trip to Kentucky’s Taylorsville Lake where we hiked, taking turns carrying The Bear on our shoulders while our feet crunched leaves underfoot. It was the perfect fall activity on a perfect fall day.

Nevertheless, as much as I enjoyed time outside with my two favorite people, occasionally I would feel a knot tighten in my chest. Ugh, why do I have such a sick feeling? I would wonder. Is this the Sunday Blues?

No, I soon realized, not the Sunday Blues, but a consequence of remembering the movie I’d watched the evening before: The Duchess, starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes.

In my scorebook, the first measure of a movie’s quality is whether or not I think about it a lot the next day. And while I consider The Duchess a good movie, I’m not sure whether I was thinking about it during our hike or whether my body was simply recalling the physiological reaction I had to the film. 

In short, this movie is painful to watch. Despite skilled actors and exquisite costumes, viewing it was pure agony -- largely because of the 18th Century, aristocratic, English society that forced Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, to remain in a loveless marriage. Her husband, the Duke of Devonshire, blames her for being unable to produce a son. (Creep! As if this were something she could control!) and screws just about anything that walks. In one scene he takes Georgiana to bed just after she has watched a naked woman flee his room. (For heaven’s sake, man, change the sheets and take a shower before bringing your wife to your already sex-soiled bed!) One of the most “painful to watch” scenes of the film is when the Duke rapes Georgiana. As she screams, servants move about in earshot, helpless to aid their mistress.

Yes, the double standards of this time are physically sickening to this modern woman. Georgiana was forced to accept her husband’s lover into their household but forbidden to continue a relationship with her true love, Charles Grey (or else, the Duke threatened, she would never see her children again). Early in the film, Georgina is presented with the Duke’s illegitimate daughter and chooses to raise the child as her own. In contrast, years later he forces her to give up a child she conceived with Grey.

This film is based on the nonfiction book, Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire by Oxford scholar Amanda Foreman, and because the film has left me hungry for more details about Georgiana’s life, I am certainly adding the book to my wish list. 

I wanted to watch this film largely because of my interest in aristocratic society during 18th and 19th Century England. Granted, this interest is not based on fact but fiction. I have been known at times to enjoy reading historical romance novels, specifically those written by Judith McNaught.  These guilty pleasures are most often set in the decades after Georgiana’s death, but involve characters who, like Georgiana, are members of England’s high society. Heroines often live a glamorous (albeit frivolous) life filled with fashion and parties, but very often find themselves hugely limited by the dictates of society -- much like Georgiana. 

But Georgina’s reality diverges quite sharply from these fantasy novels. For Georgiana there is no happy ending (at least not in the film), because she is unable to change her circumstances. Georgiana was imprisoned by her cruel, seemingly heartless husband, unlike the romance novel heroine, who might be imprisoned by social dictates, but is essentially set free by a kind, generous, powerful husband who (by the novel’s conclusion) is so in love with her that he will do anything to please her. 

I remember watching trailers of The Duchess when I still worked in collection development. (Librarians stay abreast of any upcoming book to film releases and, budget permitting, ensure there are plenty of copies when library patrons start asking for the book...Yet another reason why librarians are awesome!) Last week, when I added The Duchess to our Netflix instant queue, I recalled that the story did not end happily, but I presumed it was a love story, focusing on the relationship between Georgiana and Charles Grey. 

Just to be clear, this movie is not a love story; it is more of a hate story, focusing on the relationship between Georginia and her husband. So if you want a love story, consider checking out McNaught’s novels. (See my post script below).

Recommended for those who enjoy period pieces, who can tolerate British accents and unhappy endings, and who don’t mind experiencing the sudden urge to strangle Ralph Fiennes. 

If you have seen this film, I would love to hear your thoughts!

L@H

P.S. For those interested in Judith McNaught’s novels... My absolute favorites are:

Whitney My Love

Something Wonderful

Until You

Once and Always

Kingdom of Dreams

I think I’ve read most of these books three, if not four times. Be forewarned: McNaught's stories just might take over your whole existence. I haven’t read any of her books in years, because for me they are so transporting, so engaging, that whenever I’m in the midst of one, I seldom accomplish anything else! The Husband doesn’t really like this, and I can only imagine that The Bear and The Doodles would feel the same... If you are a JM fan, I would love to hear from you! For more information check out a fan’s website: McNaughtized.com

Plenty in the Season of Excess

The Bear meets a jack-o-lantern

Okay, so I know it's only October 11, but everywhere I turned this weekend, I saw people and places (myself included) gearing up for the holiday season. Pumpkin Pie. Newly hired seasonal retail staff in training. And me, thinking about what to get The Husband for his birthday next month.

