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All Roads Lead to Austen: A Yearlong Journey with Jane
"An illuminating insight...fascinating."―Amanda Grange, bestselling author of Mr. Darcy's Diary "A journey through both a physical landscape and the geography of the human heart and mind...delightfully entertaining and often deeply moving, this book reminds us that Austen's world―and her characters―are very much alive."―Michael Thomas Ford, author of Jane Bites Back WHERE DO BOOKS TAKE YOU? With a suitcase full of Jane Austen novels en español , Amy Elizabeth Smith set off on a yearlong Latin American a traveling book club with Jane. In six unique, unforgettable countries, she gathered book-loving new friends― taxi drivers and teachers, poets and politicians― to read Emma , Sense and Sensibility , and Pride and Prejudice . Whether sharing rooster beer with Guatemalans, joining the crowd at a Mexican boxing match, feeding a horde of tame iguanas with Ecuadorean children, or tangling with argumentative booksellers in Argentina, Amy came to learn what Austen knew all that we're not always speaking the same language― even when we're speaking the same language. But with true Austen instinct, she could recognize when, unexpectedly, she'd found her own Señor Darcy. All Roads Lead to Austen celebrates the best of what we love about books and revels in the pleasure of sharing a good book― with good friends.
384 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2012
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March 27, 2019
I am currently studying abroad in a non-English speaking country and as much as I would like to say I'm handling it with the pizzazz of Professor Smith's students who go native, the truth is I more often stumble around feeling lost and frustrated. So every time Professor Smith loses her cool in this book and describes snapping at the people around her, I felt secretly vindicated.
See, Mom? I'm not the only person who whines about feeling beat down and exhausted while living in a foreign country.
Of course, Professor Smith has an excuse. She contracted a jungle fever. I guess I am just whiny.
But I read for those moments. Those moments when Professor Smith stops reporting monotonous, unoriginal inanities about readers' reactions to Jane Austen and just...reflects on travel. The moments when she wanders around bookshops and chats with strangers. The moments when she actually shows some realness.
Because for the most part, this book comes across as a very careful, very sanitized, and fairly politically correct look at a few reading groups she managed to pull together while traveling around South America. And as much as that sounds exciting...it really wasn't.
The book clubs all sounded the same. It did not matter if they were discussing Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, or Emma. The same comments about Jane Austen and her applicability to modern audiences get rehashed ad nauseam with the same results and conclusions. While this ought to have been "further proof" of the author's hypothesis about Austen's universal applicability, it mostly left me saying, "Yeah, duh."
Perhaps because the author is translating conversations that took place in Spanish, or perhaps because her own Spanish was still rather basic, the conversations and commentary all sounded very...basic. Juvenile, even? Partially I think the fault lies with me. I've read a lot about Jane Austen so I approach some of these questions with a lot more nuance and background than the readers Professor Smith picks up almost at random. But also partially I think the problem lies with the fact that despite Professor's Smith optimistic and grand plan to form Austen reading groups across South America, most of her readers are exhausted, regular people who often either didn't finish the book or want to comment on the movies instead. Does it still make the writing interesting? For sure, but it lacks the academic edge I was looking for. It turned any "evidence" the book provides about readers and Austen into little more than anecdotes.
I like what the author tried to do. I just don't think it worked the way she planned and it falls short of really making much of a difference in the Austen literature.
Finally, though, the author includes her own romance into the storyline...and it kind of drove me bonkers. It was cute, sort of, by the end. But for the most I kept wanting to shout:
"DIEGO CAN GO DIE IN A HOLE FOR ALL I CARE."
Not that I have anything against this Diego person. Okay, maybe I hold his mustache against him. But I'm sure he is a great guy.
The thing is, the author keeps harping on him like we should care. Yet since her book emphasize Jane Austen and travel, the main characters of this work are Jane Austen and travel. Any interruptions to talk about Professor Amy Elizabeth Smith and her Maybe Boyfriend always felt like a distraction from the main theme. And since the resolution to her romance doesn't really come about till the very end, the distraction for the most part felt repetitive and pointless.
Just because Jane Austen focused on relationships does not mean we care about Professor Smith's relationships.
Actually, though, I think I would have been more interested in Professor Smith's relationships if it didn't feel so very...un-Austen. If you're semi-dating/shacking up with someone, casually wanting some other guy to kiss you or mentioning you expect your significant other to also date around while you travel really kills any sense of romance.
To summarize:
Travel = sanitized. (She clearly does not want to offend any of her hosts which makes sense but also drops any drama)
Jane Austen = Jane Austen is popular with readers?! Who would have thought!
Romance = Cute but why?
Best parts was when she was sick and hated everything and everyone.
And finally, because I want to out of context vent my spleen:
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA ARE NOT ALLEGORY AND I WILL FIGHT YOU.
MR. KNIGHTLEY IS THE BOMB.COM AND DON'T YOU JUDGE HIS CAPACITY FOR ROMANCE.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MR. BINGLEY.
And in lower case letters because I officially call this Jane Austen themed season over (for now), we all need to seriously chill with the Mr. Darcy love. He's good but have you met Mr. Tilney?
See, Mom? I'm not the only person who whines about feeling beat down and exhausted while living in a foreign country.
Of course, Professor Smith has an excuse. She contracted a jungle fever. I guess I am just whiny.
But I read for those moments. Those moments when Professor Smith stops reporting monotonous, unoriginal inanities about readers' reactions to Jane Austen and just...reflects on travel. The moments when she wanders around bookshops and chats with strangers. The moments when she actually shows some realness.
Because for the most part, this book comes across as a very careful, very sanitized, and fairly politically correct look at a few reading groups she managed to pull together while traveling around South America. And as much as that sounds exciting...it really wasn't.
The book clubs all sounded the same. It did not matter if they were discussing Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, or Emma. The same comments about Jane Austen and her applicability to modern audiences get rehashed ad nauseam with the same results and conclusions. While this ought to have been "further proof" of the author's hypothesis about Austen's universal applicability, it mostly left me saying, "Yeah, duh."
Perhaps because the author is translating conversations that took place in Spanish, or perhaps because her own Spanish was still rather basic, the conversations and commentary all sounded very...basic. Juvenile, even? Partially I think the fault lies with me. I've read a lot about Jane Austen so I approach some of these questions with a lot more nuance and background than the readers Professor Smith picks up almost at random. But also partially I think the problem lies with the fact that despite Professor's Smith optimistic and grand plan to form Austen reading groups across South America, most of her readers are exhausted, regular people who often either didn't finish the book or want to comment on the movies instead. Does it still make the writing interesting? For sure, but it lacks the academic edge I was looking for. It turned any "evidence" the book provides about readers and Austen into little more than anecdotes.
I like what the author tried to do. I just don't think it worked the way she planned and it falls short of really making much of a difference in the Austen literature.
Finally, though, the author includes her own romance into the storyline...and it kind of drove me bonkers. It was cute, sort of, by the end. But for the most I kept wanting to shout:
"DIEGO CAN GO DIE IN A HOLE FOR ALL I CARE."
Not that I have anything against this Diego person. Okay, maybe I hold his mustache against him. But I'm sure he is a great guy.
