Jane Austen discussion
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7 Novels, but wait there is more....
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I'd heard something about it but didn't know what to look for, thanks to your list I found it on Amazon. :DIt's described as
The Juvenilia are a collection of stories, short novels, plays and fragments and ideas that Jane Austen wrote between the ages of approximately thirteen and seventeen. These works were written never intended for publication, and show a witty, cynical and boisterous streak that is not apparent in her novels. The Juvenilia are a delight to read and provide a wonderful insight into the mind of the author.
They are delightful and outrageous, and she read them aloud to her family for entertainment in the evenings. Depressing how precocious she was!
Louise Sparrow wrote: "I'd heard something about it but didn't know what to look for, thanks to your list I found it on Amazon. :DIt's described as
The Juvenilia are a collection of stories, short novels, plays and fr..."
Thanks Louise. I had never heard of these and whenever I search on Austen her famous novels always come up. I am so glad I found these.
Louise Sparrow wrote: "I'd heard something about it but didn't know what to look for, thanks to your list I found it on Amazon. :DIt's described as
The Juvenilia are a collection of stories, short novels, plays and fr..." Really? She read these to her family. Even more fun.
To share how I discovered these stories;I spent a dreamlike 5 days at a JA study week in rural England (at Denman collage with HAzel Jones highly recommend) Then I stayed over and spent a day in Oxford and had to check the bookstores and found beautiful editions of small Collector's Library edition of the mentioned works. (I also visited Blenhem palace the town of Abington and we spent a day in Bristol ) I saw the England I waslooking for and inspired by being a JA nut /The stories are fun to read and it is our great lose that she never finished the novel
@Edward In my view, you left out the most important one. "The History of England" is so wickedly funny. Added bonus....the paintings in it are by Cassandra Austen. One of them may be Jane....oh the elusive images of Jane. I actually read all of the Juvenilia(Volumes I, II, and III they are sometimes marked) cover to cover. I had read about 1/2 of them before. I was going to make my book club(Austen in Boston) read them too. Lol, I decided against that as some of stories aren't as exciting/amusing as "The History of England". However, all the dedications are worth reading....especially the ones to Cassandra. Cassandra Sidebar: While I wail about the burned letters....I thank Cassandra for the letters she didn't burn. And without Cassandra helping Jane in many ways...we might not have had the books! The Watsons contains, for me, one of the most moving scenes in Jane Austen's writing(if you enjoy that scene when you come to it...don't read the completion of The Watsons by Joan Aiken...grrrrr). The heroine of The Watsons is Emma Watson. I think the Harry Potter etc actress Emma Watson should play....Emma Watson. Austen in Boston's January books are....Sanditon and The Watsons. I believe I have read them four or five times. I haven't read a Sanditon completion yet....maybe over the Holidays. Happy reading and sorry I wrote a book above!
What a delightful name for a book club, Kirk! Do you read only works by Jane Austen, or is the name an homage?
Kirk wrote: "@Edward In my view, you left out the most important one. "The History of England" is so wickedly funny. Added bonus....the paintings in it are by Cassandra Austen. One of them may be Jane....oh the..."Kirk - Thanks for reminding me of my oversight. Yes actually that is one of the works in the book I bought as well just failed to list it.
This week is Thanksgiving which means I'll be reading some of the books I've purchased in the past two weeks (I've got a review to finish which is dragging - not Austen) and hopefully that will clear my reading schedule.
Abigail wrote: "What a delightful name for a book club, Kirk! Do you read only works by Jane Austen, or is the name an homage?"Thanks Abigail!!!!! I wish I could say I came up with the name! No, it's Jane and others. Our full name (TMI warning for the rest of this post!) is actually Austen in Boston: A Jane Austen Book Club. We generally read two of the big six per year(This year it was S&S and NA). I generally decide those and try to remember when the last time we read them. (Being on Facebook helps). Other 9 books we read in a year(we take December off from reading and have a holiday/Jane Bday party) can be anything put up by anybody(except the three twisted English Sisters, lol, I don't care for them...others in the group do). As the organizer, I'll throw out suggestions. Lol, many times I'm ignored. :) Sometimes I'll add a book that I think is important to read, even if I've already read it(Longbourn, for example, which I hated). New members, after attending a couple times, generally get to choose a book.
@Edward Thanks Edward, I really hope you enjoy it. Ah, reviews. My respect for professional/academic reviewers has grown so much since I started writing reviews here on Goodreads and Facebook. Yikes!
