Posts tagged with jane-austen
First world problems
I am not normally in the business of reviewing puzzles, but I recently received one of Laurence King Publishing's 1000-piece "The World of Jane Austen" puzzles for my birthday, and I HAVE SOME NOTES. (Incoherent notes, because I don't actually know puzzle terminology, but notes nonetheless!!!) Let me start with the positives: the artwork is adorable, and I love that...
The Murder of Mr. Wickham, by Claudia Gray
I have read a lot of Jane Austen fanfiction, ranging from free stories on websites like AAO3 to published, high-profile efforts by well-known authors (those end up with fancier descriptors like “literary pastiche”, but whatever—they're totally fanfic). Claudia Gray's The Murder of Mr. Wickham is...
Weekly Book Giveaway: The Murder of Mr. Wickham, by Claudia Gray
This week's Book Giveaway is Claudia Gray's Jane Austen-by-way-of-Agatha-Christie novel The Murder of Mr. Wickham. A full review will follow shortly, but here's my instant take: Ms. Gray is a successful author of Star Wars novels, and she knows what makes a good fanfiction work...
Pride and Premeditation, by Tirzah Price
Tailor-made for fans of the Enola Holmes movies, Tirzah Price's Pride and Premeditation is a fun historical whodunit that takes the characters of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and puts them in a slightly different setting...
WE RETURN
It's been about three years since we last blogged, and—as someone with multiple asthmatic family members who need to continue to take covid very seriously—that's about how long it's taken me to accept that the world probably isn't going back to our pre-2020 version of “normal” any time soon...
Holiday Gift Pick #6
Gift Idea #6: Jane Austen's Sanditon (the good version)
In January, American viewers will have the opportunity to see ITV's adaptation of Jane Austen's unfinished novel Sanditon. From all accounts, this miniseries is both dumb as hell and features a depressing ending, so...
Jane Austen's taste in snacks
The Spruce recently posted a recipe for Jane Austen's Favorite Bath Buns. I'm not sure how I feel about caraway seeds in a sweet bun (as a Czech person, I'm used to caraway seeds in stuff like cauliflower soup or braised cabbage), but my love...
You don't deserve it, sir.
Well, it's almost Halloween, and this seems more than adequately horrifying to me: there are loads of rumors going around that Andrew Davies will be allowed to write a second season of Sanditon, his racy fanfic continuation of the unfinished Jane Austen novel...
True, but unromantic
If you have $100,000 lying around, you could own an original and authentic piece of Jane Austen's writing. Unfortunately, this particular bit of writing is a description of how much going to the dentist sucks...
Content, content everywhere
There's an article at the Guardian about two very different, currently-airing Jane Austen adaptations, both based on unfinished works. There's a relatively bland description of ITV's Sanditon, and a more in-depth discussion of Laura Wade’s version of The Watsons...
Pride and Prejudice (Macmillan Collector's Library edition), by Jane Austen
As longtime readers of the site know, I periodically treat myself by reviewing a new edition of my all-time favorite book: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Few things make me happier than analyzing editorial choices—how creative are the essays? Is the cover art period-appropriate? Are the footnotes accurate? Did they weigh in on...
Weekly Book Giveaway: Pride and Prejudice (Macmillan Collector's Library edition), by Jane Austen
This week's Book Giveaway is the Macmillan Collector's Library edition of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. A full review will follow shortly, but I can already tell you this: at $12.99, this is an A+++ bargain. This giveaway will run through 11/09/19...
Oof
Well, the reviews are out for ITV's adaptation of Jane Austen's Sanditon, and they are brutal. The kinder critics describe it as "good dirty end-of-the-pier fun but about as enduring as an ice-cream cone"...
Finally, the one I care about
We're ending with the trailer I am most excited about: ITV's adaptation of Jane Austen's Sanditon. Frankly, I have a lot of concerns about this show (starting with petty stuff, like why the heroine is constantly wearing her hair down, and working up from there), but I'm still gonna watch it, even if...
Future so bright
I really enjoy these photographs of the cast of the upcoming "adaptation" of Jane Austen's Sanditon. I have no idea how the actual film will turn out...