The thing is, the author keeps harping on him like we should care. Yet since her book emphasize Jane Austen and travel, the main characters of this work are Jane Austen and travel. Any interruptions to talk about Professor Amy Elizabeth Smith and her Maybe Boyfriend always felt like a distraction from the main theme. And since the resolution to her romance doesn't really come about till the very end, the distraction for the most part felt repetitive and pointless.
Just because Jane Austen focused on relationships does not mean we care about Professor Smith's relationships.
Actually, though, I think I would have been more interested in Professor Smith's relationships if it didn't feel so very...un-Austen. If you're semi-dating/shacking up with someone, casually wanting some other guy to kiss you or mentioning you expect your significant other to also date around while you travel really kills any sense of romance.
To summarize:
Travel = sanitized. (She clearly does not want to offend any of her hosts which makes sense but also drops any drama)
Jane Austen = Jane Austen is popular with readers?! Who would have thought!
Romance = Cute but why?
Best parts was when she was sick and hated everything and everyone.
And finally, because I want to out of context vent my spleen:
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA ARE NOT ALLEGORY AND I WILL FIGHT YOU.
MR. KNIGHTLEY IS THE BOMB.COM AND DON'T YOU JUDGE HIS CAPACITY FOR ROMANCE.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MR. BINGLEY.
And in lower case letters because I officially call this Jane Austen themed season over (for now), we all need to seriously chill with the Mr. Darcy love. He's good but have you met Mr. Tilney?
September 14, 2012
I am eternally grateful to the Nook “Free Book Friday” program for throwing this book my way. When I turned on my Nook last Friday to see what book was available that week, I downloaded it because A.) it was free, and B.) I love Jane Austen. How did I not know about this book?
Embarrassing confession: I began reading after the briefest skim of the summary that Nook provided, and I had to stop several chapters in to confirm that this book is a nonfiction account of Amy Smith’s year-long trip through South America to see how Jane translates literally and culturally. I knew that trip was the premise of the book, but I had no idea that the trip was real – that this was a memoir. Maybe the idea of spending a year devoted to reading Jane and visiting beautiful counties seemed too good to be true.
I thought this book was wonderful. It’s full of great moments where the members of Amy’s discussions say things about Austen’s characters that we just don’t have words for in English. Here’s one of my favorite examples: “‘[Lydia’s] behavior was una mulada but [Wickham’s] was una cabronada.’ There’s no way to translate these words exactly, but for starters, una mula is a mule and una cabra, a goat. The basic idea is that Lydia behaved like a stubborn mule, acting without a sense for the consequences, but Wickham behaved like a horny goat, with deliberate malice.” The members of Amy’s reading group brought great new perspective to the books, and it was interesting to hear all the responses to the one question Amy asks in every discussion: “Could Jane Austen’s novels have taken place in your country?”
Jane aside, I enjoyed reading about Amy’s travel experiences. She realizes again and again that, despite her best efforts, sometimes we just can't help believing we understand things better than we actually do. There is a hilarious incident where she invites a doorman at her hotel out for coffee “just as friends,” and he responds by sweeping her off her feet and kissing her. Some of her cultural slip-ups are more sobering – she makes a casual remark to an acquaintance in Chile about how she loves to walk on the banks of the Rio Mapocho, and his reaction is stunning. He tells her, “After the coup, that river is where people went to look for their brothers, their children. Their mothers… The banks were stained with blood because that’s where those bastards would throw the people they’d murdered.” Amy learns (and re-learns every time she moves on to the next place) that spending a few weeks in a country does not make you an expert on that country’s culture.
Other things I loved about this book: Amy’s style is quick, straight-forward, and honest. Also, the illustrations that mark each chapter are adorable, and they are different for each country Amy visited. Anyone who is a fan of Austen or enjoys travel memoirs would find something to connect with in this book.
Embarrassing confession: I began reading after the briefest skim of the summary that Nook provided, and I had to stop several chapters in to confirm that this book is a nonfiction account of Amy Smith’s year-long trip through South America to see how Jane translates literally and culturally. I knew that trip was the premise of the book, but I had no idea that the trip was real – that this was a memoir. Maybe the idea of spending a year devoted to reading Jane and visiting beautiful counties seemed too good to be true.
I thought this book was wonderful. It’s full of great moments where the members of Amy’s discussions say things about Austen’s characters that we just don’t have words for in English. Here’s one of my favorite examples: “‘[Lydia’s] behavior was una mulada but [Wickham’s] was una cabronada.’ There’s no way to translate these words exactly, but for starters, una mula is a mule and una cabra, a goat. The basic idea is that Lydia behaved like a stubborn mule, acting without a sense for the consequences, but Wickham behaved like a horny goat, with deliberate malice.” The members of Amy’s reading group brought great new perspective to the books, and it was interesting to hear all the responses to the one question Amy asks in every discussion: “Could Jane Austen’s novels have taken place in your country?”
Jane aside, I enjoyed reading about Amy’s travel experiences. She realizes again and again that, despite her best efforts, sometimes we just can't help believing we understand things better than we actually do. There is a hilarious incident where she invites a doorman at her hotel out for coffee “just as friends,” and he responds by sweeping her off her feet and kissing her. Some of her cultural slip-ups are more sobering – she makes a casual remark to an acquaintance in Chile about how she loves to walk on the banks of the Rio Mapocho, and his reaction is stunning. He tells her, “After the coup, that river is where people went to look for their brothers, their children. Their mothers… The banks were stained with blood because that’s where those bastards would throw the people they’d murdered.” Amy learns (and re-learns every time she moves on to the next place) that spending a few weeks in a country does not make you an expert on that country’s culture.
Other things I loved about this book: Amy’s style is quick, straight-forward, and honest. Also, the illustrations that mark each chapter are adorable, and they are different for each country Amy visited. Anyone who is a fan of Austen or enjoys travel memoirs would find something to connect with in this book.
September 17, 2012
Dr. Smith lived every bibliophile's dream--a year noodling around foreign shores, buying books, talking about them, meeting real locals, and--spoiler alert--falling in love. Her attempts to meet real people included the higher strata, about whom there's as much misinformation as the lower.
My thoughts along the way:
Jane Austen's staying power stems from her accurate reporting of what she and those around her really felt and did. Not a feminist in the 21 c. political sense in the 19 c. she stood out declaring the authenticity of female experience--that relationships are vital to humans, not just women. Jane Austen is your wise, somewhat acerbic (spinster, of course) aunt. (A "standard" character, like your crazy, ne'er-do-well uncle.)
We see the world through the lens of our life experiences. The books we read are part of that experience, therefore help focus or distort what we see, hear, etc.
Marianne didn't deserve Col. Brandon but neither did Catherine deserve George Tilney or Emma Mr. Knightley. Hopefully none of us get justice, but rather grace--unmerited and unexpected favor.
Paraguay is not the only South American nation with native tongue official languages, try Bolivia.
Very politically correct.
Love the illustrations.
Don't read books about Austen, don't watch movie adaptations, read Austen. If you haven't read all of Austen's novels--don't read this book nor watch another movie until you have. Then read this.