Ugh, I hated Longbourn as well. Talk about TMI !! Plus I just didn’t think the characters and story unfolded in believable ways, and thought the author didn’t have a lot of respect for or interest in Jane Austen’s characters. My unkind suspicion was that she used the P&P references so as to get more publicity for her book and readers who would buy it simply because it was Austen-related.Your book club makes me wish I lived in Boston (though your weather doesn’t)—it sounds like a lot of fun! I’ve just been hooked up with a local JA book club, going to my first meeting in January. And I thoroughly approve of banishing the Brontës—palpitating pulp fiction, in my view, though I loved their work as a teenager.
There's the major 6 novels, Lady Susan, The Watsons and Sanditon which comprise Austen's adult novels. Her Juvenilia are very funny. It's amazing how she knew what was funny at such a young age. She was a precocious reader and I think that influenced her writing. I recommend starting with a good bio of Jane Austen to learn all about her and her writing. Austen in Boston book club sounds up my alley. I wish I lived a little closer.
I have always wanted to spend time in Boston for many reasons now you have added one I cannot even gat a book club to last (ewe have tried in my town twice)never a discussion on Austin. My friends think I am nuts (espiecally for going to England on that course but they were happy for me )
RE: never getting a book club to last. Here's a model that might work. Back when I lived in Los Angeles, I was part of a group called the Live Poets. Unlike your ordinary book club, we did not assign a book, all read it, and then get together to discuss; instead, we assigned a theme and all found stories or excerpts or poems to read aloud to one another that spoke in some way to that theme. It was a lot less work, you got to read whatever you wanted to, and you were introduced to a lot more writings than you would have been otherwise.I loved this idea so much that I wrote a novel centered on it! Here's a hint for getting started, if you're inspired: the theme that worked best (and pretty much became an annual affair) was Spoof and Pastiche. Made for hilarious reading and listening!
We had only three rules: (1) we met only if everyone could attend; (2) we weren't tied to meeting monthly, but met whenever a member was inspired to host; and (3) we ate even more than we read.
one of the problems was that it was very hard to find adate when all could attend so we met every first Mon of the month and it eventually died but we will never find an evening for all we are not so many interested 2] pardon my ignorance but what is spoof and pastiche (I left the USA in 1963 at age 12)bY the way I did give one talk on Emma but it only inspired them to see the film !(1970's of course)when it was my turn I made scones with jam.and theywere all eaten what is the name of your novel?
Spoof and pastiche are variants of parody—as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a pastiche of Pride and Prejudice, or Bored of the Rings is a spoof of Lord of the Rings. Basically, they make good-humored fun of famous works.My novel is named An Obstinate, Headstrong Girl, and it is no kind of parody—more like homage to Pride and Prejudice.
@Edward, 'Love and Freindship' is hilarious, really over the top and silly. This is the part which stuck in my mind: "It was too pathetic for the feelings of Sophia and myself - We fainted alternately on a sofa" :) @Kirk, I haven't read this, but I've seen this completion of Sanditon Sanditon: Jane Austen's Last Novel Completed recommended, have had it on my TBR (and actually a physical copy in my house) for far too long, apparently you can't tell where the join is between Austen's work and the new work so I thought I'd try it and see if I can spot it!
Kirk wrote: "Abigail wrote: "What a delightful name for a book club, Kirk! Do you read only works by Jane Austen, or is the name an homage?"Thanks Abigail!!!!! I wish I could say I came up with the name! No, ..."
Kirk - I couldn't finish that novel that I was reviewing. It had incredible potential but the story got lost. I was able to give the author some constructive criticism. I think part of the author's problem is she was trying to cram too much into one book and it almost ended up becoming an account of what happened.
Anyway, I hope the author goes back and starts over and tells the full story because I would love to read it. I just couldn't make it past Chapter 23.
Abigail wrote: "RE: never getting a book club to last. Here's a model that might work. Back when I lived in Los Angeles, I was part of a group called the Live Poets. Unlike your ordinary book club, we did not assi..."That group sounds like fun a la Dead Poets Society. I like that idea. Hmmm... Wonder how to do that in my area.
I tried joining a writing club, hoping to get some feedback. Ugh! That was not fun at all. Not that I didn't appreciate the feedback, it just seemed like a waste of time didn't really get a sense anyone cared to discuss anyone else's work but their own.
Well I read Lady Susan on Thanksgiving. It was very lovely. I loved the juicy details, and the lack of morals from Lady Susan. It was great fun and as always finished on an upbeat and all was well (classic Jane Austen) for those we liked. However, even though the novel is called Lady Susan and it is about her and what she does. I tend to think the main protagonist is Mrs. Vernon. We hear from Mrs. Vernon more than we hear from Lady Susan herself and in part because of Mrs. Vernon (albeit I think Lady Susan resigns herself to it) Francesca is saved from a crappy mother and marrying some rich idiot.
