Janet Todd's Living with Austen
8
I'm reading this between sequels -- I might reread The Other Bennet Sister. I'm finding it very fresh, stimulating, but not sure how to blog/write about it. It seems to me Todd is doing something unusual: she comes in at an angle which is usually omitted: her gut reactions, partly founded in personal history and hr reading of other l'ecriture-femme I'd call it.This is the level that undergirds and explains a close reading or other kind of book (scholarly, source study &c) about books. The problem I'm not sure how to write coherently myself. But it is very interesting. I find my gut reactions to Austen's books were intially and still are quite different, but think hers are the more frequent. And thus it has explanatory power for me. For example my favorite heroine is Elinor Dashwood, and after that Fanny Price; the book I'd start with Sense and Sensibility. Far from finding Austen's letters captivating, I find them interestingly bitchy, resentful, always partisan. More when I've finished. I plan an omnibus blog when I finally am feeling stronger not so tired. Ellen
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Easter
I used Easter calendar changes for Austen calendars, Woman in White & Clarissa. Austen erases years since her novels were revised. Necessary for epistolary & journal novels. http://www.jimandellen.org/austen/emcalendars.html My Austen calendars are used and cited by Austen readers and scholars many times. Ellen
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Serial video watching
I've been watching the superb 7 part 1978 serial written by Dennis Potter, featuring Alan Bate & Anna Massey. I read the book some years ago, and I think, like the recent Far from the Madding Crowd, featuring Carey Mulligaan, and 2018 Woman in White by Fiona Seres , Potter captures the best of the book, its moral design and inner spirit. Often recent British serials are travesties (especially when backed by US money), but when they are good, they are superb, witness the 2018 Little Women (Emily Watson as Marmee),. The Mirror and the Light, by Peter Straughn, featuring Rylance (he carries it) improves on the book. An older one hour documentary not to miss: India's Partition A Forgotten story by Gurind Chadha (Bhaji on the Beach On other hand, after all the Miss Austen serial is lugubrious, takes itself and Keeley Haws to seriously. I hated Bride & Prejudice Ellen
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Small good news for those who like to take online courses
Maria Frawley will conduct one on Elizabeth Gaskell (5 sessions) this summer at Politics and Prose: North and South, Cranford Ellen
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What Else Is Everyone Reading?
2
I mention them more often because I can't cover as much, and sometimes am behind or skip a given group read. So I tell of these others as sometimes they are the same kind of book Beyond Duke's Children restored, I'm reading The Bertrams for another Trollope group, and following a favorite FB group of readers (TWWRN) by watching a 1978 many episode Mayor of Casterbridge, and I read all the postings, and try toget to the text. In some ways it seems to me far more interesting than some of the more famous Hardys. The script is by Dennis Potter!. I do find that often a superb adaptation can improve on the book. I've now begun Forster's A Passage to India for my teaching, and am reading about the Raj, Anglo-Indian lit. I love it. Last night a terrific documentary by Gurinder Chad on India's Partition: The Forgotten (pr distorted) story On my own for sheer pleasure: Janet Todd's Living with Austen. She really is intelligent, the one is wonderfully relaxed. I often disagree but she separates her views from the text. That's unusual A feminist biography of Vera Brittain The Mirror and the Light by Mantel -- along with delving into the women therein (Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard) to discover why Cromwell was beheaded,and I believe I've understood. He was in the crosshairs of Henry's deranged sexual anxiety and deep shame because he was often impotent, More on this Sunday night. I've had to put aside for a couple of Week's Outlander 3, Voyager but I'll get back to her, Ditto an excellent fictional biography of Water Scott: Ragged Lion And I attend a very few classes Ellen On Sat, Apr 12, 2025 at 11:06 AM Tyler Tichelaar via groups.io <tyler@...> wrote: > > Ellen often mentions her other projects and books she's reading. Since it's the month of Shakespeare's birthday, I am reading Stephen Greenblatt's Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. It is quite interesting though a lot is supposition trying to fill in the likely possibilities of what happened in his life since we know so little of his biography. I also plan to read a couple of his plays before the month is out - probably Cymbeline and Timon of Athens, which I've never read before. > > I've also been reading Louis Couperus' novels. I just finished Old People and The Things That Pass and think it a true masterpiece about two elderly people with a dark secret and how that effects both of their families. He is known as one of the greatest Dutch authors and far more readable than Multali and Max Havelaar. > > Tyler >