My thoughts along the way:
Jane Austen's staying power stems from her accurate reporting of what she and those around her really felt and did. Not a feminist in the 21 c. political sense in the 19 c. she stood out declaring the authenticity of female experience--that relationships are vital to humans, not just women. Jane Austen is your wise, somewhat acerbic (spinster, of course) aunt. (A "standard" character, like your crazy, ne'er-do-well uncle.)
We see the world through the lens of our life experiences. The books we read are part of that experience, therefore help focus or distort what we see, hear, etc.
Marianne didn't deserve Col. Brandon but neither did Catherine deserve George Tilney or Emma Mr. Knightley. Hopefully none of us get justice, but rather grace--unmerited and unexpected favor.
Paraguay is not the only South American nation with native tongue official languages, try Bolivia.
Very politically correct.
Love the illustrations.
Don't read books about Austen, don't watch movie adaptations, read Austen. If you haven't read all of Austen's novels--don't read this book nor watch another movie until you have. Then read this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2012
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would based on the premise, which sounded a bit woo-woo (English professor spends a year journeying through South & Central America, organizing Austen-reading groups in each country). Dr. Smith describes her journey well; she blends humor and sympathy, bringing her friends and their homes to life. She didn't mind poking fun at herself when she inadvertently fulfilled an American Tourist Stereotype, but she also didn't insist that all of those stereotypes are 100% true.
And, of course, the Austen discussions were fascinating. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall for those talks (though they would have to be translated for me!). The groups had fascinating reactions to the books. I wished I could hear what they thought of Persuasion (my favorite) or Northanger Abbey (Dr. Smith's favorite) or Mansfield Park (nobody's favorite. Sorry Jane, you know it's true. I spend the last third of that book wanting to slap every character from Sir Thomas on down. There have been rereads where I've actually bailed on the book because I just couldn't sit through it again). Dr. Smith should write some (more) essays on Austen and her students' reactions. I would totally read them.
If you are a Janeite, you'll enjoy All Roads Lead to Austen. If you're not, you'll be bored at best.
Update: Forgot to mention that Dr. Smith keeps pulling out the Keira Knightley abomination. Since that movie Does Not Exist, I kept forgetting about it and then being reminded again. UGH. Had she had the sense to prefer the 100% clearly superior Firth/Ehle version, I probably would have bumped the book up another star.
And I've always thought that Elinor got the shaft. She deserved way better than Edward, and Colonel Brandon deserved better than Marianne.
And, of course, the Austen discussions were fascinating. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall for those talks (though they would have to be translated for me!). The groups had fascinating reactions to the books. I wished I could hear what they thought of Persuasion (my favorite) or Northanger Abbey (Dr. Smith's favorite) or Mansfield Park (nobody's favorite. Sorry Jane, you know it's true. I spend the last third of that book wanting to slap every character from Sir Thomas on down. There have been rereads where I've actually bailed on the book because I just couldn't sit through it again). Dr. Smith should write some (more) essays on Austen and her students' reactions. I would totally read them.
If you are a Janeite, you'll enjoy All Roads Lead to Austen. If you're not, you'll be bored at best.
Update: Forgot to mention that Dr. Smith keeps pulling out the Keira Knightley abomination. Since that movie Does Not Exist, I kept forgetting about it and then being reminded again. UGH. Had she had the sense to prefer the 100% clearly superior Firth/Ehle version, I probably would have bumped the book up another star.
And I've always thought that Elinor got the shaft. She deserved way better than Edward, and Colonel Brandon deserved better than Marianne.
June 29, 2012
I like travelogues and I like Jane Austen, and this is a pleasant narrative of the author's journey through several Latin American countries. Smith stayed in each country for a few months and set up book clubs with the locals to read and discuss different Austen novels. Smith, who is a literature professor in California, wanted to know if Miss Austen's stories would translate well into Spanish-speaking countries. For the most part, the readers enjoyed the books and had good discussions about family, loyalty, parenting, women's roles and proper behavior.
My complaint is with the dialogue, which is too juvenile for an English professor. Also, the book drags in sections -- Smith spends too much time whining and being cranky during her trip. But maybe Austen fans will overlook these minor irritations in exchange for reliving what it was like to read those books for the first time.
My complaint is with the dialogue, which is too juvenile for an English professor. Also, the book drags in sections -- Smith spends too much time whining and being cranky during her trip. But maybe Austen fans will overlook these minor irritations in exchange for reliving what it was like to read those books for the first time.
March 29, 2016
Barely 3 stars for me. Loved the premise of learning more about how Jane Austen's stories translate in life and love to modern readers in South America but felt the writer was too busy translating her reports from her yearlong journey than conveying all that could have been shared with the reader. There was no depth and I wanted more.
Read
March 14, 202250% finished. Way too much dialogue
August 28, 2017
Great Jane #austeninAugust reading with this South American travel memoir.
June 6, 2019
As a university professor in southern California, Amy Smith teaches courses on Jane Austen. Not a class goes by when someone wants to assault one of the characters or marry Mr. Darcy (Mr. Knightley, Mr. Tilney). Amy wondered whether Latin American readers connected with the characters in the same way. Armed with some contacts and studies at a Spanish language school in Guatemala, Amy visited 6 countries to read Austen's three most popular novels Sense & Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice and Emma. She also finds her very own Mr. Darcy along the way.
While I dont think Amy quite proved her point that readers everywhere can connect to Austen's characters across space and time, I enjoyed the discussions and learning more about Latin America. I did not learn anything new about Jane Austen but was surprised at how many people assumed she wrote her own life into her stories and how Jane's single status was viewed by people outside the U.S. and British cultures.
I think Amy misinterprets some parts of Jane Austen's life to suit her purpose. Amy seems to subscribe to the Jane Austen as country spinster myth, ignoring the Austen family's frequent moves after the death of Rev. Austen and Jane's numerous visits to her brother Edward's homes filled with incredible libraries. Rev. Austen also had an amazing library and Jane was allowed to read whatever she wanted so why Amy assumes Jane lacked access to books I don't know. I know Amy's trip took place about a decade ago and scholarship has changed so I hope she has revised her opinions.
For a well-traveled woman, Amy comes across shockingly naive about U.S. foreign and domestic policies, the lives of women in other countries and even tries to assume that Jane Austen will appeal to the women of Guatemala because they are oppressed but less so Americans because the characters live in a very different type of society. (Yes and no to both assumptions). Amy chastises herself for making the wrong move or saying the bad thing by quoting Mr. Knightley "Badly done, Amy" which I found a little tiring after a time.
The discussion I found most interesting was the discussion group with poets in Chile. They approached the book from the perspective of writers and critiqued Austen's writing style. While I disagree with them about her narrative being "cold," it provided me with food for thought. I also really liked the Guatemalan group's description of morality and how Jane Austen depicts morality in shades. I LOLd at the colorful phrases used to describe Lydia and Wickham's behavior. The English language is limited to words beginning with s, w and manw__ but Spanish has a richer vocabulary to really truly explain things succinctly.
I nearly died from envy over the street of bookstores in Buenos Aires! It almost makes me want to go there. Almost. I also found it amusing and interesting that President Rutherford B. Hayes (who? you ask) is revered in Paraguay.