WhatEVER
A recent article on The Independent has arrived at the (apparently astonishing) conclusion that Jane Austen's life wasn't all sunshine and roses. I'm always quick to roll my eyes at this kind of thinkpiece, and my eye-rolling muscles got an extra workout today...
Very cute
The official trailer is out for Lifetime's Pride & Prejudice: Atlanta, and it looks good—way less obnoxious than, say, this offering from the Hallmark Channel. I'm standing by what I said, though: this...
As ever, I have Notes.
And speaking of Jane Austen, Lifetime has made a movie called Pride & Prejudice: Atlanta, which will air on June 1st. It's a contemporary retelling featuring an African-American cast, and I'm definitely checking it out, but I can't let go of my one bone-deep...
Emma, again
According to Screen Daily, there's going to be another movie adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, and this one has quite a cast...
Pride and Prejudice: Puffin Plated edition, by Jane Austen
As long time readers know, I frequently treat myself to special editions of various Jane Austen novels, mostly for the pleasure of complaining about their various bells and whistles. My latest acquisition is the Puffin Plated edition of Pride and Prejudice, featuring recipes for “modern teatime treats” by Martha Stewart...
Living dangerously for an Austen nerd
Deadline just posted a casting update on the Jane Austen project I'm most curious about: the upcoming ITV/PBS Masterpiece adaptation of Austen’s unfinished final novel Sanditon. I'm concerned about the description of the heroine...
There are worse ideas
Vogue just posted an article titled "What Jane Austen Can Teach Us about Wellness", centered around Bryan Kozlowski's upcoming book The Jane Austen Diet. (Spoiler: go for a lot of walks.) I'm deeply suspicious...
At long last
According to The Guardian, a long-overlooked note could solve the mystery of the "Rice Portrait", which descendants of Jane Austen have long argued was a portrait of the author as a young girl. Art experts have disagreed...
Persuasion (Penguin Classics Deluxe), by Jane Austen
I'm hoping to start 2019 on a good note, so my first review choice of the year is the Penguin Classics Deluxe 200th anniversary edition of Jane Austen's Persuasion. Alas, it isn't quite the note-perfect edition of my dreams, but it is far and away the best option I've encountered to date...
Weekly Book Giveaway: Persuasion (Penguin Classics Deluxe), by Jane Austen
It's a short week, but let's start off 2019 right: with Jane Austen. This week's Book Giveaway is the Penguin Classics Deluxe edition of Persuasion. Due to the wonky holiday schedule, we're extending this giveaway through Monday, January 7th. A full review will follow shortly...
Older and wiser, sure, but not old and wise
So much Jane Austen news recently! I just learned that there are TWO modern-day film adaptations inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion in the works. I have always loved the 1995 movie version of Persuasion, and I thought the 2007 version was... reasonably watchable, but I'd like to see an adaptation that plays up what I consider to be a central aspect of the novel...
They're obviously hoping to play up the nude bathing.
Well, this is VERY EXCITING. According to PBS, ITV is working on an 8-hour-long adaptation of Jane Austen's unfinished novel Sanditon, to be written by Andrew Davies. It would be even MORE exciting, of course, if they didn't describe the heroine as...
Starting at the top
According to the Georgian Papers Programme, a researcher named Nicholas Foretek has found evidence that the first documented purchaser of any novel by Jane Austen was actually the Prince Regent (later George IV). I know that Austen had, at best, mixed feelings about the Prince Regent, but...
If only...
I want to go here: Dumbarton House in Washington D.C., headquarters of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America, is hosting its 7th Annual Jane Austen Film Festival on Wednesday nights from July 11th through August 1st 2018. I don't actually like any of the films that they've chosen, and...
Persuasion (Modern Library Edition), by Jane Austen
As longtime readers of the site know, every few months I indulge myself by reviewing specific editions of Jane Austen's novels. These are not meant to be reviews of the stories (hot take: Austen's books are great! You should totally read 'em!), they are reviews of the supplementary materials included by various publishers. I am a raging nerd, so...