Decorating a Room of One’s Own: Conversations on Interior Design with Miss Havisham, Jane Eyre, Victor Frankenstein, Elizabeth Bennet, Ishmael, and Other Literary Notables

by Susan Harlan, Becca Stadtlander (Illustrator)

What would Little Women be without the charms of the March family’s cozy New England home? Or Wuthering Heights without the ghost-infested Wuthering Heights? Getting lost in the setting of a good book can be half the pleasure of reading, and Decorating a Room of One’s Own brings literary backdrops to the foreground in this wryly affectionate satire of interior design reporting. English professor and humorist Susan Harlan spoofs decorating culture by reimagining its subject as famous fictional homes and “interviews” the residents who reveal their true Lady Macbeth’s favorite room in the castle, or the design inspiration behind Jay Gatsby’s McMansion of unfulfilled dreams. Featuring 30 entries of notable dwellings, sidebars such as “Setting Up an Ideal Governess’s Room,” and four-color spot illustrations throughout, Decorating a Room of One’s Own is the ideal book for readers who appreciate fine literature and a good end table.

Genres: Nonfiction, Books About Books, Humor, Interior Design, Classics, Essays, Art

208 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2018

About the author

Susan Harlan is a writer based in Winston-Salem, NC, who is particularly interested in the relationship between place, memory, and objects. Her essays have appeared in publications including The Guardian US, The Paris Review Daily, Guernica, Roads & Kingdoms, Racked, The Morning News, The Awl, Curbed, Atlas Obscura, Nowhere, The Common, Literary Hub, The Bitter Southerner, The Brooklyn Quarterly, and Public Books.

Susan writes about feminist issues for venues such as Jezebel, The Toast, The Feminist Wire, DAME, Skirt!, The Establishment, The Manifest-Station, The South Carolina Review, The Belladonna, Queen Mob's Tea House, and The Hairpin. She also writes satire for McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Avidly, Janice, The Synapse, and The Billfold.

She holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from New York University and an M.A. in early modern English theater history from King’s College London, and she teaches at Wake Forest University. She has given talks about death culture, war and militarism, and the life of objects at the Morbid Anatomy Museum in Brooklyn, the New York Public Library, and the American Library in Paris. Her book Luggage was published in the Bloomsbury series Object Lessons in March 2018. And her book Decorating a Room of One's Own, a humorous mash-up of home design reportage and literary homes based on her column for The Toast, was published by Abrams in October 2018. She is obsessed with her house, which has been featured on Apartment Therapy and HGTV.com.

Reviews

[Dee (in the Desert) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars! What a great premise for a book! It’s HGTV-style for readers, as we look at famous literary abodes and interview the MC’s on their “decor style”. From four of Austen’s Regency residences to Dracula’s castle, Gatsby's party mansion and Streetcar named Desire’s NOLA walk-up, everyone will find at least one classic favorite here! SO FUN!!

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get past the first chapter. The author has no sense of a character's voice. Everything felt like alternate universe. Elizabeth Bennet would never talk the way the author wrote her as talking. Elizabeth was made to sound so self-important and insipid. She would never air her grievances against her sisters to a reporter and call them (repeatedly, as if no other synonyms existed) "idiots." Has the author ever read Pride and Prejudice?

This book was a huge letdown. What could have been fun and clever was very poorly executed.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quirky fun book, and great nostalgia for lovers of the now-defunct Toast website.
Former Toast contributor Susan Harlan, has imagined decorating and interior design advice from major literary characters like Miss Havisham and Marilla from Anne of Green Gables.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun. I would recommend skipping the introduction, as it establishes the author as completely insufferable as a person and will prejudice you against the rest of the book. The meat of the book itself is very fun and witty, if occasionally a little too in love with its own cleverness. Also, the chapter on The Yellow Wallpaper mystifyingly attributes the short story to Charles Gilman Perkins, rather than Charlotte. I really can't figure out why and it seems like a glaring mistake for something that models itself as feminist. Anyway, it was still very enjoyable.

[Kristi Jett · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never finished this book. I attempted to push through it, but I couldn’t force myself to waste any more time on it after half way. This was my first time reading anything by this author, so my expectation was for something completely different. Rather than an entertaining tour of fictional homes with furnishings characteristic of the time period, the author decided to yank every character out of their setting and critique them with a 21st century mindset. She spends the majority of her time offering sarcastic interpretations of books themes and characters with occasional remarks about furniture. The characters “interviews” in no way reflect characters from the actual books.

If you are looking for a humorous and modern spin on classics then this may be a book for you, but if you are expecting a book about decor from different classical books with the characters acting like themselves, then don’t waste your time.