Finally, Amy's personal life provided the hook I needed to keep reading. What was that mysterious illness? When will she recover? Who is her Mr. Darcy? Readers, you'll know him when you meet him.
I waffled between giving this book 3 stars or 4 out of 5 but the thoughtful discussions have stayed with me after a few days. Also, bonus points for the adorable illustrations. I will be putting a new book in the Little Free Library and maybe pass this one on to a Latin American woman I know whose mother teaches in Guatemala.
While I dont think Amy quite proved her point that readers everywhere can connect to Austen's characters across space and time, I enjoyed the discussions and learning more about Latin America. I did not learn anything new about Jane Austen but was surprised at how many people assumed she wrote her own life into her stories and how Jane's single status was viewed by people outside the U.S. and British cultures.
I think Amy misinterprets some parts of Jane Austen's life to suit her purpose. Amy seems to subscribe to the Jane Austen as country spinster myth, ignoring the Austen family's frequent moves after the death of Rev. Austen and Jane's numerous visits to her brother Edward's homes filled with incredible libraries. Rev. Austen also had an amazing library and Jane was allowed to read whatever she wanted so why Amy assumes Jane lacked access to books I don't know. I know Amy's trip took place about a decade ago and scholarship has changed so I hope she has revised her opinions.
For a well-traveled woman, Amy comes across shockingly naive about U.S. foreign and domestic policies, the lives of women in other countries and even tries to assume that Jane Austen will appeal to the women of Guatemala because they are oppressed but less so Americans because the characters live in a very different type of society. (Yes and no to both assumptions). Amy chastises herself for making the wrong move or saying the bad thing by quoting Mr. Knightley "Badly done, Amy" which I found a little tiring after a time.
The discussion I found most interesting was the discussion group with poets in Chile. They approached the book from the perspective of writers and critiqued Austen's writing style. While I disagree with them about her narrative being "cold," it provided me with food for thought. I also really liked the Guatemalan group's description of morality and how Jane Austen depicts morality in shades. I LOLd at the colorful phrases used to describe Lydia and Wickham's behavior. The English language is limited to words beginning with s, w and manw__ but Spanish has a richer vocabulary to really truly explain things succinctly.
I nearly died from envy over the street of bookstores in Buenos Aires! It almost makes me want to go there. Almost. I also found it amusing and interesting that President Rutherford B. Hayes (who? you ask) is revered in Paraguay.
Finally, Amy's personal life provided the hook I needed to keep reading. What was that mysterious illness? When will she recover? Who is her Mr. Darcy? Readers, you'll know him when you meet him.
I waffled between giving this book 3 stars or 4 out of 5 but the thoughtful discussions have stayed with me after a few days. Also, bonus points for the adorable illustrations. I will be putting a new book in the Little Free Library and maybe pass this one on to a Latin American woman I know whose mother teaches in Guatemala.
September 9, 2012
I went back and forth on my opinion of this book, but the ending was charming enough to (almost) make me forget my complaints. What Austen fan would not be thrilled that an Austen aficionado found her Mr. Darcy?
Also, the book was well-written and kept me turning the pages, wondering what would happen next. I also enjoyed some of the amusing and odd occurrences that happened throughout the book (the author getting dengue fever, the funny scene of her and some children feeding lettuce to a gaggle of iguanas and a beautiful snowfall in Buenos Aires stand out in my mind.)
I also really loved that she delved into books by local authors, and I added several of the books she mentioned to my to-read list. Maybe I'll even attempt them in Spanish. And she gets extra points for introducing me to a great new insult - I'd never heard anyone say "H.P." before as an abbreviation for the common longer Spanish insult. I have been driving my husband crazy calling people H.P.s. (I also really enjoyed the book club discussion scene where an Austen character was called an H.P., and I liked the author's observations about readers' strong feelings about Austen characters.)
However, one of my complaints was, as my friend Diane pointed out in her review, the writing was kind of juvenile for a college professor. (One example I'm thinking of is her going on about wet willies and noogies, though it did relate to the point she was trying to make.)
Another issue I had was that, with the whirlwind tour of South America, the travelogue parts felt very shallow and surface, almost like a How I Spent My Summer Vacation essay (albeit a well-written one.) Since I lived in South America for a few years, this was especially disappointing, though I see why it would be that way. She didn't stay in one place long enough to get more than a description of what the buildings looked like, what the major tourist attractions were, some cool quotes from people she met and a Cliff's Notes version of the local history and culture. This was especially apparent to me in Argentina and Chile, since those are the countries I know. I did enjoy her travelogue overviews in the countries I haven't visited (Ecuador, Guatemala) or spent a lot of time in (Mexico.)
Also, there were things about her that just kind of annoyed me ... like the fact that she didn't bother to put together her Buenos Aires reading group before she arrived there. I was thinking, really, you know you're writing a book and you couldn't have set something up? That turned out to be a good thing, so I'll wipe it off my list of complaints.
And, finally, while I'm piling on, I was stunned at the author's naivete about men (and along with the fact she carried a stuffed chihuahua from country to country with her, it kind of made her seem 12 sometimes.) Really, you didn't know that you couldn't go out for coffee "just as friends" with the married Argentinean doorman who had just asked you out without revealing he was married? Eesh! I don't care what country you're in, I think most women over age 16 would be savvy enough to figure that one out.
So that pretty much sums up my thoughts. Overall, I liked it and it was a very good read.
Also, the book was well-written and kept me turning the pages, wondering what would happen next. I also enjoyed some of the amusing and odd occurrences that happened throughout the book (the author getting dengue fever, the funny scene of her and some children feeding lettuce to a gaggle of iguanas and a beautiful snowfall in Buenos Aires stand out in my mind.)
I also really loved that she delved into books by local authors, and I added several of the books she mentioned to my to-read list. Maybe I'll even attempt them in Spanish. And she gets extra points for introducing me to a great new insult - I'd never heard anyone say "H.P." before as an abbreviation for the common longer Spanish insult. I have been driving my husband crazy calling people H.P.s. (I also really enjoyed the book club discussion scene where an Austen character was called an H.P., and I liked the author's observations about readers' strong feelings about Austen characters.)
However, one of my complaints was, as my friend Diane pointed out in her review, the writing was kind of juvenile for a college professor. (One example I'm thinking of is her going on about wet willies and noogies, though it did relate to the point she was trying to make.)
Another issue I had was that, with the whirlwind tour of South America, the travelogue parts felt very shallow and surface, almost like a How I Spent My Summer Vacation essay (albeit a well-written one.) Since I lived in South America for a few years, this was especially disappointing, though I see why it would be that way. She didn't stay in one place long enough to get more than a description of what the buildings looked like, what the major tourist attractions were, some cool quotes from people she met and a Cliff's Notes version of the local history and culture. This was especially apparent to me in Argentina and Chile, since those are the countries I know. I did enjoy her travelogue overviews in the countries I haven't visited (Ecuador, Guatemala) or spent a lot of time in (Mexico.)
Also, there were things about her that just kind of annoyed me ... like the fact that she didn't bother to put together her Buenos Aires reading group before she arrived there. I was thinking, really, you know you're writing a book and you couldn't have set something up? That turned out to be a good thing, so I'll wipe it off my list of complaints.
