Jane Austen revival
 

There appears to be a bit of a Jane Austen thing going on at the moment. Not that I'm complaining, Sense and Sensibility is one of my favourite books and films, love Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey, getting a bit exhausted by Pride and Prejudice but still love it.

What does everyone else think?

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Is all very charming, isn't it Gayle ? watched Northanger Manor last night and although loved every minute, with the perfect actors/actresses, porcelain skins, muslim dresses, picture book sets and lighting, however ... at the end .. decided not really much of a plot was there ?

Maybe that's why there may be a revival, 'cause of the romantic glow around these characters of being formally introduced and the foreplay of not being able to even talk to a lady before such, very sexy and teasing. Perhaps we are tired of boozy nights out and fellas (and women) aiming for the bullseye, and askin' if we are up for it . :eek: Heaving bosoms and all that ... :D

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Read most of her stuff, but it doesn't float my boat, well not as much as those northern harpies the Brontes do.

When I lived in London I did know a real life Mrs Bennet though. She came over from Ireland in the early sixties to model, married a used car salesman from Epping, and produced three daughters. She schooled those girls in the etiquette that she'd never had back in the Emerald Isle, determined they'd all marry well.

She did her job well, all three made good marriages, and all three now have titles. The youngest and prettiest married Viscount Rothermere, owner of the Daily Express, as well as vast swathes of prime Canadian forest. The eldest has separated from her husband, and I saw her recently in the paper described as Mark Thatcher's 'new girlfriend'.

Oh well, even Mrs Bennet can't win them all.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

I quite enjoy Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice is my favourite - even though it was one of the set books for my O level Eng. Lit. many years ago. The TV productions are usually extremely good and though I thought Northanger Abbey was too abbreviated and should have been done over 2 episodes it was still worth watching.

The stories are a bit Catherine Cookson-ish in that there's always a heroine and a prospective bridegroom but there's a fair bit of commentary about life in the early 19th century, among the middle class, and they make good dramas.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Not sure whether there was enough storyline in there to warrant another 2 hours West Ender, but have never read the book, so bit unsteady on this point.

Isn't there another next week ? .. If so, will definitely, mark down to watch. Although might just fall asleep after the Accyweb meet .. takes it out of me like. :D

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

No, I'm afraid it doesn't float my boat either. I am not particularly fond of the Brontes either....and Charles Dickens depresses me. OK, I know they are the 'Classics'...but that doesn't mean I have to like them.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Not a massive fan, infact I stopped reading Pride and Predjudice half way through, prefer the Brontes have read all theirs.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

How very true Margaret .. wonder if anybody really enjoyed reading the books, not easy are they ? (some people say they do just to appear literate :D ).. but some of the films are quite good.

Charles Dickens particularly labouring to plow through, although, love film adaptations of all his novels ... perhaps is something to do with school and being 'forced' to read them; pull them apart and analyse characters, plots and social issues, etc.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

No......don't much like the films either, but then I am not a great film fan....too antsy. And like you, I think folk say they have read something just appear highbrow......personally I find them tedious....the books and the folk.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Austen is nothing if not subtle. If anyone is up for it, reading about Austen, espescially femminist critical studies, helps to bring her closer to this century. She is not parochial. In fact, in subtle ways, she is definitely subversive. All of her works, like Shakespeare's problem plays ( Measure for Measure comes immediately to mind), are not to be taken at face value. Now I think I will go outside for a beer and watch my igloo melt. Burrrrp!

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

You can stop wondering about me, at least. I really did enjoy reading them and I couldn't care less whether or not other people think I'm "literate". I don't think anyone who doesn't like Austen is illiterate or "lowbrow" either. We all have different tastes. ;)

I think Dickens' stories are good - the first time you hear/read them - but you have to be aware that he was very much in it for the money, with his weekly editions and his stage recitals, and also pushing a social message. Well, you can't not be aware of that, can you? I've never read one twice.

