Byronette is a 20 year old frustrated writer currently reading for an English degree at St Anne's College, Oxford University. She is currently writing her first original play,
Some Kind of Beautiful and producing an adaptation of
The Great Gatsby, which she hopes to finally get the rights to perform some time during the next millenia. She spends most of her time (and money) going to, and being involved in, theatre. This is the reason why writing third-person biographies is one of her hobbies.
I'll stop being flippant and poncey now. All the above is true, though I should note that my college is not one of the ones used in the Harry Potter films - more fool them, tacky sixties concrete buildings being central to the Hogwarts aesthetic. I'll now bore you with my favourite pieces of literature:
The Great Gatsby F.Scott Fitzgerald. My favourite of favourites, just for being the most poetic, moving and troubling novel I've ever had the pleasure to read. And, clearly, Fitzgerald was the man.
The Waves Virginia Woolf. Woolfie is officially my favourite author and I love all of her novels, but if I have to pick one here it is, simply because it gave me Bernard.
The Remains of the Day Kazuo Ishiguru. When I first read this I wasn't sure how a 17 year old could ever connect to a Butler nearing retirement in 1953, but I did and God was it worth it. Fab film version too.
Little Women Lousia M Alcott. My favourite novel from the ages of 8-15 and one which I still have a rather large soft spot for. And it still makes me cry.
The Waste Land T. S. Eliot. A masterpiece that I doubt I will ever either i)get bored of or ii)fully understand.
Birthday Letters Ted Hughes. Always been more of a Plathite until I read this collection. 'The Visit' holds the distinction of being the only poem which has ever made me cry.
Via Dolorosa David Hare. Hare is my favourite modern playwright and this my favourite play (and favourite theatre experience ever). So a lot of favourites in this one.
Cloud Nine Caryl Churchill. A magical, profound and deeply moving play. Everyone should see it, not least for all of the songs it contains!
Copenhagan Michael Frayn. A 'what if' play that takes your morals and puts them in a tumble dryer. Or something to that effect.
Othello Will Shakespeare. Again difficult to pick just one but Iago is one of my favourite characters ever...yes you should be worried.
The Changeling Middleton and Rowley. Forget the subplot which pretty much sucks but the mainplot is, outside of Shakespeare and Marlowe, the best thing to come out of the period.
the Duchess of Malfi Webster. "I am Duchess of Malfi still" - need I say more?
Bent (?) A play (tragedy?) set in Nazi Germany by someone I cannot remember the name of. Holds the distinction as the only play which has made me cry hysterically.
I should probably also cite Oscar Wilde, Christopher Marlowe and Nick Hornby, all of whom rock.