And, finally, while I'm piling on, I was stunned at the author's naivete about men (and along with the fact she carried a stuffed chihuahua from country to country with her, it kind of made her seem 12 sometimes.) Really, you didn't know that you couldn't go out for coffee "just as friends" with the married Argentinean doorman who had just asked you out without revealing he was married? Eesh! I don't care what country you're in, I think most women over age 16 would be savvy enough to figure that one out.
So that pretty much sums up my thoughts. Overall, I liked it and it was a very good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
July 26, 2021I wish Goodreads would add a DNF option. Sometimes there are books I didn't finish but want to leave some comment on.
I found this title while looking for something to read for Austen in August, and I'm also trying to read more books from around the world, so it seemed like a great combo. I made it to about 45% but though some of Smith's travels were interesting, as a character she was getting on my nerves. Her romantic adventures were remarkably immature and irresponsible, more like a college student than a college professor, making her more a kindred spirit to Lydia than Lizzie Bennett. Which is fine, but not what I expected. And the "book groups" she got together in various locations were seriously underwhelming. Half the time the group hadn't even read the book, or they read some other book by mistake, or a significant number of people didn't show up. Nobody who does make it to the groups has much of interest to say, or it's in very basic, simple language because Smith is a beginner student of Spanish. Along the same lines, when she finally gets to her main teaching gig in Chile, that turns out to be two classes on "travel literature," one with three American/Canadian students and the other with four, all of whom prefer to go on field trips rather than have discussions in class. This is where I gave up.
Anybody who did read the whole book and can tell me it gets better, might persuade me to keep going .. but otherwise I'm going to go read Sense and Sensibility instead.
I found this title while looking for something to read for Austen in August, and I'm also trying to read more books from around the world, so it seemed like a great combo. I made it to about 45% but though some of Smith's travels were interesting, as a character she was getting on my nerves. Her romantic adventures were remarkably immature and irresponsible, more like a college student than a college professor, making her more a kindred spirit to Lydia than Lizzie Bennett. Which is fine, but not what I expected. And the "book groups" she got together in various locations were seriously underwhelming. Half the time the group hadn't even read the book, or they read some other book by mistake, or a significant number of people didn't show up. Nobody who does make it to the groups has much of interest to say, or it's in very basic, simple language because Smith is a beginner student of Spanish. Along the same lines, when she finally gets to her main teaching gig in Chile, that turns out to be two classes on "travel literature," one with three American/Canadian students and the other with four, all of whom prefer to go on field trips rather than have discussions in class. This is where I gave up.
Anybody who did read the whole book and can tell me it gets better, might persuade me to keep going .. but otherwise I'm going to go read Sense and Sensibility instead.
May 6, 2015
I found this book via a review (I'm guessing either Mean Old Fat Bat or Rosario, not sure which) and finally got around to reading it. What a treat!
Here's the basic set-up: Professor travels throughout Latin America, reading various Jane Austen works in Spanish with reading groups in each country she visits. What follows is an interesting journey across cultures that shows how different each of the countries Smith visits are as well as how universal some of Austen's themes can be. I loved how groups in almost every country could read Pride and Prejudice or Emma, and participants could start describing how they knew people just like the fictional characters.
I loved this book because it gave me an all new appreciation for Jane Austen, and it also taught me quite a lot about how varied the cultures of Central and South America can be. That part of the world tends to get described as a single block here in the United States, and that does it a disservice.
So, why only 4 stars? As much as I enjoyed the majority of the book, the author's overly self-conscious voice grated on me at times. Way too navel-gazery at times. Thankfully, those times make up only a small portion of the book.
Here's the basic set-up: Professor travels throughout Latin America, reading various Jane Austen works in Spanish with reading groups in each country she visits. What follows is an interesting journey across cultures that shows how different each of the countries Smith visits are as well as how universal some of Austen's themes can be. I loved how groups in almost every country could read Pride and Prejudice or Emma, and participants could start describing how they knew people just like the fictional characters.
I loved this book because it gave me an all new appreciation for Jane Austen, and it also taught me quite a lot about how varied the cultures of Central and South America can be. That part of the world tends to get described as a single block here in the United States, and that does it a disservice.
So, why only 4 stars? As much as I enjoyed the majority of the book, the author's overly self-conscious voice grated on me at times. Way too navel-gazery at times. Thankfully, those times make up only a small portion of the book.
August 17, 2021
This was pleasant and interesting combination of two quite disparate subjects (Austen and Latin American travel). Having finished, I want to go back and comb through it for the recommendations of 19th century and early 20th century South American authors, but it's extremely unlikely that I'll ever reread. It's a bit unfortunate that I read this book not long after finishing another memoir in which a single woman travels to foreign parts and finds love (the Eat, Pray, Love formula, I guess, not that I've read that): Three Things You Need to Know About Rockets: A Real-Life Scottish Fairy Tale, and I was already weary of the trope before I even began this one.
Edited to add: on a minor note, the author indulges in the not uncommon habit of referring to Elizabeth Bennett as "Lizzy," which is a pet peeve of mine. Sure, some of Elizabeth's family members call her that, but Austen herself never does, and I don't think we're meant to either.
Edited to add: on a minor note, the author indulges in the not uncommon habit of referring to Elizabeth Bennett as "Lizzy," which is a pet peeve of mine. Sure, some of Elizabeth's family members call her that, but Austen herself never does, and I don't think we're meant to either.
September 13, 2012
I read this book all through this summer, a chapter from time to time, enjoying and sharing Amy Elizabeth Smith's enthusiasm for Jane Austen and her work and envying her the luck of living such an extraordinary non-academic but enriching experience . All Roads Lead to Austen is a vivacious travelog telling about her experience in different book clubs all over Latin America, but it is also her declaration of love for Jane Austen's work. A travel book full of amusing anecdotes, real experiences, interesting meetings and a lot of Jane Austen! Amy Elizabeth Smith gives Janeites a new perspective on their beloved writer's novels and a cross-cultural approach to those familiar tales. It is an interesting, unforgettable read.
Read
September 2, 2023DNF no rating
This is more about the author's love life than it is about Austen. Even when it is discussing Austen, not interesting.
November 27, 2017
i have a tendency to find books that "speak" to me when I need them and this one spoke. I really connected with the writer and her adventures. it is wonderful to see that Jane Austen resonates with the whole world regardless of the language.
July 13, 2020
A pleasant travel through Latin America with Austen book clubs along the way. I think most of the book club conversations are easily skimmed -- except for the one where an Argentinian lady snaps (about a musical Christmas tree) "eso es IN-FER-NAL!"
June 8, 2012
One Author. Three Novels. Six Countries.
The Mission: To determine if Jane Austen resonates the same in different cultures. Is she as universally accessible as she is timeless?
The Time Assigned to Complete Mission: One year
The Candidate: Professor Amy Elizabeth Smith from the University of the Pacific. Age - 42. Single. Ardent Janeite.
