My favorite book of hers was the one (I'm pretty sure) published first, if not written first -- The House Next Door. Really chilling psychological horror with a great couple, great characters, and fabulous writing. Totally unlike anything else she's ever done. It was the one they made a TV movie of with Colin Ferguson and Lara Flynn Boyle, which was impossible to watch without screaming, "The Botox! Oh my god, the Botox!" about Boyle.

Actually, her first published book was a book of essays she'd done as a journo called John Chancellor Makes Me Cry in 1973, I think? And I'm pretty sure that Heartbreak Hotel came next, in '75 or '76. It was after that that she went the Southern gothic route for a good bit before turning to the Southern women's fic, which really is where she started sounding like she was writing the same book over and over.

Madame Bovine

Hee hee hee, AWESOME. Boy, did I ever hate that book.

However, I = Dana when it comes to Austen and Hardy. I just... I get that certain tragedies are cathartic and all, but oy, so much obsession with spiritual death and ruination of women.

Of the books I had to read for class, I loved Wharton (although I've thankfully never had to read Ethan Frome for class) and Henry James the best. Well, some Henry James. Tried as I might, I just couldn't go through The Golden Bowl.

Actually, her first published book was a book of essays she'd done as a journo called John Chancellor Makes Me Cry in 1973, I think? And I'm pretty sure that Heartbreak Hotel came next, in '75 or '76.

Oh, that's right! I'm not sure if I ever read Heartbreak Hotel.

Oh, that's right! I'm not sure if I ever read Heartbreak Hotel.

Oh... you must. I think the reason I like HH and Downtown the best of all her novels is because they cleave most closely to her own life experiences and I guess as such, they feel even more alive.

Heartbreak Hotel is the book that made me want to be a writer.

I get that certain tragedies are cathartic and all, but oy, so much obsession with spiritual death and ruination of women.

I guess for me, Hardy felt like he was raging against the class structure, and Austen feels like she's gently poking it while participating and accepting it.

Basically, with Charlotte,

Oh. Huh. In the bonus zombie edition, it IS a case or marriage or death for Charlotte. Actually, marriage AND death. She'd been bitten by one of the zombies, and basically doesn't want to be an old maid when she has to be killed and have her head cut off.

Henry James made me pull out a read pen and edit out all the repetitive language. And , as you all know by my selling and grammatical errors, I'm not that picky. It was just that slow going - so I noticed.

Oh, poor Charlotte. That's not nice. On the other hand, zombies.

Jilli, you own the book, or you borrowed it? Because if you own it, I MUST READ.