And me, fortuitously scheduling a hair appointment in early December. (I always want a fresh haircut for all the holiday festivities, and I always think about it at the last minute. By then, my salon is booked solid, but this year it's in the bag. Score!)

Yes, the holiday season is just around the corner. Here in Kentucky it is unseasonably warm. And as much as I want to bring all my Halloween and fall decor up from the basement, I'm having trouble getting in the mood when it's almost 90 degrees outside. Is this weather indicative of global warming? Who knows. I think scientists can only point to longer-term climate shifts as evidence. However, a hot sunny day in October makes me think of our climate crisis and all the excess that has led us to this point. 

On Saturday, I went to Hallmark's Fall Ornament Open House, and as I was waiting to purchase my Switzerland Santa, I started thinking about the impending holiday season and making promises to myself about how I wanted it to go: 

I will not get too busy to enjoy it. I will not spend a weekend making five different candies only to give a little away and eat all the rest. I will not become a crazed shopper, studying the sale ads for hours, leaving the house at 6 a.m. just to beat the traffic and score all the good deals.

I will not! I will not! I will not!

Instead I will focus on quality time with my family. I will go to church every week of advent. I will shop early and gift wrap soon after. I will not get too busy to exercise. I will not bake too much, and above all else, I will not eat like it's my last month on earth!

Spring Mill

Yesterday I recalled these intentions for a simple, sane holiday season when The Husband, The Bear, and I visited the Pioneer Village at Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell, Indiana. This had been a frequent destination of my youth, and I was excited to share it with my family. I don't believe I've visited this village for the better part of a decade, and for the first time ever, I basked in the history of the place. (I probably have my stint as a local history/genealogy librarian to thank for that!)

The Husband kindly followed The Bear around the mill, showing her corn husk dolls and wooden toys. (Read: keeping her from doing any damage to herself and/or the place!) while I listened to a man in period garb discuss all the complexities of the engineering, all the time and sweat and money invested into a design that moved water from a creek to a wheel, that in turn moved other wheels, all to make one giant, 3,000 pound stone grind corn.

There's no doubt, pioneers had to devote a lot of resources just to complete what we would now consider simple tasks. This morning, without cutting down trees, building a mill, diverting a stream, and then slowly hauling a giant rock from North Carolina, I was able to grind a half cup of coffee beans in about 20 seconds. (And I didn't have to grow the beans myself, either!) Modern conveniences leave so much room for excess, and at times, I think I could be the poster child: Too much coffee, too much food, too much stuff! And then...during these final months of the year, it all goes even more overboard.

Still, this is my favorite time of year! I love the multi-colored leaves, the smell of pumpkin pie, the pleasure of a crackling fire. I love how it leads to Thanksgiving and then on to Christmas. I love the food, especially the sweets like bourbon balls and rocky-road fudge. And I love, love, love the shopping, love working my way through the mall crowds, eggnog latte in hand. I get on a holiday high, and I want to eat it all up before it's gone, which usually leaves me overstuffed, overwhelmed, and exhausted.

But this year, I'm hoping to be different. I'm hoping to be better. I will be tempted to overindulge and to overspend, but I'm giving myself one word to help me through this season: plenty. 

I have more than plenty, and this year, I intend to live like I know it.

L@H

Librarian NOT @ Home: South Dakota (Bibliography)

Books We Purchased BEFORE Our Trip

 The Husband ordered these two South Dakota travel books from Amazon, so I had no hand in their selection. It is possible there are better travel books on this area of the country...Regardless, these served us well, especially because we had assumed we would use our iPad to get directions and other information, but found the reach of our AT&T network somewhat lacking in the more remote parts of these hills. (Stupid city folk!)

What we really needed, that we could not find in either of these books or in any visitor's center, was a more detailed map of some of the smaller tourist towns, like Keystone and Custer.



South Dakota: An Explorer's Guide

About two days into our trip, I started referring to this book as the "good" book. (Not to be confused with the Bible, of course).

"Hand me the South Dakota book," I said to The Husband, who tossed me the book pictured below. I shook my head. "No, no, this is the bad book. Hand me the good book."

"I didn't realize one was good and the other was bad," The Husband answered...and he was right. This one really isn't any better or worse than the other; both have their own strengths and weaknesses.

Nevertheless, during our trip I relied heavily on this guide, largely because its contents were organized by town. So, for example, when we were passing through Spearfish, SD, I could turn to the section on Spearfish and find all the information on dining, lodging, entertainment, shopping, and family friendly activities right there in one place.