In her honest, humorous, and inspiring travel memoir Amy Elizabeth Smith brings readers to six diverse and vibrant countries – Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, Paraguay, Chile and Argentina. In each country, Ms. Smith scouts out the local book haunts, sets up a group read of a Jane Austen novel, and submerges herself in Latin America literature. The reading groups are comprised of five or six friends, friends-of-a-friend, poets, teachers, and booksellers that agree to read and discuss a Jane Austen novel in Spanish. When these groups meet, they discuss everything from the plot and characters, to the Jane Austen's marital status and popularity, to how Jane Austen's novels compare with their society and culture.
To put it simply, I LOVED everything about this book! Of course I greatly enjoyed the subject and study – how interesting it was to see other cultures' reactions and opinions about our beloved Jane Austen – but what I really loved was all the additional bits and pieces Amy Smith included in her writing. All Roads Lead to Austen is not just a scholarly study or academic work of nonfiction, it's an experience, an exploration, an adventure! I loved learning all about the funny, embarrassing, and surprising moments Amy encountered during her year abroad! And for those hoping for a little romance...don't worry, you won't be disappointed!
To continue reading, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...
The Mission: To determine if Jane Austen resonates the same in different cultures. Is she as universally accessible as she is timeless?
The Time Assigned to Complete Mission: One year
The Candidate: Professor Amy Elizabeth Smith from the University of the Pacific. Age - 42. Single. Ardent Janeite.
In her honest, humorous, and inspiring travel memoir Amy Elizabeth Smith brings readers to six diverse and vibrant countries – Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, Paraguay, Chile and Argentina. In each country, Ms. Smith scouts out the local book haunts, sets up a group read of a Jane Austen novel, and submerges herself in Latin America literature. The reading groups are comprised of five or six friends, friends-of-a-friend, poets, teachers, and booksellers that agree to read and discuss a Jane Austen novel in Spanish. When these groups meet, they discuss everything from the plot and characters, to the Jane Austen's marital status and popularity, to how Jane Austen's novels compare with their society and culture.
To put it simply, I LOVED everything about this book! Of course I greatly enjoyed the subject and study – how interesting it was to see other cultures' reactions and opinions about our beloved Jane Austen – but what I really loved was all the additional bits and pieces Amy Smith included in her writing. All Roads Lead to Austen is not just a scholarly study or academic work of nonfiction, it's an experience, an exploration, an adventure! I loved learning all about the funny, embarrassing, and surprising moments Amy encountered during her year abroad! And for those hoping for a little romance...don't worry, you won't be disappointed!
To continue reading, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...
September 29, 2012
I think I know where the author was going with this, see if Austen translates, figuratively not just literally in South American countries, but mostly I just felt it was yet another author riding Jane Austen's coattails or I guess dress-hems instead of coming up with her own stuff. Even using the name in the title makes me go, whatever.
September 25, 2012
An entertaining read for lovers of Jane Austen novels (or anyone who is a book nerd, really.)
October 27, 2024
What a delight this travel memoir was! Author Amy Elizabeth Smith teaches a Jane Austen course at a small school in California. Instead of final papers, her students have to develop projects that are shared during an end-of-semester showcase. Inspired by her students and Azar Nafisi’s project in Iran, where a group of students read and discussed six different authors, she decides to take a year-long sabbatical and form Austen reading groups in six different Central and South American countries. She selects Pride and Prejudice for Guatemala and Ecuador, Sense and Sensibility for Mexico and Chile, and Emma for Paraguay and Argentina.
Amy provided highlights of her time traveling around the sites of each country, and this helped me to capture the uniqueness of each location. She does not gloss over her cultural slip-ups, which are at times hilarious and at others sobering. She is also intentional about asking in each country for recommendations of authors she should read as well as if there were any female authors in that country writing about their society and culture at the same time Austen was. My knowledge of authors important to their respective countries grew through my reading of this book, and Amy’s knowledge of the history and culture of the country she is staying in grows as she reads. I was thoroughly engrossed in each Austen discussion and the parallels the readers found to their own lives. The discussions are fascinating as the groups range from teachers to poets, from taxi drivers to politicians, and more! There are also lovely illustrations that mark the beginning of each new section of the book. This one will have a permanent place on my bookshelves!
Amy provided highlights of her time traveling around the sites of each country, and this helped me to capture the uniqueness of each location. She does not gloss over her cultural slip-ups, which are at times hilarious and at others sobering. She is also intentional about asking in each country for recommendations of authors she should read as well as if there were any female authors in that country writing about their society and culture at the same time Austen was. My knowledge of authors important to their respective countries grew through my reading of this book, and Amy’s knowledge of the history and culture of the country she is staying in grows as she reads. I was thoroughly engrossed in each Austen discussion and the parallels the readers found to their own lives. The discussions are fascinating as the groups range from teachers to poets, from taxi drivers to politicians, and more! There are also lovely illustrations that mark the beginning of each new section of the book. This one will have a permanent place on my bookshelves!
November 2, 2020
This is a memoir (with some names changed) of a California literature professor who takes a sabbatical year to travel through Central and South America. Because one of her areas of specialty is Jane Austen, she also plans to put together discussion groups in each of her stops (Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay and Argentina) to discuss one of the Austen novels, with particular emphasis on whether they can relate to the English setting from their own cultural backgrounds. Besides the book groups, she also teaches a couple of classes of International students, buys a lot of books from the countries she is visiting which might parallel Austen in some way, and oh yeah, falls in love. I enjoyed it as a travel tale, as well as the Austen discussions. I have read her novels before, so I could follow the discussions, but I'll probably be refreshing my memory of them soon. If you like Jane Austen or travel narratives, you might enjoy this offering.
May 17, 2013
Tutte le strade portano a Jane
Appena finito di leggere questo libro sono andata a guardare il sito di All Roads Lead To Austen e il profilo facebook di Amy Elizabeth Smith. Perché? Perché, pur non trattandosi di un romanzo questo libro coinvolge un janeite a livelli incredibili, tanto che sembra di conoscere davvero le persone – tutte reali – che sono citate nel libro e si vogliono vedere i loro volti.
Karen Joy Fowler con Il club di Jane Austen ci ha fatto conoscere un modo nuovo di accomunare i janeites: tramite gruppi di lettura in cui i romanzi vengono letti e riletti, perché lo sappiamo che, ogni volta che la si rilegge, Jane Austen svela qualcosa di nuovo, accrescendo ulteriormente la già ricca interpretazione dei personaggi e dei significati.
Ed è normale per un janeite contestualizzare le situazioni della propria vita negli universalissimi romanzi di Jane Austen, perché la natura umana non cambia, che si sia nel 1813 o nel 2013, che si sia in Inghilterra o in Italia o in America Latina.
Ed ecco il progetto di Amy Elizabeth Smith: ispirata dal libro di Nazar Afisi Leggere Lolita a Teheran, in cui un gruppo di studenti iraniani dopo la rivoluzione legge sei diversi autori, la Smith decide di fare un esperimento simile ma con un solo autore (Jane Austen, ovviamente) e gruppi di lettura organizzati in sei paesi differenti dell’America Centrale e Meridionale.
La Smith vuole anche scoprire le Jane Austen locali, per conoscere la diversa cultura dei paesi ospiti.
