“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again”
Daphne du Maurier. Rebecca
I do not know how I have managed to get through all these years of books and not have read Rebecca. I’ve known the opening line for as long as I can remember, but, have never read the book.
Well, dear friends, I finished it, just in time for our book discussion tonight. I’m looking forward to a good talk about the first Mrs. de Winter , the second Mrs. de Winter, who is the narrator, Maxim, Frank, and the horrible Mrs. Danvers. This atmospheric novel, where the reader can almost feel the fog roll in, the water lapping the shore, the presence of the deceased Rebecca, is sure to make for a lively discussion.
Have you read Rebecca, seen the movie, or read any of du Maurier’s works?
This was one of my mother’s favourite books. I read it as a teen, and saw the movie, and found both totally engrossing. But that was a long time ago. Must be time for a re-read, once winter comes along.
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I can’t tell you how many have said Rebecca was either their mother’s favorite book or that they read it as a teen, Juliet. It seems to have that kind of lasting impression on readers. I don’t know how it passed me by, but I’m so glad I finally read it. Do read it again now as an adult and winter is the best time for reading it.
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This sounds like a wonderful book! Enjoy your book club, hopefully you won’t walk out the door into several inches of snow!
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Home now for about an hour and beat the snow, Janet. It was starting to sleet. I really enjoyed the book and recommend it.
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By the way, that photo looks like it may have been taken at Elijah’s!
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Aha! I can’t get away with anything, Janet. Yes. I was at Elijah’s enjoying a latte and read. June came in and we chatted away about Downton Abbey.
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Rebecca is one of my all-time favorite books. The characters leap from the page and breathe. Like them or not, she made them real.
Looking forward to what your group discussion yields.
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I enjoyed it so much, Andra, this being my first reading of Rebecca. They do, don’t they, and du Maurier did make them real, even the nasty Mrs. Danvers. We had a lively discussion; some had read it before, some several times, most had seen the movie, we all had opinions, and one had even read a sequel by another author that she enjoyed. It was a good gathering.
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I have not read Rebecca either. I need to fix that.
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I don’t know why I haven’t read it before, Janet, but so glad I did now. I think you would enjoy it. It is a gothic story, not unlike Jane Eyre. It moves along rather slowly at first, then really builds. I couldn’t put it down. My copy was a few dollars at a used bookstore, rather wrinkled and dog-eared and just the right size for putting in my purse. Your library should have it.
Sleeting here right now. No snow, yet.
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Oddly, this is a book that I can’t remember whether I’ve read or not. I think I may have as a teen, but having seen the film the plot is so familiar I’m not at all sure. At some stage I’ll read it and see, as I know it’s a first class read.
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It is a really wonderful read, Cath, a bit slow to start and then I couldn’t put it down and kept thinking, why haven’t I read it before? I now need to see the movie.
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It’s one of those book we all think we have read…. and have probably only seen the film. I had a boss once that we used to call Mrs Danvers behind her back…. a cold and unpleasant woman. Hope the session discussing it went well. Janice.
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Oh, Janice, she must have been quite nasty a person. None of us liked Mrs. Danvers one bit. We had a lively discussion that certainly extended the pleasure of reading the book.
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My favourite du Maurier – reread it about six months ago and it was as glorious as the first time around 🙂 Hope your discussion was fruitful!
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That is so good to hear as I do want to read it again at some point. We had a good discussion, which always enhances the reading experience. I have The House on the Strand teetering on a shelf and may try that next. Sigh. Too many books, too little time.
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Yes, yes, yes! I have loved Rebecca and other du Maurier books for a very long time. My grandmother gave me several of her volumes when I was in high school and I read them and read them again! I saw the move over and over again, too. I read “My Cousin Rachel” when I was about 15 and announced to my family that they were to call me Rachel after that…Debbie was so common then. They indulged me for a while. LOL! As much of a reader as you are it’s funny that Rebecca didn’t bubble to the top before, but I’m so glad it did. Do share about your book group’s response, Penny! Can you hear my enthusiasm? LOL! Debra
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How wonderful to have some du Maurier volumes that were your grandmother’s, Rachel (couldn’t resist that one). Your grandmother must have read them as well. I’m incredulous that “Rebecca” has escaped me for so long and grateful to have finally rectified that. It starts so slowly and then suddenly takes a turn I did not expect (and then more turns). We had an enthusiastic discussion. It is always enlightening to hear what others pick up in a story, and that happened with a few of the details, the clues early on when Maxim and the second Mrs. de Winter come to Manderley.
I wonder if Rebecca is one of those books, like Little Women, that gets handed down through generations?
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I, too, read as a teen….think my Mom may have been the person who recommended it. I remember that I enjoyed it so much that it launched me into reading others by du Maurier during those days. I’m sure re-reading is in order.
