One of the many reasons I like working in libraries is because I’m always having book or literary encounters. For example, I helped a patron out today whose name was Sinjun. How many of you literature lovers know that reference? Well, it’s from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Sinjun’s the missionary character Jane encounters later in the book, and who tries to get her to join her in the arduous task of being a missionary in hot India. Thankfully, the spirits of nature, or something supernatural, intervene and she is instead reunited with Rochester. Knowing all this, who would 
name their child Sinjun? I ask you! I re-read the book a year ago (actually, it was an audio book, brilliantly read by Thandiwe Newton) to get me up to speed for another related book, Jane Eyre Laid Bare by Eve Sinclair. This was a juicy soft-porn bodice-ripper of a book that focused mainly on the Thornfield Hall and Rochester chapters that make up the heart of the story. There was some mention of Jane’s time in Lowood, the girls school, and you can imagine what went on there in this version of the story. All in all, it was fun, but strange reading about Jane masturbating and all that. Just how Sinclair handles the whole ‘woman in the attic’ scenario has to be seen to be believed.
It’s handy knowing something about Jane Eyre, because the book is one of those cultural touchstones that always seem to come up in all kinds of places. Like, The Bangles. Remember them? Walk Like An Egyptian and all that? Their most well-known singer, Susanna Hoffs, wrote a novel called This Bird Has Flown, and there are Eyre references all through it. Have to say, although I really wanted to like it, I was disappointed by the book. I thought the Jane Eyre references were a bit half-baked, and the main character was not likeable. I’m really sorry Suzanne…
One final trainspotter note about the Bangles. I had tickets to see them around 1990, but they broke up before they came to Australia. Then around 2005, they did tour, minus bassist Michael Steele, and I finally got to see them. I thought their comeback album of the time, Doll Revolution (with Michael Steele), was really good.