Si reca dapprima ad Antigua, in Guatemala, per cinque settimane di studio intensivo di spagnolo. La Smith si fermerà in sei paesi latino-americani, in cui vivrà esperienze uniche, non solo parlando, ma anche ‘vivendo’ ogni volta una nuova lingua e partecipando a gruppi di lettura sempre diversi e stimolanti, che le consentiranno di interpretare la Austen in modi nuovi e sorprendenti. E soprattutto troverà l’amore. Sarà Diego, il messicano che ha conosciuto nel corso di una vacanza improvvisata a Puerto Vaillarta l'anno precedente, o qualcun altro?
Partendo da Antigua, in Guatemala con il gruppo di lettura di Orgullo y Prejuicio, passando per il Messico, con Sentido y Sensibilidad, Diego e una malattia debilitante, proseguendo verso Guayaquil in Ecuador, dove leggerà ancora Orgullo y Prejuicio e verso il Cile (ancora Sentido y Sensibilidad e un semestre di insegnamento all'università per studenti stranieri, in inglese, per sua fortuna), arriverà ad Asunción in Paraguay e infine a Buenos Aires per leggere e discutere Emma.
In tutti i paesi in cui si reca Amy Elizabeth Smith si rende conto del valore universale di Jane Austen, di come i suoi romanzi potrebbero adattarsi a diversi luoghi e situazioni; di come, visti attraverso gli occhi di persone di cultura e esperienze di vita differenti, ci si accorga di elementi a cui prima non avevamo prestato attenzione, che accrescono il già enorme valore della scrittrice dello Hampshire. I pregiudizi sociali dell’Inghilterra del XIX secolo si possono accostare ai pregiudizi razziali di Antigua; le donne si sposano perché non vogliono restare sole, nel Messico del XXI secolo come nel mondo di Jane Austen; le imposizioni culturali, specialmente per quanto riguarda il comportamento femminile – la cura di se stesse e il conseguimento di particolari abilità che attirino un marito benestante – sono le stesse nel Cile di oggi come nell’Inghilterra Regency.
La Smith vive seguendo i costumi dei paesi in cui si trova e immergendosi nella loro atmosfera politica e a ogni nuova esperienza immagina cosa farebbe Jane Austen al suo posto. Quando assiste a una manifestazione in Cile per curiosità si chiede se Jane Austen abbia mai vissuto nel pericolo. Non ci è dato di sapere, perché Cassandra avrebbe bruciato come prima cosa delle testimonianze così sconvenienti, ma Amy pensa ai romanzi di Stephanie Barron, in cui Jane Austen diventa l’eroina-investigatrice che intesse la sua vita di mille avventure.
La Smith vive seguendo i costumi dei paesi in cui si trova e immergendosi nella loro atmosfera politica e a ogni nuova esperienza immagina cosa farebbe Jane Austen al suo posto. Quando assiste a una manifestazione in Cile per curiosità si chiede se Jane Austen abbia mai vissuto nel pericolo. Non ci è dato di sapere, perché Cassandra avrebbe bruciato come prima cosa delle testimonianze così sconvenienti, ma Amy pensa ai romanzi di Stephanie Barron, in cui Jane Austen diventa l’eroina-investigatrice che intesse la sua vita di mille avventure.
Insomma, anche in America Latina la Smith riesce a fare una full immersion in Jane Austen: le discussioni a cui partecipa le dimostreranno che il suo progetto aveva un senso e che la Austen è universale. Inoltre, come tutti i janeites, utilizzerà la vita e i personaggi di Jane Austen come punto di riferimento nella sua stessa vita, sebbene si trovi a vivere in sei contesti differenti.
Bellissime le illustrazioni di Lucia Mancilla Prieto, che rappresentano Jane Austen nelle città latino americane, nell'atto di osservare, vivere e immergersi nella loro realtà, lei che non ha mai viaggiato al di fuori dell'Inghilterra, ma che oggi sarebbe accolta a braccia aperte in tutti i paesi del mondo.
Un appassionante diario di viaggio, imperdibile per i fan di Jane Austen che potranno non soltanto vedere la scrittrice attraverso gli occhi di persone appartenenti a diverse culture – scoprendo nuovi dettagli e nuove interpretazioni dei personaggi –, ma sentiranno di partecipare attivamente ai gruppi di lettura grazie al racconto entusiasta di Amy Elizabeth Smith.
Potete leggere la recensione completa QUI
Appena finito di leggere questo libro sono andata a guardare il sito di All Roads Lead To Austen e il profilo facebook di Amy Elizabeth Smith. Perché? Perché, pur non trattandosi di un romanzo questo libro coinvolge un janeite a livelli incredibili, tanto che sembra di conoscere davvero le persone – tutte reali – che sono citate nel libro e si vogliono vedere i loro volti.
Karen Joy Fowler con Il club di Jane Austen ci ha fatto conoscere un modo nuovo di accomunare i janeites: tramite gruppi di lettura in cui i romanzi vengono letti e riletti, perché lo sappiamo che, ogni volta che la si rilegge, Jane Austen svela qualcosa di nuovo, accrescendo ulteriormente la già ricca interpretazione dei personaggi e dei significati.
Ed è normale per un janeite contestualizzare le situazioni della propria vita negli universalissimi romanzi di Jane Austen, perché la natura umana non cambia, che si sia nel 1813 o nel 2013, che si sia in Inghilterra o in Italia o in America Latina.
Ed ecco il progetto di Amy Elizabeth Smith: ispirata dal libro di Nazar Afisi Leggere Lolita a Teheran, in cui un gruppo di studenti iraniani dopo la rivoluzione legge sei diversi autori, la Smith decide di fare un esperimento simile ma con un solo autore (Jane Austen, ovviamente) e gruppi di lettura organizzati in sei paesi differenti dell’America Centrale e Meridionale.
La Smith vuole anche scoprire le Jane Austen locali, per conoscere la diversa cultura dei paesi ospiti.
Si reca dapprima ad Antigua, in Guatemala, per cinque settimane di studio intensivo di spagnolo. La Smith si fermerà in sei paesi latino-americani, in cui vivrà esperienze uniche, non solo parlando, ma anche ‘vivendo’ ogni volta una nuova lingua e partecipando a gruppi di lettura sempre diversi e stimolanti, che le consentiranno di interpretare la Austen in modi nuovi e sorprendenti. E soprattutto troverà l’amore. Sarà Diego, il messicano che ha conosciuto nel corso di una vacanza improvvisata a Puerto Vaillarta l'anno precedente, o qualcun altro?
Partendo da Antigua, in Guatemala con il gruppo di lettura di Orgullo y Prejuicio, passando per il Messico, con Sentido y Sensibilidad, Diego e una malattia debilitante, proseguendo verso Guayaquil in Ecuador, dove leggerà ancora Orgullo y Prejuicio e verso il Cile (ancora Sentido y Sensibilidad e un semestre di insegnamento all'università per studenti stranieri, in inglese, per sua fortuna), arriverà ad Asunción in Paraguay e infine a Buenos Aires per leggere e discutere Emma.