On another note, I picked up ‘The Woman in Black’ at the library late Wednesday morning (per Kate Shrewsday’s post awhile back) and read it in two sittings! I’m still a bit goosebumpy this morning! 🙂
Cannot imagine life without books!!
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A few friends have the same recollection of first reading Rebecca after having it recommended by their mom as a teenager. My mom wasn’t much of a reader, but I have many of my father’s books. I do wonder how many came to this book through moms and grandmothers – of a high school English Lit requirement. I loved English LIt, but, Rebecca wasn’t one of the books on the teacher’s vitae.
I remember Kate’s post on The Woman in Black and have it on my booklist. Two settings you say? I should get to that soon. Kate always inspires.
Amen!
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I read “Rebecca” 18 years ago in my book club. It was the second book we read right at the start of the group, which is why I remember it so vividly. And I loved it! The characters and the ambiance Du Maurier created! What a classic tale. I can’t believe my book club is 18 years old, gasp! Time flies…
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Isn’t it wonderful to be in a book group for so long, Sunday? We remember our first books so well. Our group is now 24 years old. Where did the time go? Reading books, of course. Rebecca is such a classic and as I’ve mentioned to others, I can’t imagine why it has taken me so long to read it.
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Hello Penny,
So happy that you found “Rebecca”, a better late than never event. The movie is black and white and a classic you will adore. “My Cousin Rachel” is not as chilling but still a thumping good read. I also had a Mrs. Danvers as boss. She was the Director of Nursing and could appear out of nowhere at just the wrong time, with no sense of humor, and constant disapproval. Whew, am glad those days are behind me!
Have a happy weekend and stay cozy.
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Oh, dear, that’s two of you who have endured a Mrs. Danvers as boss. She seems to carry the same stigma as Nurse Ratched. I’m anxious to see the movie now, Marilyn.
You too, Marilyn. We’ve had some snow, but, not as much as predicted.
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I adore it: one of the best books I have ever read. It is one of my comfort books, along with Jane Eyre….thanks for the lovely reminder, Penny 🙂
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I agree, Kate, and from what I hear, it gets better with each reading. You are quite welcome.
I just came home with “The Thirty-Nine Steps”. Your influence reached far across the big pond.
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Dear Penny,
I’ve never read the book nor seen the movie. Like you, I knew the famous first line, but have gotten no farther than that. Now I see you are pointing me toward a new reading experience—-again!
Peace.
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It is a fabulous read, Dee. I’m happy to point you to it. As you can tell by the comments, anyone who has read Rebecca, or seen the movie, have wonderful things to say about it.
When you asked about the second book in the Little House series, I may have given you the wrong one. Little House in the Big Woods is followed by Little House on the Prairie then On the Banks of Plum Creek. Hope you will enjoy them no matter the order. Of course, there are several more after these.
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I’m another who has never read ‘Rebecca’, though I’ve seen the film more than once. Quite why I haven’t read it, I don’t know, as I’ve read others by du Maurier. Just too many books out there, i guess. Another for the library list. 🙂
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Sometimes books just wait for the right time to be read. That’s my excuse for why it took me so long to read it.
I think some of our reading habits come out of our learning experiences and how teachers introduced us to books, as well as what books they introduced us to. I had a wonderful English literature teacher in high school. He was more into Shakespeare and Dickens, but, he was also the teacher who took us our class the opera to see Carmen. Oh, how I loved it. I think it was a rehearsal and Carmen just didn’t fit in with English LIt, but, oh what an early experience that was.
From Rebecca to Carmen – I do ramble at times.
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Yes yes and yes! I loved this book and now I want to read it again (Kindle here I come.)….. Your sentence about having known the first line forever although you’d never read the book reminds me of my personal reading goal: I’m trying to read all the books I know “all” about — could tell you who wrote it, what it’s about and maybe quote the first line — but actually have never read! (I read Moby Dick last year. And Great Expectations. And some Willa Cather. My list is eclectic!)
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What an exciting reading goal, Sallie, and those are two long and challenging adventures for you to have read last year. Some books become a part of our psyche through movies and storytelling and we come to find we’ve never read them. I knew a woman, a principal in our school district, who set about reading all the Pulitzer Prize winning books upon her retirement. The newspaper even did a feature on her. Let me know how you do with your quest, Sallie, and thank you for sharing it.
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As far as I know, I’ve read every word Daphne du Maurier’s ever written. I like her that much. I loved Frenchman’s Creek and Jamaica Inn.
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Something for me to aspire to, Debbie, reading all of Daphne Du Maurier. I really enjoyed Rebecca and mean to read more of her soon.
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