[Mind the Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Återbesöker den här nu efter flera slumrande år, då jag har ett nyetablerat Room of One's Own i the Creative Quarter nere i Kent. Har bestämt att läsa en bit varje gång jag är där.

Så slagfärdig humor i nästan varje mening. Brideshead var toppen och igår läste jag texten om Gatsby och hans "desperately sad McMansion of unfulfilled dreams". Little Women är med, likaså Anne på Grönkulla, The Yellow Wallpaper, Wuthering Heights och Jane Eyre.

- - -

Ytterligare en tid gick, och det kanske är så den bör läsas. Fullproppad med anakronismer, ironi, parodi och ren sarkasm, om t.ex. att brodera kuddar och vara fast i en patriarkal eller kolonial struktur. Skickligt inflikade referenser till Grey Gardens eller absurda nutida inredningstrender, industriellt... millennial pink. Mind the mash-up!

[Kristie Lock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of “interviews” with the owners of literary houses, palaces, ships, etc. What a fun little book.

The Interludes between chapters were so creative. My favorite...King Lear and Boo Radley discuss being “Outsider Domiciles.”

[Renee Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, it was great and so interesting. I love how witty it was. Great little book!!!

[Colette]

DNF.
I've been eagerly anticipating sitting down with this book but was deeply disappointed. It isn't clever or even particularly bookish, the author just uses beloved books as a convenient vehicle for her snarkiness and general negativity. Not at all my cup of tea.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many sneaky references to books outside of the main ones covered. The first few entries are kind of gimmes but it just gets better and better from there. She covers many famous novels with an intimate and critical expertise. She can simultaneously make fun of them and of us - the pop cultural and pop political "us" of now. I really found it very enjoyable and very clever.

[Temperance · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really disappointed with this one.
Rtc.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quirky and fun.

[Olivia Ambrose · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's an interesting concept, but I did not like the execution. I was bored and skimming the whole thing.

[Marie McWilliams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author kindly gifted me this book in exchange for an honest review.
The basic premise of this book is so original and charming, I’m genuinely obsessed with it.  Imagine an interior design book, where instead of interviewing designers or celebrities about their home style inspiration, it features interviews with some classic literary characters.  People such as Dracula, Jane Eyre and Elizabeth Bennett open the doors of their homes and castles and give the reader insight into their interior design choices, where they get their inspiration from and what their favourite features of their homes are.  It includes tours of famous literary residents such as Pemberley, Victor Frankenstein’s laboratory and Jay Gatsby’s swinging pad, all the while littered with references and quotes from the books and insight into the characters featured.
I think it’s obvious from my introduction that I just adored this book.  It has such a wonderful sense of humour, one of my favourite moments being Miss Havisham from Bleak House, who when referring to the author who wrote her such a depressing storyline stated, “He really put the ‘Dick’ in ‘Dickens.'”  It is littered with little ‘inside’ jokes between the reader and the characters which had me literally laughing out loud.  Every ‘tour’ and ‘interview’ was a little trip down memory lane as I remembered the books I have read and loved in the past, some of which I haven’t picked up in far too long.  It renewed my love of classic literature and as a direct result, there are now multiple re-reads on my TBR pile.  Indeed, there are some classics referred to in the book which I have never taken the time to read but after reading this book, I definitely plan on doing so.
The book is divided into chapters covering specific types of domiciles, everything from ‘Ancestral Estates’ and ‘Crazy Castles’ to ‘Cottages, Cabins and Hovels.’ Whether you live in a big house or a flat, or even castles, ships or wardrobes- there is style inspiration for everyone.  Dotted amongst these main chapters are little funny interludes, like the witch from Hansel and Greteldiscussing decorating with the Mama Bear from Goldilocks and the Three Bears.   Whatever your favourite books are, Susan has it covered.
It is beautifully illustrated by Becca Stadtlander (I mean check out that drool worthy cover), with images from each resident adorably featured in each interview.  Highlights include paintings of Dracula’s coffin, the Gingerbread house from Hansel and Gretel, the wardrobe from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and a full page illustration of Pemberley.  I love the classic style of the images, which for perfectly with the books theme.
Susan Harlan is a great writer and it’s clear how much time and research she put into each character and each interview.  She obviously re-read every single book featured as each interview perfectly captures that particular book and character, whilst giving it a humorous, modern and light hearted twist.
Randomly, I also want to note how beautiful the book actually looks as well as the fact that it is of a really high quality.  It is a hard back, which I love, but also the actual pages are of a really thick and high grade paper.  It’s the type of book you would have sitting on your coffee table for people to peruse.  It makes me sound so old saying something like that, but I genuinely appreciated the weight and appearance of it.  It felt grown up and expensive!
Overall this is a fun, light hearted book which would be perfect for any fan of classic literature and as a side note, it would make a really lovely gift! Definitely 4.5 stars out of 5!