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from Rory: new 6 partnPride and Prejuice
3
> ? > Dolly Alderton to Write Pride and Prejudice Starring Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden > > The actors and Olivia Colman will star in the new six-part series adaptation. > > https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/pride-and-prejudice-cast-photos-release-date-news > > > -- > Rory O'Farrell <ofarrwrk@...> I have not liked last couple of faithful type aausten movies. I didn¡¯t like their exaggerations nor shallow comic tone. Olivia Coleman must go along. The movie where she played Queen Anne was an obscene travesty, basically misogynistic. It won many awards I recall. Ellen
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Excuse Me, Jane Austen, and Rediscovering ¡°The Bertrams¡±
I'm reading it and it's excellent. I also recommend as the best book on Austen I've read in a long time, Janet Todd's Living with Jane Austen ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Thornfield Hall <comment-reply@...> Date: Fri, Apr 11, 2025 at 1:02 AM Subject: Excuse Me, Jane Austen, and Rediscovering ¡°The Bertrams¡± To: <ellen.moody@...> ¡°It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a woman in possession of a computer, needs to spend less screen time.¡± Excuse me, Jane Austen. I NEED TO BREAK UP WITH THE INTERNET. And so I curled up in a cozy chair with a neglected Trollope¡ Read on blog <https://thornfieldhall.blog/excuse-me-jane-austen-and-rediscovering-the-bertrams/> or Reader <https://public-api.wordpress.com/bar/?stat=groovemails-events&bin=wpcom_email_click&redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wordpress.com%2Freader%2Fblogs%2F152652350%2Fposts%2F28565&sr=1&signature=c105db33bc5df7be544efee7252f108c&user=8072791&_e=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&_z=z> [image: Site logo image] Thornfield Hall <https://thornfieldhall.blog> Read on blog <https://thornfieldhall.blog/excuse-me-jane-austen-and-rediscovering-the-bertrams/> or Reader <https://public-api.wordpress.com/bar/?stat=groovemails-events&bin=wpcom_email_click&redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wordpress.com%2Freader%2Fblogs%2F152652350%2Fposts%2F28565&sr=1&signature=c105db33bc5df7be544efee7252f108c&user=8072791&_e=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&_z=z> Excuse Me, Jane Austen, and Rediscovering ¡°The Bertrams¡± <https://publ
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FWW: an accurate description/explanation for what's going wrong
Laura did understand from this hospital doctor, showed me the Mayo clinic site: https://austenreveries.wordpress.com/2025/04/09/i-had-a-third-stroke-event-sunday-evening/ It's notan infrequent mechanism behind strokes & blood clots Ellen
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Kathryn Hughes's Catland
5
This is better than I thought. She believes that the revolution from despising, persecuting, or hiding your affection for cats to liking, respecting, getting to know them, treating the infinitely better, responsibly occurred over the 19th century and brought about by art work in popular magazines which worked to make people see cats as versions of themselves. I'm not so sure. Was it not bringing them indoors because litter invented kept them at home. Both together probably. I'm a wee bit disappointed. I wanted a thorough convincing account of this transformation and am not convinced I actually prefer Caroline Bugler's and Desmond Morris's's pictorial history and individual books like Roger Caras, A Cat is watching you. Both sessions on cats at the virtual 18th century conference had paper from dismaying to disappointing. It was af if they dreaded to be seen as sentimental -- they were not interested in cats in the era at all for real Ellen
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O: a third stroke event
3
Today I was in hospital for 8 hours again, for a third stroke event. Last time they called it a mini-stroke, or a stroke that stopped forming, this time it's a TIA and possible blood clot that dissolved. The practical result is another set back for my left leg, ending worse yet, and having to go slower. I've fallen behind on Mirror and Light the book but hope to read and to post late tomorrow afternoon. Life's pleasures not done. I came home to a new lovely copy of Janet Todd's Living with Jane Austen on my stoop. This summer I look forward to Hemingway Collins's book I must try to live with these setbacks as best I can. Rest, mild exercise, avoid stress for which Jane Austen is a perfect subject Last night I did lose myself in Wolf Hall before the event hit. This second season is quieter than the first, but actually better in some ways. Mirror and Light wholly inward book. Most people also know far less about Henry's 4th, 5th, and 6th wives (Ann of Cleves, Katherine Howard, Katharine Parr) than the first 3. The books to read are the superb Linda Porter (start with Parr, she's the most interesting), then Caroline Norton (Ann was an interesting letter write) then the best of the lot, Alison Weir on poor Katharine Howard. Ellen
