Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Ort
Genres
Collection
Publication
Henry Holt and Co. (2014), Edition: First, 240 pages
Description
"Hilariously imagined text conversations--the passive aggressive, the clever, and the strange--from classic and modern literary figures, from Scarlett O'Hara to Jessica Wakefield. Mallory Ortberg, the co-creator of the cult-favorite website The Toast, presents this whimsical collection of hysterical text conversations from your favorite literary characters. Everyone knows that if Scarlett O'Hara had an unlimited text-and-data plan, she'd constantly try to tempt Ashley away from Melanie with suggestive messages. If Mr. Rochester could text Jane Eyre, his ardent missives would obviously be in all-caps. And Daisy Buchanan would not only text while driving, she'd text you to pick her up after she totaled her car. Based on the popular web-feature, Texts from Jane Eyre is a witty, irreverent mashup that brings the characters from your favorite books into the twenty-first century"--… (more)
Original publication date
2014-11-04
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User reviews
LibraryThing member deshanya
I received a copy of this book in return for a review.
Well, at least it's a quick read. The copy I received is obviously not the finished version. The formatting needs some work, as it's hit or miss whether a text bubble fully encloses its text or indeed if there is a text bubble at all. I also
I'd expected the book to be a humorous riff on classic literature and, to a certain extent, it was. But a lot of it wasn't that funny, and came out of nowhere. The Agatha Christie section? Which is less than a page and only about racism? The Hunger Games section? Which has nothing to do with them at all, only a play on words?
I also don't feel that all of the sections relate well with their source material.
Well, at least it's a quick read. The copy I received is obviously not the finished version. The formatting needs some work, as it's hit or miss whether a text bubble fully encloses its text or indeed if there is a text bubble at all. I also
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noticed some typos and misnumbering of sections, along with the table of contents being unnumbered.I'd expected the book to be a humorous riff on classic literature and, to a certain extent, it was. But a lot of it wasn't that funny, and came out of nowhere. The Agatha Christie section? Which is less than a page and only about racism? The Hunger Games section? Which has nothing to do with them at all, only a play on words?
I also don't feel that all of the sections relate well with their source material.
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LibraryThing member LiterateHousewife
This book was just okay for me. I was anticipating that it would be a lot more amusing than it was. I don't have any strength in ancient classics, so I skimmed the first section almost in its entirety. I found I got bored in the relative short amount of texts associated with books I loved, like The
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Great Gatsby. The section on Wuthering Heights was the pinnacle of the book for me. I bought this book, but my suggestion is to check this out from the library. Show Less
LibraryThing member akblanchard
A one-joke premise is stretched beyond its breaking point in this mildly entertaining collection of imagined text messages from fictional and real-life literary figures. Some of these dialogs are more inspired than others, but all of the highlighted characters communicate in whiny voices that are
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more grating than humorous. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cariola
I've read a lot of serious fiction lately, so this was a nice break. It's the kind of book that you can pick up, read a few entries, and move on. I bookmarked my favorites as I went along to revisit down the road. Ortberg begins with a series of imagined text conversations from mythological
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characters (Circe, Dido, and Achilles, for example), then moves on to Hamlet, Jane Eyre, Great Expectations, William Faulkner, The Sun Also Rises, J. Alfred Prufrock, Daisy Miller, William Carlos Williams, and more. Be forewarned: you will need some familiarity with the original in order to catch the humor. This wasn't too much of an issue for me until the last entries, which focused on Children's, YA, and some pop novels which (with the exception of Nancy Drew) I hadn't read. The book includes fun drawings of selected characters. Overall, an enjoyable and witty escape. Show Less
LibraryThing member B00KAH0LIC
When I looked through all of the characters and authors listed within the book, I was excited to read this. It was mildly funny, but not as great as I expected it to be. It was a quick read, and I enjoyed some of the references.
LibraryThing member mt256
Funniest book of 2014!
Mallory Ortberg writes for The Toast, on online website, where she writes a feature called "Texts From." Basically it's a hilarious feature about authors, poets, writers, and characters from all the above and what they would probably text if they lived during the age of cell
This is the kind of book where you read silently to yourself while laughing out loud. Then someone asks about what you're reading, so you decided to read out loud to said person and they laugh. Others overheard and join in. Soon your solitude of reading turns into an event. But you don't mind because humor like this can't be contained withing the binding of a book.
This is a book that bibliophiles will get a kick out of. Everyone should add this to their bookshelf!
Mallory Ortberg writes for The Toast, on online website, where she writes a feature called "Texts From." Basically it's a hilarious feature about authors, poets, writers, and characters from all the above and what they would probably text if they lived during the age of cell
Show More
phones. This is probably the funniest book of 2014. This is the kind of book where you read silently to yourself while laughing out loud. Then someone asks about what you're reading, so you decided to read out loud to said person and they laugh. Others overheard and join in. Soon your solitude of reading turns into an event. But you don't mind because humor like this can't be contained withing the binding of a book.
