“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” Sage advice from the philosophizing Forrest Gump. The same can be said of Jane Austen adaptations. Last nights US premiere of screenwriter Sandy Welch’s newly retooled Emma on Masterpiece Classic had its mix of nuts, chews and soft centers. Most viewers will be tempted to consume it quickly like the beautifully crafted confection that it is. I prefer to take a small bite first to see what I’m getting.
Join the Emma Twitter Party on Sunday hosted by PBS Masterpiece Classic
“Why not seize the pleasure at once?” Emma (2009), the new mini-series staring Romola Garai as the clever, handsome but misguided Miss Emma Woodhouse premieres on Sunday January 24th on Masterpiece Classic. Join me as co-host with Vic of Jane Austen’s World, Kali of Emma Adaption Pages, Austen enthusiasts, bonnet drama lovers and the good folks... Continue Reading →
Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart, by Beth Pattillo – A Review
I have read a few Austenesque books in my day. Am I jaded? Hope not. I usually know by the end of the third chapter if it has wings: a fresh concept skillfully rendered, Austen allusions or her characters reverently portrayed and humor in the form of wit and irony, please. I know. It’s a... Continue Reading →
Emma (2009) Starring Romola Garai Premieres on Masterpiece Classic Next Sunday
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:Â US bonnet drama lovers are in for a treat when Emma (2009) begins on Masterpiece Classic next Sunday January 24th, 2010 on PBS. This is the first of three episodes of the new adaptation by BAFTA award winning screenwriter Sandy Welch (Our Mutual Friend, Jane Eyre, North And... Continue Reading →
Cranford, by Elizabeth Gaskell: A Naxos Audiobooks Review & Giveaway
To prime myself for Return to Cranford, the new Masterpiece Classic sequel to last year's award-winning mini-series Cranford on PBS, I wanted to read Mrs. Gaskell’s original novel that it was adapted from. Since I am always short of reading time, I chose instead to listen to an audio recording, my favorite pastime during my commute to... Continue Reading →
Chatting with Michael Thomas Ford, author of Jane Bites Back & a Giveaway!
When I read the announcement in June of 2008 about Michael Thomas Ford’s new novel Jane Bites Back, my jaw dropped and I stared at my computer screen in astonished disbelief! Jane Austen is a now a vampire? No. What next? Darcy and Elizabeth on Mars? As I read further about his concept of Austen... Continue Reading →
A Preview of The Betrayal of the Blood Lily: A Pink Carnation Novel (Book 6), by Lauren Willig
Tuesdays in the book world are like Christmas. It is the official release day for many new titles. They arrive like presents to be opened and savored. Today, The Betrayal of the Blood Lily by Lauren Willig was officially released. It is the sixth book in the Pink Carnation series set in England, France and... Continue Reading →
Return to Cranford for Bustling Bonnets and a Bit of Melodrama – Recap and Review
The Masterpiece Classic season premiered last night on PBS with Return to Cranford. For those of us who loved Cranford, the award winning 2007 miniseries set in an idyllic English village populated by bustling bonnets and a bit of melodrama, this new two-part period drama was tagged as must see TV. Dame Judi Dench reprises... Continue Reading →
A Bookselling Moment with Jane Bites Back
After years as a bookseller at Barnes and Noble, very, very little surprises me. Working with the public has its charms and delights *cough* but for the most part 99% of my customers are fabulous, very appreciative of my help and excited about the inventory that is stocked in my store. Every bookseller has a favorite... Continue Reading →
Elizabeth Gaskell & Jane Austen: Comparisons are Inevitable
“A comparison (of Elizabeth Gaskell) to Jane Austen for its combination of humor and moral judgment in the observation of character and conduct is often made, not unjustly, though Mrs. Gaskell's canvas is larger than Austen's bit of ivory.” Edgar Wright Victorian-era author Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-1865) has been said to have a “wit to challenge... Continue Reading →
Searching for Pemberley, by Mary Lydon Simonsen – A Review
Could Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice have been based on the courtship of Elizabeth Garrison and William Lacey, a Regency-era couple who appear to be the doppelgangers of the legendary Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy? The possibility is intriguing to Maggie Joyce, a 22-year old American working in England after WWII who hears... Continue Reading →
Return to Cranford Preview – the enchantment continues Sunday on Masterpiece Classic
The Masterpiece Classic season premieres on Sunday, January 10th with Return to Cranford, a two part series based on the stories of Victorian-era writer Elizabeth Gaskell. Dame Judi Dench reprises her role of the compassionate Miss Matty Jenkyns, the heart and soul of the small insular Cheshire village resisting the encroachment of the industrial revolution... Continue Reading →