Daphne Du Maurier

[venusunfolding]

I did a search, and most of the threads about her were old or only had 4 or 5 posts in them. So I thought I'd start my own thread.

Who here is familiar with Daphne's work?

I always meant to read Rebecca after seeing it the movie mentioned in the documentary The Celluloid Closet. Then on the newest Tori Amos album in her song Jamaica Inn she mentioned both Rebecca and Jamaica Inn, so I bought them both.

I read Rebecca first and fell in love. The story, the characters, the setting, everything is just perfection. I found myself gasping out loud a few times, and couldn't put it down.

Jamaica Inn was equally wonderful. Again I raced through it, and found myself gasping out loud.

Her short stories are kind of hit and miss with me. Some of them are really good and others are just forgetable. I've read 3 of her short story collections; The Birds and Other Stores, Echoes from the Macabre, and The Breaking Point. One of the things I enjoyed about The Birds is the way the story really compliments the Hitchcock film.

The House On The Strand was an interesting read with the main character going back in time, but not being able to interact with anything, yet finding himself wanting to go back again and again.

The Parasites was a short novel. The characters weren't exactly likable, but Daphne's writing style kept me plugging along.

My Cousin Rachel is one of my favorites. It's classic Daphne with her writing style and suspense that keeps you wondering what is going on the whole time.

Frenchman's Creek is another favorite. I love how she mixes so many genres into one novel. There's action, adventure, romance, and mystery all in one book.

Myself When Young an early autobiography. I didn't really care for this one much.

Mary Anne started out really good, but sort of fizzled out at the end.

Progress of Julius - also another great read. I like how she can take even evil characters and make you interested in what is going on.

I also tried to read her first novel The Loving Spirit but couldn't get into it.

I think I'm going to start The Scapegoat next.

Like I said, I find her mixture of genres entertaining. Not to mention the way she writes her female characters. I find it off that woman writer would write female characters that are constantly wishing that they were male so they can go off and have adventures. Says a lot about the time she was writing in.

 

[G4G]

The only one I've read is Jamaica Inn, and I loved it (been past the place a few times, but never been in there). I have a number of her other books in my TBR pile, but I'll think I have to be in the right mood to read them. Can't quite explain what that mood might be though!

 

[Billy]

I saw the movie of Rebecca, but never read the book.

I've only read Jamaica Inn. What I liked most about it, which is rare for me, was her writing style. Normally I tend to get carried away with the plot and forget to look at other things in a novel, but since I actually had to teach this one I looked at it a lot more closely and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the way her descriptions of the setting/weather created the mood for the whole novel right from the beginning.

 

[veggiedog]

I want to read Rebecca. I wish my English teacher would just hurry up and make it required reading so I'm forced to read it. I have very little motivation without the incentive of a good grade (or a bad one).

 

[blueboatdriver]

I completely agree with all your points about Rebecca. I bought it for my wife as a Christmas present and she never picked it up so I thought I'd have a look; I didn't regret it.

 

[malena2006]

I love Rebecca

and I was happy to learn that Dame Daphne was inspired to write it after reading Jane Eyre, both are such outstanding works. I read Frenchman´s Creek when I was a little girl, but I cannot remembered it and I get confused with the two film versions (the one with Joan Fontaine and the one with Tara Fitzgerald). I also saw an adaptation of Jamaica Inn with Jane Seymour but I´ve never read the book.
My favorite Du Maurier novel is a rather unknown one called The Scapegoat. Has anybody ever read it?

 

[kalouk]

I really love Rebecca I have read it countless times. I picked it up in a charity shop one day and just thought it will be something to read, turns out it was my lucky day it is now my favourite book.

 

[Kraut]

I confess I love Rebecca and have never read any of "Daph's" other work. This is one of those books I read, and get completely lost in, at least once per year.

And wow - wasn't Charles Dance swank as Maxim? Swooning older gals, unite!

 

[Ronny]

I loved Rebecca, too, but still have not managed to read another of De Maurier's books. I really want to read My Cousin Rachael but have not yet. Rebecca I picked up on a whim and couldn't put down, I read it once a year or so.