This is a book that bibliophiles will get a kick out of. Everyone should add this to their bookshelf!
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LibraryThing member philae_02
This book came across my circulation desk last week, and I was very intrigued by the concept. Ortberg took the general theme/feel of the most popular classics and transformed them into text messages -- well as she imagined as how the characters would have texted. My absolute favorite was the texts
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from Wuthering Heights. The messages exchanged between Cathy and Heathcliff had me barreled over in laughter. I rated this book as only 3 stars because some of the lesser known classics were included, and I didn't know first-hand if the texts were supposed to be serious or funny. But it's worth checking out of the library regardless. Show Less
LibraryThing member lindseyrivers
Hysterical! I didn't follow all of the "conversations" because I wasn't familiar with some of the characters, but even then they were funny. I would say that she missed a couple of golden opportunities, it's a quick, fun read that will have you laughing.
LibraryThing member CareBear36
This book is hilarious.
The literature used is fairly diverse (Gilgamesh all the way to The Hunger Games). Some entries parody the actual book, others the author/poet, and others the characters of the book.
I think the test of a parody is if it's still funny even if you don't know the original
The literature used is fairly diverse (Gilgamesh all the way to The Hunger Games). Some entries parody the actual book, others the author/poet, and others the characters of the book.
I think the test of a parody is if it's still funny even if you don't know the original
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source. There are plenty of books included that I have not read, but the texts were still very humorous. For the most part, as long as you have a basic understanding of the author or story, you can get most of the jokes. Show Less
LibraryThing member rivkat
Ortberg is a founder of and writes a lot of the content on the Toast. These short pieces are Toast-like versions: what if Cathy and Heathcliff and the second Mrs. DeWinter and Hamlet all texted the other people in their stories? What if Medea kept pestering Glauce via text to urge her to put on her
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gift dress? If you like the Toast, then this might be a cute little book to have in your bathroom; it’s not really the kind of thing you want to sit down and read straight through. Show Less
LibraryThing member brittanygates
This was an incredibly funny concept. I missed some of the jokes involving books or plays I haven't read yet, but the sections on books I HAVE read had me cracking up. Hamlet and Wuthering Heights especially. The only thing I can complain about is the "interrupting" in some of the texts. No one
This book is the perfect gift for any English majors or book nerds in your life.
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really stops a text in the middle of the sentence to allow the other texter to interrupt with their own message, so I found that a little weird.This book is the perfect gift for any English majors or book nerds in your life.
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LibraryThing member philae_02
This book came across my circulation desk last week, and I was very intrigued by the concept. Ortberg took the general theme/feel of the most popular classics and transformed them into text messages -- well as she imagined as how the characters would have texted. My absolute favorite was the texts
Show More
from Wuthering Heights. The messages exchanged between Cathy and Heathcliff had me barreled over in laughter. I rated this book as only 3 stars because some of the lesser known classics were included, and I didn't know first-hand if the texts were supposed to be serious or funny. But it's worth checking out of the library regardless. Show Less
LibraryThing member MickyFine
Just what would Mr. Rochester text Jane Eyre if there were cell phones in the 19th century? This collection of imagined text messages between characters from famous novels as well as famous authors is a fun and funny read for any book nerd with a sense of humour. Some of my personal favourites
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among the exchanges are John Keats raving to a friend about a Greek urn, Nancy Drew and Ned texting between rounds of being tied up, Ron and Hermione discussing physics, math, and muggle credit cards, Elizabeth Bennett dealing with her mother's never ending texts. A fun and fast read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I think you have to have a better memory of all the literature you've read to really get a lot of enjoyment out of it. The stuff I've read recently and that is more ingrained in my brain made for the funniest texts.
LibraryThing member passwordisstilltaco
"Texts from Jane Eyre" is a humorous (re)imagining of conversations between literary characters from the ages, converted into the perfunctory, conspicuously grammatically challenged form of the text message that pervades our modern lives. When this book is funny, it is hysterical. When it fell
In any event, for the well-read, the book is a gem, a thoroughly enjoyable and light read. For those (like me) with who only "get" around half of the jokes, it is still worth the experience, but perhaps one that leap frogs the more obscure references for the more accessible.
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flat, it was primarily attributable to my missing the allusion fundamental to that particular exchange's joke. Unfortunately, for those allusions that I missed (or misunderstood), and then researched, the exchanges were simply not funny the second time around. Too much work, I suppose, for a punch line that's already revealed.In any event, for the well-read, the book is a gem, a thoroughly enjoyable and light read. For those (like me) with who only "get" around half of the jokes, it is still worth the experience, but perhaps one that leap frogs the more obscure references for the more accessible.
