Strange and Norrell

I just finished reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell yesterday afternoon. It is the longest book I have read in a long, long time, and it was well worth the many, many hours I dedicated to reading it. It's world is so absorbing that I (almost) forgot that the Napoleonic Wars were not won by confounding the French soldiers with mud on the Iberian Peninsula and moving Brussels to North America.

I checked out the website for the book (http://jonathanstrange.com) and discovered that the author, Susanna Clarke, has a new book coming out in October (Bloomsbury.com - Bookshop - The Ladies of Grace Adieu). The Ladies of Grace Adieu is an anthology of short stories set in the world of Strange and Norrell. Some of the stories have been previously published, but I still can't wait to read it.

Also, I found out that New Line has purchased the film rights to Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and has selected Christopher Hampton to write the screenplay. Hampton wrote the screenplay and stage adaptations for Dangerous Liaisons (one of my favorite films ever) and also adapted The Quiet American (which I also adored). I think he's a perfect fit and can't wait for more news.