What I Learned - I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith is a classic I have had in my "to be read" pile for a long time, and I am so glad that I read it.  its is absolutely beautiful!

What I learned:

 I take from this not to pre-empt what you think is going to happen because it might just dampen down your enjoyment of the things that do actually happen...the possibilities in your life are endless so why live out what you think might be the best scenario in your mind first, when it won't keep your mind open to those possibilities, and there is every chance what does happen could be a whole lot better than anything you could have imagined!

 Couldn't agree more - I ALWAYS bask first - and for as long as possible!

Again - true...makes you believe in something much bigger than yourself.

 Life should ALWAYS be too exciting to sit still for long!  Get out there and live it!  Grab every single opportunity that comes your way and don't ever miss out because you are sitting still letting the world and it's adventures pass you by!

 My theory is that it only stops things happening because you are so busy imagining what you think you want  to happen that you are missing all the wonderful, amazing, exciting adventures that are passing by right in front of you!

Yep... take note of the things that are actually happening and be grateful for every moment you live...be in the moment, and see the joy in that, don't always be striving for that next thing that you think is going to make you happy!  Be happy now!!  What will be will be!

How amazing would the world be if more people realised this simple fact...it is absolutely the loving that counts, not the being loved in return.  Be kind, love people, let them know how much you care and I promise you, you will shine! 

Don't dwell on the past, always keep your present real and try and notice everything!

Well I couldn't not quote this part really now could I...for me the thing I lose myself in is books (how would you ever have guessed ;-) ) 

 Completely true in my experience.  I know if I am "suffering" I tend to just "suck it up" and "deal with it" but there is nothing worse in life than that helplessness you feel when someone you love the bones of is really suffering, and you would do anything to take their place, but know that life just doesn't work that way.

Life will always teach you all the best lessons there are...but make sure you pay attention!

About the author...taken from Dodie Smith's author page on Goodreads...

Born Dorothy Gladys Smith in Lancashire, England, Dodie Smith was raised in Manchester (her memoir is titled A Childhood in Manchester). She was just an infant when her father died, and she grew up fatherless until age 14, when her mother remarried and the family moved to London. There she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and tried for a career as an actress, but with little success. She finally wound up taking a job as a toy buyer for a furniture store to make ends meet. Giving up dreams of an acting career, she turned to writing plays, and in 1931 her first play, Autumn Crocus, was published (under the pseudonym “C.L. Anthony”). It was a success, and her story — from failed actress to furniture store employee to successful writer — captured the imagination of the public and she was featured in papers all over the country. Although she could now afford to move to a London townhouse, she didn't get caught up in the “literary” scene — she married a man who was a fellow employee at the furniture store.

During World War II she and her husband moved to the United States, mostly because of his stand as a conscientious objector and the social and legal difficulties that entailed. She was still homesick for England, though, as reflected in her first novel, I Capture the Castle (1948). During her stay she formed close friendships with such authors as Christopher Isherwood and John Van Druten, and was aided in her literary endeavours by writer A.J. Cronin.

She is perhaps best known for her novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians, a hugely popular children's book that has been made into a string of very successful animated films by Walt Disney. She died in 1990.

Find pages for Dodie Smith on:
Amazon
Goodreads
Penguin Vintage

I Capture the Castle has also been made into a stage show in recent years!

Don't forget to v;ick through to my Dodie Smith Reading List.

I hope you enjoy this post!

Happy reading!