From the desk of Kimberly Denny-Ryder: Today I have the distinct honor of reviewing Sun-Kissed: Effusions of Summer, edited by none other than my fellow Austenprose contributor Christina Boyd. It comes along at the perfect time of year as many of us are packing our beach bags full of summer reads that provide companionship while... Continue Reading →
Shakespeare Basics for Grown-Ups: Everything You Need to Know About the Bard, by E. Foley and B. Coates – A Review
From the desk of Br. Paul Byrd, OP: “We [the authors] don’t claim to be Shakespeare scholars; we are ordinary readers who were curious to learn more about our greatest national poet, and we became passionate about passing on the most interesting facts we discovered. The aim of this book is to give a solid... 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 →
Of Noble Family: Glamourist Histories (Book 5), by Mary Robinette Kowal – A Review
From the desk of Jenny Haggerty: I am going to miss Jane and Vincent, Mary Robinette’s heroes in her acclaimed Glamourist Histories series. Of Noble Family is the married couple’s fifth and final adventure set in an alternate Regency Britain enhanced by glamour, the loveliest system of magic I’ve encountered. But while their glamoured displays... Continue Reading →
The Darcy Brothers: A Pride and Prejudice Variation, by Monica Fairview, Maria Grace, Cassandra Grafton, Susan Mason-Milks and Abigail Reynolds – A Review
From the desk of Monica Perry: When I first heard that some of the authors from austenvariations.com were planning a Pride and Prejudice: Readers’ Choice collaborative story wherein Mr. Darcy had a younger brother, I was all excited curiosity--a story with two Mr. Darcys? Yes, please! Would Mr. Theophilus Darcy be strong and stoic like... Continue Reading →
How to Be a Heroine: Or, What I’ve Learned from Reading too Much, by Samantha Ellis – A Review
From the desk of Jenny Haggerty: Those who don’t enjoy reading may assume it’s a solitary activity, and they’d be partly correct because page-turning (physical or virtual) is usually done alone. But we literature lovers crave community as much as any social animal. It’s why we join book clubs and haunt web sites like Goodreads,... Continue Reading →
For Elise, by Sarah M. Eden – A Review
From the desk of Katie Patchell: Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot’s romance in Jane Austen’s Persuasion is one of the most captivating in classic literature. Opinion varies as to what it is that makes their romance so satisfying, but something almost all fans of Persuasion can agree with is the complete beauty that is found... Continue Reading →
Pride, Prejudice and Secrets by C. P. Odom – A Review
From the desk of Kimberly Denny-Ryder:Â Last year I had the pleasure of being introduced to Jane Austen fan fiction author C. P. Odom via his novel Consequences. His writing invoked deep feelings, as he was able to draw me in completely to his story. He had me fully enveloped in his characters and their... Continue Reading →
Jane Austen Cover to Cover: 200 Years of Classic Covers, by Margret C. Sullivan – A Review
From the desk of Kimberly Denny-Ryder: In my opinion, the true sign of loving a book is owning multiple copies and versions of it. For example, I myself own six different copies of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. Over the years, I’ve found annotated versions, paperbacks, hardcovers, illustrated, vintage, and many other types... Continue Reading →
In Her Own Hand: Volume the First, Volume the Second, and Volume the Third, by Jane Austen, introduction by Kathryn Sutherland – A Review
From the desk of Tracy Hickman: The first time I read a collection of Jane Austen’s juvenilia, I remember relishing the sheer fun and silliness of the stories and plays. It was a slender paperback that included transcriptions of selected works from the original notebooks written from 1787 to 1793. These handwritten notebooks had circulated... Continue Reading →
Persuasion, Captain Wentworth, and Cracklin’ Cornbread by Mary Jane Hathaway – A Review
From the desk of Kimberly Denny-Ryder: Mary Jane Hathaway’s Jane Austen Takes the South series has a new addition. Persuasion, Captain Wentworth, and Cracklin’ Cornbread was just released last month and follows Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits, and Emma, Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs. Readers should not worry if they haven’t read the other two... Continue Reading →
At Home with Jane Austen, by Kim Wilson – A Review
From the desk of Tracy Hickman: I have been a Kim Wilson fan since reading her books In the Garden with Jane Austen and Tea with Jane Austen. Her latest work At Home with Jane Austen, a luscious coffee table book, promises a virtual tour of the places Austen called home. Some of these homes... Continue Reading →