The Vanity Fair, dream fair

Advantages: Entertainment, fun, pictures loads of information
Disadvantages: Price and advertisements

...My first introduction to Vanity Fair was in my childhood when I used live in a remote village. There was an outlet called Vanity fair where all sorts of goodies were available and when ever we were in need of something which was not easily available we went to Vanity fair and lo it was there. As I grew up I came across John Bunyan?s Pilgrim?s Progress and there I came know of another Vanity fair which meant ?A place or scene of ostentation or empty, idle amusement and frivolity? and I thought that was impressive. On the other hand, however, William Makepeace Thackery used ?Vanity Fair? to christen his very widely read satirical novel of 1948, being serialized in Punch magazine of Great Britain during that period. When I grew up a little more the ?Vanity fair? of my village had its imprint on my mind. Because as far as I remember...

roktimdutta 28.05.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair Great Stories To Share

Advantages: Lot's of great stories, interesting and varied, many pages
Disadvantages: Might be too expensive for some

...Background: Vanity Fair is published by Conde Naste and costs £3.40. In 1913 Conde Nast bought a men's fashion magazine named "Dress" he then renamed the magazine "Dress and Vanity Fair" publishing four issues in 1913. It is said that Conde Naste paid $3,000 so that he could have the right to use the name "Vanity Fair" in America, but it is not known if the right was given by an earlier English publication or some other source. Although there was a brief period of inactivity the magazine was relaunched in 1914 as "Vanity Fair". Editor, Frank Crowninshield helped the magazine grow in popularity. In 1919 Robert Benchley joined Dorothy Parker to become managing editor of "Vanity Fair". Crowninshield hired the most notorious writers of the era. Aldous Huxlley, T.S Eliot, Ferenc Monhar, Getrude Stein, and Djuna Barnes all appeared...

Mickie26 26.05.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Vanity Fair

Fair enough?

Advantages: Educational
Disadvantages: Not exciting, hard to follow

...I rented this DVD whilst signed up to one of those free trials. I had seen a few advertisements of the film but did not really know what to expect. Story From Thackeray's novel, Vanity Fair. Set in the beginning of the 19th Century, this film is about the friendship of two young ladies, who learnt French at a boarding school together and moved on to live very different lives. Both are married and pregnant with their first children when the country goes to war and changes their lives forever. This could be categorised as a historical / period film with a taste of India. It's a shame we didn't get to see more of India in the film, and it would have been nice to have more of the cultural influence, but there's the music, spicy food, Indian staff and even some rather nice Indian clothes, particularly those worn by Reese...

Ayesha- 07.08.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Vanity Fair (DVD)

All's Fair...

Advantages: Marvellous performances, a witty script and good attention to period detail
Disadvantages: An over-done sense of the exotic

...Based on William Makepeace Thackeray?s novel of the same name ?Vanity Fair? tells the story of Becky Sharp, born into poverty but determined to climb the social ladder no matter what the cost. She begins her working life as a governess, insinuating herself into the Crawley family, before causing a scandal by marrying the favourite son. He is consequently disinherited and they must make the most of their skills (he as a gambler and soldier, she as a society lady) to scrape a living. But when Becky catches the eye of Marquis de Steyne it?s all bound to end in tears? It initially seems strange that Mira Nair, acclaimed director of ?Monsoon Wedding? should turn her hand to directing a costume drama. But if you think about it, both films deal with the same topics; love and lust, trust and betrayal, social status and the family ties that...

afy9mab 02.02.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Vanity Fair (2004)

Sabrina Fair? No, Sabrina Excellent!

Advantages: Entertaining, excellent cast
Disadvantages: Not everyone's thing

...I have liked Audrey Hepburn since I first saw her in My Fair Lady, when I was a child. Then a year or so ago, I bought a DVD boxset of five of her films, but only got round to watching the first one - Sabrina. (NOTE: Sabrina is known as Sabrina Fair in the UK, but as my copy says Sabrina, I will refer to it as that throughout.) Sabrina was released in 1954 and stars Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and William Holden. It is in black and white, rated U and is 109 minutes long. The film received six Oscar nominations, but won only one for costume. PLOT The plot is a reworking of the old Cinderella story. Sabrina Fairchild (Hepburn) is the daughter of a chauffeur, Thomas (John Williams) who works for the wealthy Larrabee family. The head of the family is Oliver (Walter Hampden), but the businesses are mainly run by his sons...

