From the desk of Lisa Galek: If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite author celebrated Christmas in the 18th century—or just know someone who has—A Jane Austen Christmas: Celebrating the Season of Romance, Ribbons, and Mistletoe by Carlo DeVito is the perfect package to place under the tree this holiday. A Journey Through Austen's Christmas... Continue Reading →
The Beau Monde: Fashionable Society in Georgian London, by Hannah Greig – A Review
From the desk of Tracy Hickman: Several recent histories have popularized Georgian England as “The Age of Scandal” with members of the beau monde starring in colorful “stories of gambling, adultery, high spending, and fast living” (30). Author, lecturer in 18th-century British history, and historical consultant Hannah Greig takes an alternate approach in The Beau... Continue Reading →
Book Launch of Jane Austen’s England, by Lesley and Roy Adkins
Let’s face it. Life in a Jane Austen novel is a fantasy to us two-hundred years after they were originally set. Who wouldn’t want to wear a pretty silk frock, dance with Mr. Darcy at the Netherfield ball or ride in Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s barouche? But life in Jane Austen’s England was not all... Continue Reading →
Miss Jane Austen’s Guide to Modern Life Dilemmas, by Rebecca Smith – A Review
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: I am late out of the gate in reviewing this book. It’s been sitting here on my desk for months. Released on 25 October 2012, it has not garnered much attention and I don't know why. However, this clever tome deserves your attention. First off, the cover will... Continue Reading →
The Literary Ladies’ Guide to the Writing Life: Inspiration and Advice from Celebrated Women Authors, by Nava Atlas – A Review
Guest Review by Aia A. Hussein Judging by the number of writing guides available in bookstores today, as compared to the number of guides available twenty or thirty years ago, it would seem that there has been an increase in demand for books about writing. Admittedly, many of these guides are similar in scope and... Continue Reading →
Puzzling Legal Issues in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: 18th and 19th century primogeniture and marriage laws in England were very complicated, even for those who lived in the era. Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility is fueled by legal issues that are puzzling to our 21st-century sensibilities. It was a serious business however, impacting many lives. When... Continue Reading →
101 Things You Didn’t Know About Jane Austen, by Patrice Hannon – A Review
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE WORLD'S MOST Â INTRIGUING LITERARY HEROINE Â Knowledge is power. Sir Francis Bacon, Religious Meditations, Of Heresies, 1597 Everything united in him; good understanding, correct opinions, knowledge of the world, and a warm heart. The Narrator on William Elliot, Persuasion, Chapter 16 Most biographies of Jane Austen will reveal the quiet life... Continue Reading →