Had I been the one selecting the books, I might have bypassed this title, because it covers travel in the whole state of South Dakota and we were planning to spend most of our time in the Black Hills.  (I'm guessing I would have seen other options focused primarily on the Black Hills and assumed these might be more thorough.)

A few of the restaurant reviews made places sound a lot better than they actually were, but this might have more to do with the fact that The Husband and I, on occasion, have worried that we just might be  food snobs. Black and white photographs break up the text and offer readers a glimpse of the area. Recommended for travelers, particularly those who want an overview of the entire state.



Insiders' Guide to South Dakota's Black Hills and Badlands, 5th edition

Okay, so this book doesn't deserve to be called the "bad" book. Not at all. But as I alluded to above, the "good" book was organized by town, which I found useful, and this book was not, which made me a little nuts. In this book all the dining recommendations were in one chapter, all the attractions were listed in another chapter, and so on and so forth.

Nevertheless, by the end of our week in South Dakota, this book was my favorite. The dining recommendations were a little more in line with our tastes, and I really enjoyed the "Area Overview" and "History" chapters. I think this book's focus on the Black Hills and Badlands area gave the authors more room to go into detail. In addition to the historical and cultural overview, the book also informs those planning to move to the area with chapters on relocating, retirement, and child care. Furthermore, there is a chapter that discusses faiths practiced in this region of the country, including Christianity, Judaism, and Native American spirituality.

Recommended for those traveling or relocating to the Black Hills, particularly those with an interest in learning more about the region's culture.


Books We Purchased DURING Our Trip



Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West

I have to admit, I've never been all that interested in Native American cultures. I respect these cultures, but I've never wanted to sit down and read, read, read all about Native American History.

And then, something about this trip changed all that...I'm not sure what or why, but I found myself very interested and yearning to learn more. Of course, there was little time to delve into this while we were traveling, and although I wanted to visit the Wounded Knee Museum in Wall, SD, a pamphlet warned that its exhibits were not appropriate for young children. (I will have to spend some time on their webpage, which looks to have quite a bit of content.)

We were browsing the bookstore at Wall Drug, when The Husband pointed out this book and mentioned he'd like to read it. At the time, I had been skimming the back of 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, which also appears to be an interesting read. A few days later, we were at the Crazy Horse Memorial when I saw both books again. I wanted to purchase something in the gift shop (so we could do our part to support the organization). Naturally, I decided to buy a book.

I selected Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee because I knew The Husband would read it. In all honesty, I cannot say whether I will ever read either title mentioned above. (I do most of my reading before bed and am usually way too tired for anything too intellectually stimulating!) Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is currently on The Husband's nightstand, so I will have to give you his review (especially if I cannot provide my own).



Who Carved the Mountain?: The Story of Mount Rushmore

I bought this for The Bear  in the gift shop at Mount Rushmore. I wanted her to have a keepsake of her trip to this national monument, especially because she will not remember it. This book is not at all age appropriate for her now, but when she is in elementary school, it promises to be a tool for her to learn about this treasured monument and these four presidents. Unfortunately, the book does not address the fact that many Native Americans believed the white men who dynamited and carved into the Black Hills were defiling sacred ground...but I suppose Mommy will have to fill in those blanks.



America's First Ladies Coloring Book

This keepsake is another purchase at the Mount Rushmore gift shop. I have been known to store items like this in an archival box because... "I just know it'll be worth something some day!" (Yep, I'm that person. I also own President Barack Obama Paper Dolls). When I first showed this coloring book to The Husband he said, "No fair! You'll never let The Bear color in it." And he's right. I won't.


Books We Purchased AFTER our Trip
Film We Viewed AFTER Our Trip



Dances with Wolves

We instant-Netflixed this our first night home from South Dakota. All week we had come across information about the filming of this movie, and Kevin Costner's role in the revitalization of Deadwood, SD, so I wanted to watch it.

I had seen the film at some point in the early 90's when I was probably about 13, but the only thing I remembered was the hero and heroine riding off at the end.

I really enjoyed watching Dances with Wolves as an adult. The scenery and the story were beautiful. The three hours did not seem never-ending (as I have often heard it told!), but perhaps my experience was clouded by my post-vacation reunion with The Doodles, who snored peacefully in my lap the entire 180+ minutes.

During the opening credits I said to The Husband. "Well, is this a classic or is it going to be dated? If it's a classic, we'll really believe it's the late 19th Century. Otherwise, we'll be able to tell it was filmed in the late 20th Century."

