This novel is based on Sense and Sensibility. I have been disappointed in the past with sequels, prequels, etc, but being eternally hopeful (or just wanting more Austen) I’m always prepared to try another one.

Here’s a synopsis

Jane Austen’s beloved Sense and Sensibilityhas moved to Westport, Connecticut, in this enchanting modern-day homage to the classic novelWhen Joseph Weissmann divorced his wife, he was seventy eight years old and she was seventy-five . . . He said the words “Irreconcilable differences,” and saw real confusion in his wife’s eyes.“Irreconcilable differences?” she said. “Of course there are irreconcilable differences. What on earth does that have to do with divorce?”Thus begins The Three Weissmanns of Westport, a sparkling contemporary adaptation of Sense and Sensibility from the always winning Cathleen Schine, who has already been crowned “a modern-day Jewish Jane Austen” by People’s Leah Rozen.In Schine’s story, sisters Miranda, an impulsive but successful literary agent, and Annie, a pragmatic library director, quite unexpectedly find themselves the middle-aged products of a broken home. Dumped by her husband of nearly fifty years and then exiled from their elegant New York apartment by his mistress, Betty is forced to move to a small, run-down Westport, Connecticut, beach cottage. Joining her are Miranda and Annie, who dutifully comes along to keep an eye on her capricious mother and sister. As the sisters mingle with the suburban aristocracy, love starts to blossom for both of them, and they find themselves struggling with the dueling demands of reason and romance.

I enjoyed reading this novel. The author didn’t try to emulate Austen’s style but took the situation (mother and two sisters in reduced circumstances) and made a whole new (modern) story from it.

It is one of the better re-interpretations that I have read.

Here are some reviews …

http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/the-three-weissmanns-of-westport-by-cathleen-schine-a-review/

http://mrsodellreads.com/2010/06/23/the-three-weissmanns-of-westport-by-cathleen-schine-review/

http://austenblog.com/2010/06/07/review-the-three-weissmanns-of-westport-by-cathleen-schine/

In Episode 3 Amanda is forced to leave Longbourn and she turns to Mr Wickham for help; he prepares her for society (essentially teaching her how to bluff her way) and tells her to visit Jane Collins. At Rosings she is reunited with Mr Darcy and they argue about Bingley’s and Jane’s unhappiness. Meanwhile Mrs Bennet leaves Longbourn to visit Jane taking Lydia with her. Darcy invites Amanda to visit Pemberley, which Mrs Bennet overhears and thinks was meant for her, thus Amanda, Lydia, Mrs Bennet, Jane and Mr Collins all travel to Pemberley. At Pemberley we meet Georgiana (who turns out to be a bit of a minx) and we see Mr Wickham in a whole new light. Bingley has taken to drinking and Jane tells him it is his moral duty to be happy for both of them. Darcy and Amanda fall in love but because of Caroline’s meddling he discovers that she is ‘not a maid’ and so, of course, cannot marry her. Amanda rips the pages out of her copy of Pride and Prejudice and flings it away. Darcy finds it and can’t believe her perfidy (to use their names in a novel!).

There is a fabulous scene in this episode where Mr Darcy re-enacts the famous Colin Firth diving into the lake scene.

]]> http://janeaustenreviews.com/2010/05/10/lost-in-austen-episode-3/feed/ 0 http://janeaustenreviews.com/2009/12/12/emma-the-dvd-the-new-bbc-adaptation/ http://janeaustenreviews.com/2009/12/12/emma-the-dvd-the-new-bbc-adaptation/#comments Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:48:51 +0000 admin http://janeaustenreviews.com/?p=169

I saw the first episode of this adaptation and thought ‘oh dear!’ and wasn’t sure if I would continue. However, the second episode was better and by the end I was hooked.

The screen play was written by Sandy Welch, who also adapted North and South. As I loved North and South and Emmais my favourite Austen novel, I had high hopes for this adaptation. First, it is beautiful – the locations and costumes are magnificent. It has a very modern feel to it despite the period costumes and I think this is what I didn’t like at first. Also, Romola Garai (who I think is a fabulous actor) doesn’t seem to play Emma with enough dignity – she seems a bit too school girl giggly. I thought Jonny Lee Miller as Mr Knightley was fabulous (possibly the best out of the later Adaptations, i.e Emma 2 (Jeremy Northam) and Emma 3 (Mark Strong)). In fact I thought all of the other actors were excellent.

The dancing at the ball wa a bit too like barn dancing for my liking …

Some more screen shots …

 

Mrs Elton and Mr Weston picking strawberries.

Emma and Mr Knightley.

Emma and Frank Churchill at Box Hill.

Emma and Mr Knightley …

 If you start watching it and you don’t like it, I recommend persevering because by the end I really liked it and I think it’s now my favourite Emma.

Also, if you live in Australia you can buy it from the BBC store because it is region 2 and 4.

Here is the link to the Internet Movie Database.

When I set myself the task of reading two chapters a week of Jane’s Fame, I thought it would be easy. However, I have found myself at the end of a chapter without any real idea what I was reading. I haven’t been able to focus. This is in part because the book is such an easy read, but mostly because I’m just lazy. Anyway, here are my thoughts on Chapter Two.

Chapter Two is about the business of publishing and writing. James Edward Austen Leigh (in his memoir) believed Austen wasn’t distressed about her lack of early success.

I do not think that she herself was much mortified by the want of early success. She wrote for her own amusement. Money, though acceptable, was not necessary for the moderate expenses of her quite home.