 

[Thivya]

Not satisfied....

i read Rebecca when i was about sixteen and absolutely loved it but i read Jamaica Inn recently and i found it hard to get through. i hate not finishing books so i struggled through it but i thought there was far too much description (enough about the weather already!) and the plot was unconvincing and quite boring. i was quite intrigued towards the end but then the ending was so unrealistic and rushed...everyone else seems to have loved it tho

 

[Sitaram]

Thank you for such a well-written, informative post.

As a child, I remember seeing a novel by Daphne Du Maurier on my parents books shelf, which I never bothered to open and read. I did read "Good Morning, Miss Dove", by Frances Gray Patton, one of the first adult books I ever read. I only just now remember that. I did not realize until my google search that it was made into a movie, with Rifleman Chuck Conners no less!

http://www.nndb.com/films/413/000083164/



I went looking for one of Du Maurier's books in a used book store, without success.

I find in mid-life a growing nostalgia and curiosity for some of those books I never read, another of which is "The Green Bay Tree" by Louis Bromfield.

I was intrigued to realize that the title is Biblical, and that there is only one mention of green bay tree in the entire King James version, in Psalm 37:35, which says "I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree."

I must find and read something by Du Maurier and also by Bromfield, one day.

 

[Ronny]

I'm not sure where you are located but I find a lot of her books at charity shops and library sales. I've picked up The Glass-Blowers recently for less than a dollar.

I just noticed I misspelled her name above

 

[Sitaram]

Thanks for your concern. There is no urgency in the matter. I have no shortage of things to read. But, of late, I have Daphne on my mind. In the fullness of time, I shall find one of her books. I have even thought of applying for a library card. And I did not even think to search on-line for a text version.

 

[Sitaram]

Of all places to find this:

http://www.iran-daily.com/1384/2275/html/panorama.htm

Daphne du Maurier
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Born on May 13, 1907, Daphne du Maurier was the second daughter of Sir Gerald du Maurier and the grand daughter of George du Maurier. She grew up in London with her sisters Angela and Jeanne and was educated at home by her governess. She had a close relationship with her father and it was him who encouraged her when she began writing stories and poetry at an early age.

The du Mauriers visited Cornwall for holidays throughout Daphne’s childhood, but it was not until 1926 that the family decided to look for a second home there. Arriving in Bodinnick-by-Fowey from Looe, Daphne, her mother and her two sisters discovered Ferryside, the house that was to become their home.
Daphne loved Cornwall and spent time at Ferryside whenever she could, it was there that she wrote her first novel The Loving Spirit (1931).
It was followed by Jamaica Inn (1936), a historical tale of smugglers, which was bought for the movies, and directed by Alfred Hitchcock--later Hitchcock also used her short story ’The Birds’, a tense tale of nature turning on humanity.

Du Maurier is best known for Rebecca (1938), filmed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940. Orson Welles’s radio adaptation from 1938 also paved way for the success. The novel has been characterized as the last and most famous imitation of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre (1847).

Frenchman’s Creek, a pirate romance, was filmed in 1944. My Cousin Rachel (1951) was made into film in 1952. The story examined how a man may be manipulated by a woman, who perhaps has murdered her husband.
It was The Loving Spirit book that was to introduce Daphne to her future husband. Major Tommy (’Boy’) Browning was so affected by the book that he sailed to Fowey to meet the author. They fell in love and in July 1932 were married at Lanteglos Church.

During the first ten years of their marriage, Daphne only spent holidays in Cornwall but in 1943 while her husband was at war, she rented a house in Fowey called Readymoney and lived their with her three children.
Years before whilst out walking, she first discovered Menabilly, a house belonging to the Rashleigh family. She was fascinated by the place and now that she was living in Cornwall, she asked the family if she could rent the property. They agreed and in 1943, she moved into the house which was to provide inspiration for much of her writing.

When the lease on Menabilly expired in 1969 she moved to another house about a mile away. By now Daphne had lived in Cornwall for nearly 30 years and it was by continuing her writing she was able to overcome her disappointment that her husband, who died in 1965, was not with her in her last home.

Dame Daphne du Maurier died on the 19th April 1989. Throughout her lifetime, she wrote several novels and volumes of short stories, five biographies and her own autobiography.