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LibraryThing member ashleyk44
Love the concept for this, quite a few of them were absolutely hilarious. I found myself skimming over the sections for books I haven't read myself, or wasn't familiar with the story line of (I know: shame, shame, shame). A few of them fell flat for me, but for the most part it cracked me up and
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managed to make me feel smart at the same time. As a die-hard Jane Eyre fan, one of my favorites: "WHAT KIND OF A NAME IS ST. JOHN" Indeed. A fun, quick read for literary types. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nextian
Mallory Ortberg's "Texts from Jane Eyre: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters" is a fun, quick read that any lit-geek will enjoy. It travels from Medea to Harry Potter and leaves nothing un-mocked. The texts are self-absorbed nonsense but, for the most part. true to
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character with a large side of sarcasm. I would recommend this to anyone who just wants to get away and laugh for a while. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I think you have to have a better memory of all the literature you've read to really get a lot of enjoyment out of it. The stuff I've read recently and that is more ingrained in my brain made for the funniest texts.
LibraryThing member CarrieWuj
Quick lawn chair read of clever collection of what famous literary characters might text to each other. Shows a thorough working knowledge of lots of literature -- not just classics, but also Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High, Hunger Games, and the Lorax. Sometimes it's a riff on an author and
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his/her style like William Carlos Williams, Agatha Christie, Cormac McCarthy. Sometimes references are a little obscure and sometime they nail it, so in that way the choices and the spin-off are a little subjective. Fun concept and an entertaining exploration. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I think you have to have a better memory of all the literature you've read to really get a lot of enjoyment out of it. The stuff I've read recently and that is more ingrained in my brain made for the funniest texts.
LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Ortberg’s book combines English major jokes with off-beat, Millennial humor. From Medea, Gilgamesh, Achilles, Dido, Plato, Circe, all the way to The Yellow Wallpaper, this compendium of witty and charming text messages from and to characters that we all know from history, great short stories,
Some excerpts:
- Hamlet texting HE'S NOT MY REAL DAD WHY DO YOU EVEN LIKE HIM
- Peeta texting Katniss about a "frosting emergency" while she's busy hunting.
- And Ron falling for a Nigerian prince scam because he doesn't understand how credit cards and technology work, resulting in an epic face-palm from Hermione.
This isn't a book I'd rush out and buy but if you happen to see it at your local library, pick up a copy to keep on your coffee table to look at while someone is watching a show you have no interest in.
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novels, plays, up to and including Nancy Drew, Hamlet and Wuthering Heights had me laughing. Her familiarity with Hamlet, Edgar Allen Poe, Rudyard Kipling, Macbeth, Daisy Miller, Katniss Everdeen, and of course, Jane Eyre, is such that she can satirize them all intelligently, in the cadence of the original work.Some excerpts:
- Hamlet texting HE'S NOT MY REAL DAD WHY DO YOU EVEN LIKE HIM
- Peeta texting Katniss about a "frosting emergency" while she's busy hunting.
- And Ron falling for a Nigerian prince scam because he doesn't understand how credit cards and technology work, resulting in an epic face-palm from Hermione.
This isn't a book I'd rush out and buy but if you happen to see it at your local library, pick up a copy to keep on your coffee table to look at while someone is watching a show you have no interest in.
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LibraryThing member being_b
I always enjoy Ortberg's humor, particularly when they combine it with obscure literary knowledge. I think each of these texts was quite funny alone, but the sameness of the schtick (historical/fictional figures are flaky pains-in-the-butt) wears after a while.
LibraryThing member zeborah
I clearly need to read more of the originals these conversations riff off of! The ones I do know are delightful - light and fluffy yet incisive commentary.
LibraryThing member roses7184
So this book was a ton of fun to read! I've always loved Mallory Ortberg's irreverent humor, and it translates in such an amazing way to Texts From Jane Eyre. If you ever wondered what your favorite literary characters would sound like via text, this a book for you. I giggled my way through pages
For those of you who don't read too many classics, some of your other favorite literary characters make cameos as well. In fact, if you've ever seen any of Mallory Ortberg's text conversations on Tumblr and laughed, this book is for you. It contains much more of the same, through the flying fingers of Ron Weasley, Scarlett O'Hara, and even Plato. I'm not sure what else I can say! It's a fun, quick read, and a great way to pass a few hours. Enjoy!
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of classic stories redone as text messages. I think my favorite was definitely Virginia Wolff's very long, very ranting text. I'll leave it for you to discover what she writes!For those of you who don't read too many classics, some of your other favorite literary characters make cameos as well. In fact, if you've ever seen any of Mallory Ortberg's text conversations on Tumblr and laughed, this book is for you. It contains much more of the same, through the flying fingers of Ron Weasley, Scarlett O'Hara, and even Plato. I'm not sure what else I can say! It's a fun, quick read, and a great way to pass a few hours. Enjoy!
Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
I think you have to have a better memory of all the literature you've read to really get a lot of enjoyment out of it. The stuff I've read recently and that is more ingrained in my brain made for the funniest texts.
Pages
240