Emma & Becoming Jane Austen

According to Jane Austen, her most favorite book is "Emma" which is about three girls, trying to find their real love in the village of Highbury in England they are living.

Emma is 21 years old, beautiful and privileged young woman. She is living with her father and neighbours; Mr and Mrs Weston, Mr George Knightly, Jane Fairfax, Harriet Smith, Mr and Mrs Elton, Mr Frank Churcill and Miss Bates.

She likes matchmaking, but not for herself. She never thinks to marry, but the book has a happy ending as usual in Jane Austen style :)

It is really enjoyable for me to read old English conversations, manners and thoughts-and also listen to English accent.

Jane Austen is one of my favorite writers.

Yesterday, I watched "Becoming Jane Austen" with the cast Anne Hathaway and James MacAvoy. It is good to watch a part of Jane Austen's life, but indeed I did not like the movie so much. I think it is a little bit uninspired or facile. I am sorry...

but thank you Jane Austen... :)

Farewell / Tur: Veda

Turkish cover:English cover:

This book is from a Turkish woman writer, Ayse Kulin.

A Mansion in Occupied İstanbul Best Novel Award 2008.

It is a historical book, telling about the last days, collapse of an empire; Ottoman Empire.

On the other way, a new country, Turkey, is almost born by the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

A family in Istanbul, telling about both their lives and country stories.

I like my country's historical novels with diffrent feelings.

I can smell the soul in them...

If you would like to learn more about a historical big Empire's past, you have to read this book.

I, Mona Lisa

1478, april...

middle of middle ages...
medici's; the family who had started renassaince, had very dark clouds hanging over...

a horrible murder, a big love, lots of betrayals, ignorance...

florence...

very far away from today's touristic, shining life...

art was forbidden, "black death" was everywhere, the city's name was called one of the biggest sins.

people who liked arts, were being killed or burned.

the city was locked inside through the life outside...

a woman.

mona lisa.

her destiny was bloody, painful but passionate, standing against the destiny, bold..

and leonardo.

indulges in art.

risked everthing for art.

and that painting.

a smile; hundreds of questions inside.

I was impressed by this book when I read it.
Sometimes, I couldn't believe the igrorance and bigotry, which scared me. Most of the nights, I couldn't leave this book. Moreover, I dreamed about the book :)

If you like to read historical books, I can recommend this very proudly :)