Although, I am not sure what really drives Lady Susan. What are her real motives to perhaps not want her daughter to marry Reginald. I realize she wants him for herself and yet she's not really sure she wants to be since she can't absolutely control him.
It would seem that a real cunning mother would have secured Reginald for her own daughter securing her own future and leaving her free to perhaps toy with Manwigs or even perhaps others. In the end though everything turns out well not just for her daughter for for herself as well.
Abigail wrote: "Ugh, I hated Longbourn as well. Talk about TMI !! Plus I just didn’t think the characters and story unfolded in believable ways, and thought the author didn’t have a lot of respect for or interest ..."Thanks to all for the Austen in Boston love! I wish we had warmer weather too and you could all drop by.
@Edward As with Persuasion and others....I don't believe the title was Jane Austen's doing. I agree with you about Mrs. Vernon. If the Lady Susan adaptation gets made(late 2015...maybe), I hope they cast Mrs. Vernon right. I read that they cast a striking Irish actress as Lady Susan. Very oddly...the working title is Love and Friendship(I don't suppose they have the courage, I won't, to spell it as Jane Austen did...."Love and Freindship" i before e except when Jane decides otherwise!). Lol, my local JASNA is performing an adapted version of Lady Susan in two weeks. The worse actor in the world was drafted to play Reginald and his father...I err I mean he must practice tons. :)
Kirk wrote: "Lol, my local JASNA is performing an adapted version of Lady Susan in two weeks. The worse actor in the world was drafted to play Reginald and his father...I err I mean he must practice tons. "Well good luck on your theatrical debut as Reginald. I imagine you must be a man of 3 and 20 or thereabouts to have been cast in that role. I am sure you will do very well indeed and would be interested in knowing the script they decided to adapt.
Perhaps someone can film it and you can post it on YouTube. That would be great fun. Although, you should feel lucky you don't have to play the part of Sir James (whom Lady Susan ultimately marries).
Oh Edward, I haven't read Lady Susan, have you just told me the ending? :(
It's one of those things, if you want to forget something you have no hope of doing so!
Ceri wrote: "Oh Edward, I haven't read Lady Susan, have you just told me the ending? :("Hey Ceri! I lied, she doesn't end up marrying Sir James. She ultimately seduces Mrs. Johnson's husband and Mr. Manwaring challenges him to a duel with pistols. Thankfully, they are both horrible shots and they end up each killing the ladies that were at odds with each other (Mrs. Johnson and Lady Susan).
Sir James then marries Mary Manwaring for which she's eternally grateful and he's blissfully happy.
I have just found an interesting article in JASNA S Persuasions #19 page 229. In the same journal there are several articles on the unfinished works
If you want to read more novels by the same author, I recommend that you read the first three novels of Fanny Burney, which are Evelina, Cecilia and Camilla. These were all written by Jane Austen's cousin, Eliza de Feuillide, prior to her writing Jane Austen's novels. The final novel of Fanny Burney, The Wanderer, is a piece of trash that the untalented Fanny Burney had to write herself as she was stuck in France for 12 years. Camilla is a masterpiece and is better than some of the Jane Austen novels. If you want to find out more about this, please read by biography "Jane Austen - a New Revelation".
Nicholas wrote: "If you want to read more novels by the same author, I recommend that you read the first three novels of Fanny Burney, which are Evelina, Cecilia and Camilla. These were all written by Jane Austen'..."Thanks Nicholas I'll look into it and will let you know.
OK - so Last week I discovered about Lady Susan. Which I had never heard about before. Yesterday I went to lunch near a Half-Price Bookstore and naturally I had to browse.
I found a very lovely copy of Sense & Sensibility, which I didn't need and still bought, but more importantly I found a nice hardcover titled Jane Austen Shorter Works.
I was hopeful that it would have Lady Susan and I was correct. It also contained The Watson and Sanditon which I already have but haven't yet read.
However, and this is where it gets interesting for me, there were other works too. Minor novels I had never heard of and one other fragment and another complete novel (short novel). I was going to buy it anyway for $3.99 but now I had discovered a pearl inside that I had never expected.
The other works are
Love and Friendship - Never heard of it
Catherine - I may have been aware of this
Minor Novels
Lesley Castle
Evelyn
Frederic and Elfrida
Jack and Alice
Edgar and Emma
Henry and Eliza
The Three sisters
Have any of you heard of these and have you read them? Can't wait to break this one open and dive in.