Truth be told, there were a few cheesy, early 1990s kind of moments, and by the end, Kevin Costner is sporting a mullet, but this movie is definitely a classic. It is the kind of film you think about a lot the next day. I highly recommend a revisit for those of you who haven't seen it in a decade or two.

Librarian NOT @ Home: South Dakota

On a hiking trail in South Dakota's Custer State Park 

Last week, The Husband, The Bear, and I went on our first official family vacation in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. (Don't worry, The Doodles had a perfectly fine time at home with long, peaceful days, followed by evenings under the attentive care of a librarian pet sitter. In fact, now that I think of it, we've used two pet sitters since we got The Doodles and both are library folk. She says she wouldn't have it any other way, which I think is a little weird, but I admire her loyalty to the profession.)

The vacation was good and desperately needed by The Husband, who I think took one day off to go to Holiday World with the fam this summer, but otherwise had yet to take any vacation time in 2010.

Mommy confession: I found it a little frustrating to travel with a toddler. I missed reading on the airplane, taking the time to read museum and state park exhibits in their entirety, and taking at least one night to drink ourselves a little silly (which for me doesn't take much more than a couple beers!)

Still, I wouldn't trade the Bear for any of these little traveler's luxuries. And besides, The Bear has officially proved herself a super duper little trooper! She spent long hours on airplanes, in car seats, and riding in a backpack child carrier while we hiked. During the trip, she mastered three new phrases: "Get out," "Get down," and "Go home." I'm not sure whether she wanted to go to our house in Louisville or the cabin we rented in Hill City, SD... Her cutest moment was an inexplicable fear of pinecones, which The Husband somehow managed to transform into a love of the objects -- particularly The Bear's own "Baby Piney-Coney" that she carried with her for several miles the day we hiked our way up Harney Peak (which is the highest mountain east of the Rockies and west of the Swiss Alps).

Aside from the large quantities of time we got to spend together, my favorite part of the trip was all the wildlife we saw. There were buffalo from a distance:

The herd in motion at Custer State Park's Annual Buffalo Roundup.

And up close:

We spotted this guy roadside in Custer State Park. I guess he missed the round-up!

Not until this trip to SD had I ever seen so many deer:

Four deer grazing just a few feet from our cabin doorstep.

Deer crossing the road in Keystone, SD.

The Bear particularly enjoyed these little chipmunk-like things, which were not at all shy around humans! I was terrified that one would bite her and we'd be off in search of a rabies shot. After some quick Internet perusing, I remain uncertain whether these are called least chipmunks or ground squirrels (or both, or neither). They were much smaller than the chipmunks we have in Kentucky and Indiana, so we started calling them "chippy-mice," as in, "Look, there goes another chippy-mouse!"

The "chippy-mouse" in action

The Husband and I particularly enjoyed the prairie dog villages. These little critters were super cute and kind of reminded us of meerkats. We are still laughing about an incident we witnessed involving a pair of unleashed dogs that leapt through a fence to investigate a group of prairie dogs. The canines ran around, raising hell, while their owners yelled, "Elvis! Jellybean! Get back here!" Thankfully, no one was hurt, not Elvis or Jellybean, and not one single prairie dog.

White prairie dogs at Prairie Homestead in Philip, SD.

All week, I had hoped to see some bighorn sheep, probably because my high school mascot was the Ram. (Go PHS!) The road leading into Hill City had signs alerting drivers that bighorn sheep might be present. We never saw any along this stretch of road, but on our next to last day in South Dakota, we spotted one:

A male bighorn sheep, grazing roadside at Badlands National Park. 

Our most unique encounter was perhaps the "wild" tiger we photographed on the hiking trail:

In all seriousness, the most unique aspect of this tiger is that he actually made it home with us! There were many, many occasions when The Bear tossed him down onto the trail, and only sometimes did she alert us to this fact: "Ah-oh, Ah-oh! Tider! Tider!"

One of the nerdiest things I started doing when we go on vacation is find the local library and get my picture taken with the sign. Here is my South Dakota shot:

Our week away was fun and memorable, but it was also really good to come home! The Black Hills are beautiful, and I recommend you add them to your travel wish list if you've never seen this part of the United States.

L@H

P.S. Most of these photos were taken by The Husband. Some were even edited by The Husband. If you are curious about the identity of the photographer, ask yourself: Does this photo look like crapola? If the answer is yes, then it is probably one of mine. However, if the answer is no, then it is most definitely one of The Husband's.