KarenUK 07.04.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Sabrina Fair (DVD)

THE UNFESTIVE GIFT FAIR

Advantages: There were a good selection of stalls
Disadvantages: The prices charged by NEC were too high & there was no atmosphere

...INTRODUCING THE FESTIVE GIFT FAIR The gift fair runs in November and this year it ran from the 16th November till the 19th November. I am sure quite a few of you have never heard of this event as I certainly hadn't until last year, when a relative told me about it and had a stall there this year. The Festive Gift fair has in fact been running for 10 years at the Birmingham NEC would you believe! This is one of the largest and most busiest exhibition centres in Europe and they host well over 150 events a year. The Festive Gift Fair is situated in hall 12 and has to be the least advertised exhibition there is. After finding out about the show I thought I would notice it on the TV and in the newsletters like The Clothes show etc but I never did. THE AUDIENCE THE GIFT FAIR RECIEVES The Festive Gift Fair boasts over 26,000 visitors...

gemax2 26.11.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of The Festive Gift Fair

Fair Exchange

Advantages: Easy Read
Disadvantages: Not deep enough

...Fair Exchange- Michele Roberts, 246pp, 6.99 Roberts is half English and half French, which explains her setting for this tale of secrecy and guilt. The action takes place partly in the small French village of Saintange-sur-Seine, partly in London and partly in the Lake District. Set at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, it is a story of interwoven lives, love affairs, drunken japes, babies and Revolution. The book is a confession- the account of Louise, a French peasant who, fearing that her end is fast approaching, has a guilty need to repent for a dark deed she committed as a young woman. She calls for the local priest and thus begins the tale. At the end of the 19th century France was in turmoil- the aristocracy were being sent to the guillotine and riots reigned. The Gallic Revolution was observed...

Tricksty 29.01.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Fair Exchange - Michele Roberts

FAIR READING FOR ALL

Advantages: Intelligent, varied subject matter
Disadvantages: None for me

...I have subscribed to Vanity Fair for a number of years now and it has never let me down, I like a magazine that has something powerful and thought provoking to offer me rather than the usual weak articles that some womens magazines print. Vanity fair tackles important issues month after month, if there is a major world event this magazine will always cover it indepth with a hardhitting article. Vanity Fair is an American glossy magazine with a UK edition being available over here. I think it makes good reading for both Male and Female alike. It is a good size measuring 11" x 8" and around 200 pages so it is quite handy to pop into your bag for reading on the move but also not so heavy that your arms have developed huge muscles by the time the end of the magazine is reached. I find that it takes me a good few days of reading to...

mrsatchmo 26.04.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair

Advantages: A brillant, satirical portrait of Regency high society
Disadvantages: In my eyes none, but I own that some may not appreciate Thackeray's mocking of everybody!

...A novel without a hero but with not one but two very worthy heroines... William Makepeace-Thackeray was born in Calcutta, India in 1811 to parents of English decent. On his father's untimely death in 1815 William was sent to England to be educated leaving his mother behind in Calcutta. Despite the very few years he actually lived in India the country obviously had quite an impact on his consciousness because an Anglo-Indian figure features in Vanity Fair (Jos Sedley) and apparently some of Thackeray's other works as well. In England he completed the standard education of a gentleman first at boarding school and then Cambridge. Thackeray was no natural student, however, and ended up leaving Cambridge without his degree and setting off to travel around the Continent. On his return to England William lived the merry life of a single...

Tricia24 13.06.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Vanity Fair (A Novel Without a Hero) - William Thackeray

THE Great Dorset Steam Fair

Advantages: Plenty to see and do
Disadvantages: Does require a lot of walking

...The Annual Great Dorset Steam Fair, has been running since 1968 at Tarrant Hinton in Dorset, and for five days each year is the premier tourist attraction in the county. The Fair has grown to be one of Europe's biggest outdoor shows, covering as it does 600 acres of farmer's fields in Dorset. It is difficult to convey just how big the fair has grown to, but the first glimpse of the site always astounds me as to how much land is taken up. There is a preconception that the fair is purely for those interested in steam power, but it is much more than that. The most common exhibits are the steam traction engines, tractors and farm engines, many of which undertake the purpose they were built for in the showground. There are also scores of musical attractions in the form of fairgorund organs run from steam. Aside from these core activities...

mrtimharry 03.12.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Great Dorset Steam Fair