She was, however, mortified she did want to make money and she wasn’t writing for her own amusement.

Tho’ I like praise as well as anybody, I like what Edward calls pewter too.

There is a prevailing idea that Austen had two creative phases separated by a period of silence (while living in Bath). Harman disagrees she just thinks there isn’t any documentation. She thinks Austen might still have been trying to get her work published and being rejected.

The move to Bath bought the family into closer contact with the book world – easier access to book sellers and printers. It was through a book seller she came into contact with Crosby who bought Susan for £10. This sale came at a good time in Austen’s life to justify her aspirations as a writer. She had just rejected Harris Bigg-Wither (a very eligible young man). However, the novel appeared. In 1809 a novel called Susan was published anonymously. Austen must have thought it was hers. Alas, like First Impressions her title was pre-empted. She wrote to Crosby to try to speed the publication. His son replied that they had never guaranteed publication and she could purchase it back for £10. This was a huge sum to Austen – her yearly allowance was £10. Of course to her brothers, Henry and Edward, this was a paltry amount, but her pride both personal and professional would not let her borrow money.

Harman also writes about the method of publication of each novel:

Sense and Sensibility by commission (Egerton paying all of the costs and receiving 10% Austen liable for all of the costs)

Pride and Prejudice she sold the copyright (for £110)

Mansfield Park by commission

She then swapped from Egerton to John Murrary (the publisher of Lord Byron).

Emma by commission.

I was fascintated to discover that Mansfield Park was the most successful finacially for Austen.

There is also information in this chapter on the reviews that appeared immediately after the novels were published. For example, about Pride and Prejudice

this performance … rises very superior to any novel we have lately meet with in the delineation of domestic scenes.

And also opinions Austen collected from family and friend. For example,

Mrs Austen thought the heroine [Fanny Price] insipid

Austen wrote The Plan of a Novel, according to hints from various quarters as a private (and satirical) response to all of the advice and opinions. Particularly from James Stanier Clarke the Prince Regent’s Librarian (who had many story ideas).

There is also a bit of information about the reworking of the resolution of the love story in Persuasion.

Next chapter: Mouldering in the Ground

I had 500 spam comments! – must remember not to leave such a big gap between posts. I did discover a new plug-in that got rid of them.

My local Jane Austen group had a very interesting discussion about Fanny Burney – when we discussed Evelina - so I decided to find out more about her. This biography by Claire Harman was the one recommended by my group.

It was a really easy read – Ms Harman has a lovely almost conversational style. And what a life Fanny Burney had! She was at court when King George 111 went mad (the first time) and in Paris when Napoleon escaped from Elba. She knew Garrick and Dr Johnson.

If you’re at all interested in Fanny Burney (or Jane Austen), then I recommend reading this biography. I’m almost motivated to read some of Fanny Burney’s novels.

Reading too much Heyer is a bit like eating too much sugar in one sitting – I feel slightly sick and usually get a headache. I like Heyer (and sugar), but a little goes a long way. I think this is one of her best romances.

Here’s the blurb on the back …

A fateful mistake…

When Elinor Rochdale boards the wrong coach, she ends up not at her prospective employer’s home but at the estate of Eustace Cheviot, a dissipated and ruined young man on the verge of death.

A momentous decision…

His cousin, Mr Ned Carlyon, persuades Elinor to marry Eustace as a simple business arrangement. By morning, Elinor is a rich widow, but finds herself embroiled with an international spy ring, housebreakers, uninvited guests, and murder. And Mr Carlyon won’t let her leave …

This novel combines intrigue and romance in a compelling page turning manner (and there is not too much regency slang, which I always find a tad annoying). It is light and sparkling and very easy to read.

Elinor is on her way to her new post as a governess and steps into the wrong carriage – she ends up at Highnoons where it is thought she has answered an advertisment to marry Eustace Cheviot. The advertisment was placed by Mr Ned Carlyon – Eustance’s cousin – as a way of not inheriting Highnoons (the Grandfather’s will was unusual). Mr Carlyon thinks Elinor should marry Eustace despite the mistake because Eustace won’t live for long – he is a disolute young man – and once he is dead she can live a life of relative comfort with than drudgery as a Governess. They then hear (Via Mr Carlyon’s younger brother Nicky) that Eustace has been accidently stabbed (By Nicky) and probably won’t live out the night. They rush to the inn where Elinor and Eustace are married, Eustace writes his will in Elinor’s favour and dies before morning.

Elinor is settled at Highnoons and receives a visitor late at night who claims to have let himself in the side door (not being aware that Eustace is dead). How did he get in? All the doors and windows were locked and what was he looking for? Hence the mystery.

I enjoyed reading this novel. If you haven’t read any Georgette Heyer this would be a good one with which to start.

Here are some links …

http://janitesonthejames.blogspot.com/2008/11/reluctant-widow-by-georgette-heyer-book.html

http://www.georgette-heyer.com/

http://www.heyerlist.org/

I’ve also seen the first episode of Lost in Austen. I liked it – I thought it was fun (plus it’s beautiful to look at).

While I was at the beach, I read Faro’s Daughter by Georgette Heyer. It is the perfect beach read – light, sparkling with all of the period detail we love about Heyer.

Here are some links to reviews and more information about Georgette Heyer

http://www.aromancereview.com/reviews/index.php?app_state=show_event&bookid=64

http://www.georgette-heyer.com/

http://jenniesbooklog.blogspot.com/2008/02/faros-daughter-georgette-heyer.html

If you like Regency Romances (or just romances in general) you will love this one.