It really is, a perfect JAJ find. Will look out for her versions next time! I thought I would be safe with Rosamund Pike as her Sense and Sensibility was good, but honestly don't know what possessed her with some of these voices.
Oh yes, Stevenson is wonderful! Her reading of Persuasion has a tinge of melancholy & she brings out the wit in Northanger Abbey. And her Mrs Bennet is not over the top.
That analysis about what Jane Austen's characters read is fascinating! I can't remember if John Mullan talks about it in his work about Austen too but in any case, this book sounds like a great addition to my TBR 😊 I tried A Woman of Colour a couple of years ago and I must confess I found it kind of boring towards the middle part so I DNFed it. Perhaps I should try it again, at a different time as I often feel the preasure to complete the prompts before the end of the month during Jane Austen July.
I think John Mullan certainly touches on it - particularly regarding Fordyce's Sermons as some of that seemed familiar (although that chapter was originally published in a JA journal a good few years ago so may have read that at some point). But Ford has so much more space to go into depth about it. Yes I did find The Woman of Colour was not the most gripping read. I wasn't sure how much of that was that I already knew the plot, and how much was my irritation with Olivia's constant bible quoting.
Yep, JA = Comfort! Just yesterday on the radio I heard the Beethoven Andante (from the 1995 "The Look" scene with Georgiana at the piano while Lizzy turns pages) and the music alone made me sigh with comfort! The new book on JA & reading sounds fascinating. I only enjoyed 1 book from that series with J Trollope's S&S-- it was by Alexander McCall Smith & based on Emma. He didn't try to be Austen; if you like his style, you'll enjoy his take on Emma.
I watched the S&S mini series in July and enjoyed it but I love the film. I feel like Austen adaptations are so divisive, no one can agree on their favourites, apart from everyone seems to hate the Mansfield Park film which I haven't seen. The Susan Allen Ford book sounds really interesting. I did buy the Letters edited by Deirdre Le Faye this year and have only dipped in thus far, it would be a long read in one go as you say.
Maybe I should give the film another try, but I remember disliking how the characters were portrayed. I guess these things are personal! The MP that you mention I think is an alright film for anyone who doesn't actually care about Jane Austen, but an absolute travesty for those who do (unless you mean the Billie Piper TV film - that is unredeemable in every way). Yes the letters are a long project - but there will always be another Jane Austen July!
I am still embarrassed that I have never read a single word of Jane Austen, nor have I watched a single minute of any Jane Austen adaptation. OK, not that embarrassed ...
Thank you Tilly loved your thoughts on the books you read enjoy listening to their .❤
Thank you!
So agree, that the Emma adaptation you watched is the best! And my favourite S&S is also the BBC series with Hatty Morahan etc. So good!
Yes, those two and the 1995 P&P are really the best adaptations that we have. And maybe the Northanger Abbey film with I think Felicity Jones.
Sounds like a fascinating book on books and reading in Austen. My favourite narrator for Austen has to be Juliet Stevenson - she is wonderful!
It really is, a perfect JAJ find. Will look out for her versions next time! I thought I would be safe with Rosamund Pike as her Sense and Sensibility was good, but honestly don't know what possessed her with some of these voices.
Oh yes, Stevenson is wonderful! Her reading of Persuasion has a tinge of melancholy & she brings out the wit in Northanger Abbey. And her Mrs Bennet is not over the top.
That analysis about what Jane Austen's characters read is fascinating! I can't remember if John Mullan talks about it in his work about Austen too but in any case, this book sounds like a great addition to my TBR 😊
I tried A Woman of Colour a couple of years ago and I must confess I found it kind of boring towards the middle part so I DNFed it. Perhaps I should try it again, at a different time as I often feel the preasure to complete the prompts before the end of the month during Jane Austen July.
I think John Mullan certainly touches on it - particularly regarding Fordyce's Sermons as some of that seemed familiar (although that chapter was originally published in a JA journal a good few years ago so may have read that at some point). But Ford has so much more space to go into depth about it.
Yes I did find The Woman of Colour was not the most gripping read. I wasn't sure how much of that was that I already knew the plot, and how much was my irritation with Olivia's constant bible quoting.
Yep, JA = Comfort! Just yesterday on the radio I heard the Beethoven Andante (from the 1995 "The Look" scene with Georgiana at the piano while Lizzy turns pages) and the music alone made me sigh with comfort! The new book on JA & reading sounds fascinating. I only enjoyed 1 book from that series with J Trollope's S&S-- it was by Alexander McCall Smith & based on Emma. He didn't try to be Austen; if you like his style, you'll enjoy his take on Emma.
I've never read anything by Alexander McCall Smith but it sounds like that could be one to try.
I watched the S&S mini series in July and enjoyed it but I love the film. I feel like Austen adaptations are so divisive, no one can agree on their favourites, apart from everyone seems to hate the Mansfield Park film which I haven't seen. The Susan Allen Ford book sounds really interesting. I did buy the Letters edited by Deirdre Le Faye this year and have only dipped in thus far, it would be a long read in one go as you say.
Maybe I should give the film another try, but I remember disliking how the characters were portrayed. I guess these things are personal! The MP that you mention I think is an alright film for anyone who doesn't actually care about Jane Austen, but an absolute travesty for those who do (unless you mean the Billie Piper TV film - that is unredeemable in every way).
Yes the letters are a long project - but there will always be another Jane Austen July!
I am looking forward to borrowing What Jane Austen's Characters Read and Why.
I think you will enjoy it as much as I have.
I am still embarrassed that I have never read a single word of Jane Austen, nor have I watched a single minute of any Jane Austen adaptation. OK, not that embarrassed ...
I think you might be one of the rare people that I would recommend to start with Mansfield Park. Definitely to read, not to watch an adaptation of.