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OT: Yesterday's Hands off demos: a blog on E.M. Forsters 1930s, 40s essays
I couldn't go yesterday (cannot walk well enough unless someone who cares about me helps me) so I wrote a blog about E.M. Forster's famous popular talks to the BBC 1930s-40s, and essays, including "What I Believe," "3 Anti-Nazi Broadcasts" https://ellenandjim.wordpress.com/2025/04/05/e-m-forster-marvelous-essayist-bbc-broadcaster-his-1930s-40s-prose-explains-strengthens-and-comforts-those-having-to-live-with-fascism/ Ellen
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Reading Miss Austen by Jill Hornby
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This is an accurate description of the book. Rachel Dodge does it justice. Ellen ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Jane Austen's World <comment-reply@...> Date: Mon, Mar 24, 2025 at 6:26 AM Subject: Reading Miss Austen by Jill Hornby To: <ellen.moody@...> The new BBC miniseries "Miss Austen", based on Jill Hornby's novel of the same name, is currently the focus of much attention worldwide. The series aired in the UK in February and comes to PBS this May. Some of you have maybe already seen the show, depe¡ Read on blog <http://janeaustensworld.com/2025/03/24/reading-miss-austen-by-jill-hornby/> or Reader <https://public-api.wordpress.com/bar/?stat=groovemails-events&bin=wpcom_email_click&redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wordpress.com%2Freader%2Fblogs%2F1615413%2Fposts%2F39735&sr=1&signature=eb0975368aaf40b4fe2e54dca6c4145c&user=8072791&_e=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&_z=z> [image: Site logo image] Jane Austen's World <http://janeaustensworld.com> Read on blog <http://janeaustensworld.com/2025/03/24/reading-miss-austen-by-jill-hornby/> or Reader <https://public-api.wordpress.com/bar/?stat=groovemails-events&bin=wpcom_email_click&redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wordpress.com%2Freader%2Fblogs%2F1615413%2Fposts%2F39735&sr=1&signature=eb0975368aaf40b4fe2e54dca6c4145c&user=8072791&_e=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&_z=z> Reading Miss Austen by Jill Hornby <https://public-api.wordpress.com/bar/?stat=groovemails-events&bin=wpcom_email_click&redirect_to=http%3A%2F%2Fjaneaustensworld.com%2F2025%2F03%2F24%2Freading-miss-austen-by-jill-hornby%2F&sr=0&signature=79dd8eb5956ced15fda1ab14de6539bc&blog_id=1615413&user=8072791&_e=eyJlcnJvciI6bnVsbCwiYmxvZ19pZCI6MTYxNTQxMywiYmxvZ19sYW5nIjoiZW4iLCJzaXRlX2lkX2xhYmVsIjoid3Bjb20iLCJoYXNfZmVhdHVyZWRfaW1hZ2UiOiIwIiwic3Vic2NyaWJlcl9pZCI6IjE5OTY1NjE5IiwiX3VpIjo4MDcyNzkxLCJsb2NhbGUiOiJlbiIsImN1cnJlbmN5IjoiVVNEIiwiY291bnRyeV9jb2RlX3NpZ251cCI6IlVBIiwic2lnbnVwX2Zsb3dfbmFtZSI6IiIsImVtYWlsX2RvbWFpbiI6ImdtYWlsLmNvbSIsInBvc3RfaWQiOjM5NzM1LCJ1c2VyX2VtYWlsIjoiZWxsZW4ubW9vZHlAZ21haWwuY29tIiwiZGF0ZV9zZW50IjoiMjAyNS0wMy0yNCIsImVtYWlsX2lkIjoiMGMzMjRkNjNjNTNhMzhkNjdkOWMwZjBmNGE4OThjYzMiLC
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Hannah Arendt blog in Austen Reveries
I've written my first blog of several on women writers relevant to this dire historical moment, and serious readings of Jane Austen's life experiences as seen in her books and competent post-texts reframing that experience. First up Hannah Arendt & Origins of Totalitarianism & The Human Condition https://reveriesunderthesignofausten.wordpress.com/2025/03/17/hannah-arendt-a-voice-we-must-heed-in-his-perilous-moment/ Ellen
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I'm building up a set of Austen post-texts I like or can read
2
I wonder if it's a rhetorical pretense, Nancy, yes. We didn't study Jane Austen in school either. The first Fanny Burney book I read was an old 3 volume edition of her diaries and letters, which I found in a used bookshop on 59th Street, Manhattan. Much shrunk in size, it's still there. . She was called Madame d'Arblay on the cover. Then the introduction gave her her other name, Fanny Burney. Burney's Evelina was an old Everyman on my father's bookshelves. I had heard of Radcliffe fro Northnger Abbey. I was teaching at Brooklyn College at the time (1974?) , and went to the bookshelves and took out a copy of The Romance of The Forest. I loved it. To me Austen's major contemporary was Scott. Ellen
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Forster: Fiction & non-fiction
So, here's the final version of 8 weeks into 10: we are reading Forster as an antidote to this bad time we are in for -- and to stir up good heart to fight back If anyone on any of these 3 listservs wants to read along, let me know. https://reveriesunderthesignofausten.wordpress.com/2025/03/10/olli-mason-syllabus-for-spring-2025-e-m-forster-his-novels-essays-journalism-short-stories/ Ellen
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[Trollope&Peers] I'm building up a set of Austen post-texts I like or can read
3