[Alice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec Decorating a Room of One's Own ?
"J'ai vu cet ouvrage sur plusieurs comptes que j'apprécie et l'idée me plaisait beaucoup. En plus, il est magnifiquement illustré par Becca Statdlander, dont j'admire le travail."

Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Ce livre propose des conversations sur le design intérieur de leur demeure avec différents personnages des plus grands classiques tels que Jane Eyre, Victor Frankenstein ou encore Dorothy..."

Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Rarement ai-je ressenti autant de déception à la lecture d'un livre, un si gros décalage entre la beauté de l'objet et l'inintérêt, au mieux, de son contenu. Je ne sais pas à quoi je m'attendais mais certainement pas à ça. Le livre s'ouvre sur Lizzy Bennet et Pemberley et l'auteur présente notre héroïne préférée comme une jeune femme snob et méprisante. À se demander si elle ne la confond pas avec Caroline Bingley. J'ai espéré que cela s'améliore par la suite mais je n'ai décidément pas le même humour que Susan Harlan qui, pour moi, manque de respect aux oeuvres qu'elle dépeint, parfois même jusqu'à frôler le mauvais goût, et m'aurait plutôt donnée envie de les fuir que de les découvrir.

Et d'un autre côté, nous avons les illustrations de Becca Stadtlander, qu'il me faut tout de même mentionner. Elles sont absolument parfaites, délicates, tout ce que j'aime... J'en viens à être déçue qu'elles soient associées à un tel ouvrage."

Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"Je me rends compte que je suis très sévère avec ce livre et le fait que le tout premier portrait soit celui, massacré, d'Elizabeth Bennet n'y est sûrement pas pour rien. Peut-être que par petites touches, certains extraits peuvent être plaisants mais quoi qu'il en soit je vous conseille de feuilleter l'ouvrage avant de succomber."


http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...

[Laronda Blessing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is ferociously smart and absolutely hilarious. I happened to pick it up at the library and am so glad I did. It's full title is Decorating a Room of One's Own: Conversations on Interior Design with Miss Havisham, Jane Eyre, Victor Frankenstein, Elizabeth Bennet, Ishmael, and Other Literary Notables. Susan Harlan stays true to the tone of the original works for most of her essays but includes modern cultural references and interpretations. It's hard to pick as there are so many gems, but here are a few memorable passages:

Nelly Dean (housekeeper in Wuthering Heights: "Sometimes I gather heath and moss and arrange it in an antique Ball jar. If I'm feeling crazy, I'll throw in a branch or two--the ones that are always scratching at the windows with the intense horror of a nightmare." p. 23

Miss Havisham on her biggest indulgence: "Probably my heartbreak and total retreat from the world, but that is the fault of my illustrious author. I can't believe he was allowed to write female characters like me. At one point, he refers to me as a 'grave lady.' I mean, come on. He really put the 'dick' in Dickens." p. 80

Jane Eyre: "He (Edward) has been described as 'Byronic,' which is to say that he's borderline sociopathic and inclined to anger and violence, but in a way that naive young women hundreds of years from now will probably still find sexy." p. 64
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[Genevieve · Rating 3 out of 5]

"In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice: Decorate your home to reflect your personality. This was hard for Gatsby, as he really didn't know what his personality was, but he read Town & Country to get a sense of what a proper society house looks like."

I decided to get this book when I saw it in the TKMaxx sale. It was originally £13.99 and I got it for £1. Bargain!

When I picked this up, I knew that this book wouldn't be life changing and that it would be a fun little coffee table book for classic bibliophiles. Despite marketing itself as a bookish interior design book, the mis-characterisations of famous literary figures let this book down. For example, within the first chapter (pg. 15), Lizzie Bennett referred to her sisters as idiots which is something she would never do. The thing that annoyed me the most, however, was when she was flipping between characters making modern references who were at the same time referencing the time that they're from. One prominent example of this was in the Von Trapp chapter (pg. 133). Maria remarks about George telling her to "Instagram" her schnitzel noodles, yet within the same chapter, she mentions about escaping the Nazis who were in power during her 'interview'. It made the whole reading experience extremely jarring, and as a result, I couldn't get into this book.

This is a fun read, albeit a frustrating one, but Becca Stadtlander's illustrations make up for it.

[Bobbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading mostly via Kindle and Audible lately; this is the first “real book” I have read in a while. My niece bought it for me for Christmas and I am so grateful she did. We share a love for literature, among other things. The feel of the book is wonderful, it has charming sketches throughout the pages and is one of those hardbacks that doesn’t have a paper cover but rather is colorfully printed on the hardback itself.

The best part, of course is the story itself. It was many interviews of different literary characters mostly about home design, but including other topics such as the most embarrassing thing that had happened. I have read most of the books the characters appeared in although some I read many years ago. Sometimes I had to look up the books in which the characters originally appeared. It was as if I was sitting in a living room talking to old friends. I especially like the way the conversations went from old literary references to modern jargon. In conclusion, it was a lovely read, funny and pleasing and thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you, Daleen. It was a wonderful Christmas present.

[Lora · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first saw this book, I thought it would involve quotes from classic lit detailing settings of homes, rooms, and possibly weather systems. I later figured out it wasn't a series of direct quotes but modern tongue-in-cheek mini-essays poking fun at classic lit. Later again I decided I would enjoy such a thing. So I got the book.
There are some fun bits in here. I'm not going to finish the entire book because there are some books in there that simply don't interest me. There are also crude references and swearing sprinkled through many of the spill-the-tea "interviews".
The artwork is lovely, and the cover the best of all. I loved the physical size and heft of the book. But on the inside, it doesn't meet my standards to be a keeper. The coarseness in today's world is just too aggressive and I avoid having it in my reading.

[Kelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea was very creative. It could have been a fun and entertaining book, but unfortunately, it ended up falling flat. It was poorly executed.

The main issue is that the author had all the characters she was "interviewing" speaking in modern terms. For example, she had a classic character say "as if." As if.

I was almost offended on how she had Jane Eyre talk. Jane Eyre is probably my favorite classic book. The way Susan Harlan had Jane Eyre speaking about Rochester... she never did that in the original Jane Eyre. It was insulting.

It would have been a perfect book if the author had taken the time to have the characters speak as they did in their books. I'm rating 2 out of 5 stars only because it was ok. Could have been perfect...

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was wonderful. The best satire I've read in quite a while. Such a great idea, to 'interview' classic literary characters about their homes and design style. I've read most of the books, and knew about nearly all of them, so felt comfortable, and understood the inferences in almost all of the chapters. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because of the language. There was foul language scattered throughout, with several f-bombs. That was too bad, because this really could have been a favorite, but I don't think I'll read it again.

[Cameron Toney · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is the sort of idea that could be so much fun. Decorating tips from classic literature? What a fun idea!
And what absolutely horrible execution. The tone here, people, is dreadful. There is one voice, not reflective in any way of the characters who are supposed to be giving advice.
It's rare that a book makes me angry, but this one did. The characters assassination here is the most significant part of the book.
Nope. Give it a miss.

[Lois · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not quite sure what I expected but it sure wasn’t this. Perhaps I’m not as well acquainted with the books and characters being asked about their decorating schemes to appreciate what I think is intended to be funny. After reading a quarter of the book I skimmed through the rest to get to the end.

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but after a while, it gets a bit much to read all of them in a row. If my copy didn't need to back to the library, I would recommend reading them one day at a time. It was a successful blog series for a reason; read all in a row, they become kind of annoying and more similar then they should be.

[Michelle Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another quirky winner! Read interviews of all your favorite characters in literature and how they decorate their homes. It even includes a chapter on fairy tale homes and the destructive children who ruin them. Favorite quote: Miss Havisham, "He puts the dick in Dickens".

[Zara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delight. Susan Harlan absolutely eviscerates sexism, racism, and/or colonialism in many (most?) of the essays, and since all the books drawn from are classics I didn't feel I was missing out on a whole lot when reading the profiles of characters from books I haven't read.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A camp attitude about well known books and how the people living in the books have an updated camp view of decorating given their circumstances - all done tongue in cheek and amusing !! Fun book not to be taken seriously!!

[Angela Hursh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny, fun, and a quick read. I confess I didn't read every chapter because I'm not familiar with all of these classic novels but I love how Harlan channels the voices of the characters, modernizes them and makes them Instagram-ready. It's hard to explain but it's just cute and light.

[Rex Fausett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very clever and amusing collection of interviews with literary characters. Some laugh-out-loud stuff and its not just the decorating they discuss. I especially recommend the Trapp Family interview.

[Relyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relyn Rating: 3.5 stars

What a fun and witty little book. It's a small gem and a treat for anyone who loves interiors.