In tutti i paesi in cui si reca Amy Elizabeth Smith si rende conto del valore universale di Jane Austen, di come i suoi romanzi potrebbero adattarsi a diversi luoghi e situazioni; di come, visti attraverso gli occhi di persone di cultura e esperienze di vita differenti, ci si accorga di elementi a cui prima non avevamo prestato attenzione, che accrescono il già enorme valore della scrittrice dello Hampshire. I pregiudizi sociali dell’Inghilterra del XIX secolo si possono accostare ai pregiudizi razziali di Antigua; le donne si sposano perché non vogliono restare sole, nel Messico del XXI secolo come nel mondo di Jane Austen; le imposizioni culturali, specialmente per quanto riguarda il comportamento femminile – la cura di se stesse e il conseguimento di particolari abilità che attirino un marito benestante – sono le stesse nel Cile di oggi come nell’Inghilterra Regency.
La Smith vive seguendo i costumi dei paesi in cui si trova e immergendosi nella loro atmosfera politica e a ogni nuova esperienza immagina cosa farebbe Jane Austen al suo posto. Quando assiste a una manifestazione in Cile per curiosità si chiede se Jane Austen abbia mai vissuto nel pericolo. Non ci è dato di sapere, perché Cassandra avrebbe bruciato come prima cosa delle testimonianze così sconvenienti, ma Amy pensa ai romanzi di Stephanie Barron, in cui Jane Austen diventa l’eroina-investigatrice che intesse la sua vita di mille avventure.
La Smith vive seguendo i costumi dei paesi in cui si trova e immergendosi nella loro atmosfera politica e a ogni nuova esperienza immagina cosa farebbe Jane Austen al suo posto. Quando assiste a una manifestazione in Cile per curiosità si chiede se Jane Austen abbia mai vissuto nel pericolo. Non ci è dato di sapere, perché Cassandra avrebbe bruciato come prima cosa delle testimonianze così sconvenienti, ma Amy pensa ai romanzi di Stephanie Barron, in cui Jane Austen diventa l’eroina-investigatrice che intesse la sua vita di mille avventure.
Insomma, anche in America Latina la Smith riesce a fare una full immersion in Jane Austen: le discussioni a cui partecipa le dimostreranno che il suo progetto aveva un senso e che la Austen è universale. Inoltre, come tutti i janeites, utilizzerà la vita e i personaggi di Jane Austen come punto di riferimento nella sua stessa vita, sebbene si trovi a vivere in sei contesti differenti.
Bellissime le illustrazioni di Lucia Mancilla Prieto, che rappresentano Jane Austen nelle città latino americane, nell'atto di osservare, vivere e immergersi nella loro realtà, lei che non ha mai viaggiato al di fuori dell'Inghilterra, ma che oggi sarebbe accolta a braccia aperte in tutti i paesi del mondo.
Un appassionante diario di viaggio, imperdibile per i fan di Jane Austen che potranno non soltanto vedere la scrittrice attraverso gli occhi di persone appartenenti a diverse culture – scoprendo nuovi dettagli e nuove interpretazioni dei personaggi –, ma sentiranno di partecipare attivamente ai gruppi di lettura grazie al racconto entusiasta di Amy Elizabeth Smith.
Potete leggere la recensione completa QUI
August 5, 2019
2019 - bk 240. I had purchased this a number of years ago and it lingered on my to-be-read shelf until week ago when I felt drawn to pick this up. The year of Dr. Smith's life visiting countries to the south, improving her Spanish, learning the culture and how to function daily in each of the different countries is interesting. The author and her readership are drawn into the small glimpses they see of the lives of folks in each of those different countries - and how we are all interconnected when we read and discuss common books. I think what helped the author's acceptance was her desire to know about Jane Austen's contemporary authors in each of those countries, the fact that she did read them in Spanish and learned to talk about those books in addition to Austen. It is always good to make new friends and acquaintances when you travel - and Dr. Smith certainly did this. I recommend this book to those who enjoy reading and enjoy traveling.
April 24, 2018
I found this more interesting than enjoyable, which is fine. The interesting part was how readers in different countries of Latin America responded to reading Jane Austen's novels. The "universality" of Austen's themes were a bit different with each reading group, and they thought of things that as an American reader, I hadn't considered. If you are an Austen fan, it is worth reading for that alone.
The memoir was good, but I found it more uneven. I think some parts of her life were exaggerated to maintain suspense, and that fell rather flat as it was too obvious. She also seemed to play dumb with the reader, downplaying her intelligence, which, as a fellow female academic I can understand the impulse, but I think it was unnecessary and undesirable.
The memoir was good, but I found it more uneven. I think some parts of her life were exaggerated to maintain suspense, and that fell rather flat as it was too obvious. She also seemed to play dumb with the reader, downplaying her intelligence, which, as a fellow female academic I can understand the impulse, but I think it was unnecessary and undesirable.
October 8, 2019
This actually turned into a more interesting read than I thought it might. Ms. Smith takes a year to tour through the countries of South American setting up book clubs with those who will read books by Jane Austen, buying many pounds of books to send home, constantly letting her mother know that she's not dead or injured yet and looking for a set of Nancy Drew books in Spanish. It was fun to see how the people she met and coaxed to participate felt about the various Austen books they read and how they related them to current day in their particular country. Ms. Smith was very up front about the issues she had with learning the language and the social faux pas she committed so the book came over very believably to me...which made it more fun to read. In several of the countries she used Emma as her book selection--these discussions were the most interesting to me because I did not like Emma at all and I loved reading about the club members opinions of the book. An all round fascinating read.
July 17, 2017
This was surprisingly an enjoyable read. It's not what I'd typically pick up, but I read the back and was intrigued. This moves pretty quickly, and Smith provides some historical and cultural context of each of the country she visits as well as admitting her own assumptions and how wrong she was. I also enjoyed reading about what various people made of Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, and Emma - and some of these comments in fact gave me material that I'll certainly be chewing on whenever I reread these books.
January 21, 2019
I really and truly enjoyed this book. I decided to finally read it (having gotten it as a Christmas present at least two years ago) because I am traveling to Columbia in May and thought, “This is the perfect way to connect my upcoming adventure with Jane Austen!” It was an inspiring book and I highly recommend it for Janeites and travel enthusiasts!
January 4, 2022
Jane Austin's world is very much alive--in Guatemala, in Mexico, in Ecuador, in Chile, in Paraguay, and finally, in Argentina. Amy Elizabeth Smith's year-long journey to discover that "we're not always speaking the same language, even when we're speaking the same language."
I loved this book so much! I cannot wait to share it with my favorite Janeite: Marci! I couldn't put it down--this "Austenesque journey of a lifetime" (as per Sharon Lathan)
Now, I want to start a book group, reading all my Austen faves!
I loved this book so much! I cannot wait to share it with my favorite Janeite: Marci! I couldn't put it down--this "Austenesque journey of a lifetime" (as per Sharon Lathan)
Now, I want to start a book group, reading all my Austen faves!
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February 11, 2017I got this book looking for a biography of Miss Austen and the book turned out to be a kind of book club of Jane's work presented in Spanish. Since it was of no interest to me I dropped it and give it no rating.
So I still have to find the biography to learn about her short life.
So I still have to find the biography to learn about her short life.
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