When I was in my teens I thought Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights" was wonderful. I read it again when I was about 40 and I thought it was a rather silly story written by an over-imaginative, frustrated spinster. You can almost hear her bodice ripping when she writes about Heathcliffe. :D

Personally, these days, I'd rather read Terry Pratchett. :)

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Did say 'some people' West Ender' .. just that it always took the fun out of it when they were your G.C.E. piece ... but not really relaxing bed time stuff if you understand me. :D

I used to love doing the stand up readings of these in class,being the dramatic sort like, my teachers always used to think I understood what I was reading out and got commendation marks .. adored all the lovely words, but still couldn't figure out why I could never settle down to reading it to myself for exams. :confused:

As an aside, my daughter posts on a 'make friends' type web and Terry Pratchett asked her if he could use some of her funny ramblings in his books .. so you may be reading summat from a local girl at times ... ;)

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Speaking personally, it's not a wish to appear literary, or highbrow, because I read absolutely eveything.

Sadly you could test me on the ingredients of my shampoo or a bar of Imperial Leather soap, and I could recite them verbatim, from the many happy a moment spent reading the said items, whilst sat on the loo.

I challenge anyone not to read Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, and not to be spell bound, by this gripping page turner.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Im not particularly fond of these books, more a John Grisham fan myself, my late mother a very avid reader was into all of the above mentioned, but as garinda said Jane Eyre is a page turner and should be a compulsory read at school.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

What is it about you men reading on the loo ? My son spent hours reading his English Lit pieces up there and still does .. is it true then that your brains are down there ?....:D :D Only teasing honest.

I think Ian that because the classics were compulsory in my school days, probably took the pleasure out of it somehow.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Wow! I'd rather be quoted by Pratchett than Austen any day. Fabulous. :D

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

See, if I did want to appear literary, I'd have read Pratchett, and also Tolkien, but both leave me cold. Even though having a basic knowledge of those authors would help in the quizes I do.

Another so called classic, I've attempted to read umpteen times, and failed, is Joeseph Heller's one and only masterpiece Catch 22. God, it's boring.


Think I'll stick to reading the back of my toiletries.:D

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Thank goodness for that, someone else who doesn't like Pratchett - what is it about him that makes people judge you if you don't like his work? Started to read one of his books last year based on recommendations on here but left me completely cold - couldn't finish it.

Also, not that keen on the hottest writer in town - Zadie Smith - couldn't finish her book either.

Love Jane Austen though.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

An easy cure for loo reading katex, give them a copy of War And Peace that will put a stop to that, it is also a cure fo insomnia.;)

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i dont read im afraid, tend to find it rather boring, probably because ive not read a good book

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I will have a go at reading most things.....but hated Zadie Smith....managed to get through Catch 22, but didn't really enjoy it........enjoyed Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children.....struggled with Sophie's World, such a slim volume I thought I would get through it in a night.....it took me something like 3 WEEKS! But I learned a lot about world philosophy. Jane Austen...... the Bronte sisters.....Charles Dickens....No, I would rather read the cornflake packet.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Ive never read any Jane Austen books all the way through - i've started reading them but then i got bored and gave up. In fact i dont think ive read any of the 'classics' all the way through ive got bored and gave up. I know i read Charlottes Web at school supposedly to read at school in class - i took it home and read it in a couple of days - and when the teacher asked us to write an essay about what we thought would happen next id read the book so just did a paraphrasing of what did happen next. Teacher asked if id read the book before and i said i read it last night miss!!

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

Is it the stories, the style of language or the sheer volume of the books that makes people dislike the "classical" authors? Most people, not everyone but a lot, enjoy film and TV interpretations of these books but is there just too much detail in the writing, particularly for modern tastes?

I like Jane Austen's books because she really gets the personalities of her characters across. She was a very astute observer of human nature and you can believe in them, warts and all.

Has anyone read any John Masters? He wrote about the Savage family (mythical) who were connected with India from the 18th to the 20th centuries. His most well known book was probably "Bowhani Junction", which was made into a film with Stewart Grainger and Ava Gardener, but all his stories are historically accurate and very well written. "Night Runners of Bengal" tells the story of the Indian Mutiny and it's a "can't put down" sort of book. If you like a good read, try it.

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Loved the film, even if it took all your powers of imagination to believe that the lovely Ava Gardner really was a half-caste Indian. I shall look out for the book.

Re: Jane Austen revival
 

think the Jane Austen revival means Emma Thompson must have a new film due out ,
most boring/overated book of all time , I have yet to meet anyone who finished it , Stephen Hawking's 'Brief History of Time'