Thank you, Susan. What troubles me about all the reviews of this book is they all begin with how the author had never heard of Burney. Really? Radcliffe is treated as if she wrote very obscure stuff in remote storage in research libraries.. How could Romney think so of Radcliffe if she'd read up to p 3 of Northanger Abbey . You don't have to be an erudite 18th century scholar to have read these these authors (there's a Burney society) or Edgeworth or even Charlotte Smith. It's praised in terms of how much I'll learn about these books. But I've read many of them and about many of them and don't need beginners' descriptions. Ellen <smbiddle15@...> wrote:
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The film adaptation Miss Austen
2
It's in 3 parts, the script by Andrea Gib, the director is Aisling Walsh whose series are often excellent. It's done in the old-fashioned way: genuine scenes, no ratcheting up, acted subtly and yes Keeley Hawes is pitch perfect. But I was unexpectedly disappointed from which I learned something. Although Hornby's book is not an epistolary novel, it is so filled with letters, and they convey the heartblood of the story, to see it done so objectively lost something. They needed to do more filmic epistolarity -- I've seen it done by Nokes for Clarissa, by Andrew Davies for passages in Trollope's novels. It makes me want to reread the book, and I shall A kind Irish friend sent me a DVD copy ahead of time. Ellen
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The film adaptation Miss Austen and its source post-text
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Since I've not been able to read or write as much as I used to, I've not gotten truly into Hornby's new post-text, Godmersham Park, except to say it focuses on Anne Sharpe. So when I finish a review I'm trying to get out on Monday, I'm going to reread Miss Austen. It's the kind of film adaptation which expects good watchers to have read the book. I am not sure who is who and I've now watched 2 of the 4 hours-long segments. There are 4 not 3 parts, each an hour long. What's emerging as striking is how deeply troubled are the undercurrents. The closest Austen film I've seen to this is Gwyneth Hughes' Miss Austen Regrets (with Olivia Williams as Jane, Greta Scachi as Cassandra). The Fowle family is hostile to Cassandra coming; they are hiding hard truths about themselves. They would destroy Jane's letters to Eliza (I'm not sure which Eliza) if they could. It's a race between Mary LLoyd Austen, James' wife and Cassandra to find them. Cassandra finds them in Part 1 and in Part 2 is trying to read them, but under surveillance by complicit servants. The Fowlers want her gone -- w/o having found the letters. Mary Lloyd Austen is suspicious she has. Elizabeth Austen,, Edward's wife, is a self-regarding dullard. Mary wants to destroy these letters too. I didn't read the novel sufficiently closely I see. There's a sort of Ibsen subtext going on. Jane has met the young man in Sidmouth (in flashbacks the letters cover) but seems to want nothing to do with him as she evades Bigg-Wither too. He is more drawn to Cassandra whose determination to stay loyal to Tom Fowle wavers. There is much implicitly about male yranny (Isabellla Fowle is being kicked out of the rectory as Jane felt she was when James replaced his father). This is a mature adult or serious version of the kind of thing Ashford tried in her Mysterious Death of Austen only Ashford resorted to sensational tricks like Henry or someone was poisoning Jane to hide an affair) I'm fascinated by all this because I have also read the letters not only of Jane but other documents in the Austen papers. Ellen On Fri, Mar 7, 2025 at 9:54 AM Tyler Tichelaar via groups.io <tyler@...> wrote: > > I've been waiting for it to appear on PBS on Masterpiece. I believe it will do so in May or June. > > Tyler >
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I'm building up a set of Austen post-texts I like or can read.
8ar outstanding; books in their own right. 4 borderline. 2 screenplays so good they are readable in their own right. Some screenplays made good movies nut are blueprints. And I've tried -- genuinely -- 24 more which are dreadful/trash ... Ellen I'm thinking of doing the same with Austen movies now that there are so many, and recent ones truly dreadful/trash.
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FW: First Born-Digital Issue of The Johnsonian News Letter
It's a friendly newsletter-journal. Ellen ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: <jnleditor3@...> Date: Sat, Mar 1, 2025 at 7:17 PM Subject: FW: First Born-Digital Issue of The Johnsonian News Letter To: <jnleditor3@...> Dear Friends, The first born-digital issue of the Johnsonian News Letter, Volume LXXVI, No. 2, can now be viewed online at this address: https://johnsoniannewsletter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/JNL-76-1-Spring-2025-03-01-25.pdf We also have an archive of back issues going back to 1940, at this address: https://johnsoniannewsletter.org/archive/ The JNL is now being put out twice a year and offered to all who wish to receive it, at no cost. Please forward this email to anybody you think might be interested in receiving the JNL. If you wish to be removed from our subscription/notification list, please respond to this email and we will remove you. Cordially, Matthew M. Davis Editor
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