Since we cannot all read Jane Austen 24/7 (can we??) what are you reading in between Miss Austen "fixes?" I'm pathetic because I exhibit addictive withdrawl symptoms if I do not have a book constantly at my fingertips. So, I just finished CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT (Thank you Laurie) and am presently in the second chapter of JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte. Quite a bit darker and more gothic than Miss Jane but it reads like it's going to be a "good'un." Yes, I'm smitten by 18th and 19th century English literature, which when I was younger, would have given me a nap attack. And you?

Jane Eyre is my favorite novel of all time! I hope you love it as much as I do. I also love all the movie adaptations, but my favorite Jane Eyre is the one with Toby Stephens as Mr. Rochester. I bet you and your wife will like it. As an aside, wasn't Charlotte Bronte harsh on the works of Jane Austen?

Right now I'm reading Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. It's the final book to her Twilight Saga, the love story between a vampire and a human girl. Soooooo romantic.

Hi DKDC: I'm new to this genre' and a novice when it comes to criticism of Jane Austen's work. I just have no idea but give me some time and I'll uncover that. If you want some violence, blood and gore, read Cormac McCarthy!! You'll get your fill. (Blood Meridian, All the Pretty Horses, No Country For Old Men)

Hi All

Right now I havet o read Lord of the Flies for English class. But I envy both of you. I read Jane Eyre earlier this year and it was fantastic! I also got caught up in the Twilight craze and read all of the Twilight books! I would much rather be reading your books then mine right now! Oh well, three weeks till summer and then I can read what ever I want!

Twilight and Rude Awakenings will be good beach reads this summer MCK!!! Good for you. You are almost done with school. Hang in there.

Yes, we can't read Jane all the time...

My undergraduate is in history (major) and yet I am not in that line of work. :) I still have the passion for history. I am currently reading a 500-page bio on Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kerns Goodwin.

I chose this book not just because I am a history buff alone but also the recent Administration had been reading it during the campaign. At one point the President's reading listing was posted; he mentioned that Lincoln was his favorite President, not to mention both came from Illnois. Anyway, I wanted to know more about Lincoln other than the fact he freed the slaves and was murdered by John Booth.

No, we can read Jane all the time. :) I am also reading "A Fine Brush on Ivory: An Appreciation of Jane Austen" by Richard Jenkyns. I will let you know what I think.

Warmly,
Kim

Hi Kimmy: Glad you chimed in to share. My undergraduate minor was History and because my school (University of Washington) had such a reputation for scholarship in History, I'd since wished I'd taken it as a major! Miss Austen seems to attract the academics, does she not? I'm about 40 pages from finishing Jane Eyre and I dare not even try and compare it to any of Miss Austen's works. Someone please stop me! I'm on a rampage through this particular genre' of English literature....having read in this order: Pamela by Samuel Richardson, Emma, Pesuasion, Mansield Park, and Pride and Prejudice by the incomparable Miss Austen, Evelina by Frances Burney, and now Jane Eyre. I'm still waiting for my library to call me and tell me that Sense and sensibility has come in. I have just purchased Wuthering Heights. Where do I go from here? Good grief.....

How about Northanger Abbey, finetooner??? A much underrated and excellent novel by Miss Austen.

Love to hear what you think of "A Fine Brush on Ivory," Kim. I've not read that one.

I've just started reading the first book in a series by Stephanie Barron in which Jane Austen is involved in solving mysteries like an amateur detective - she tells the story through her journal - it's quite interesting so far.

My favourite Mr Rochester (Jane Eyre) is Timothy Dalton - he's gorgeous in it.

Finetooner,

After you've read all of Jane Austen's novels, as well as the Austen minors :), feel free to read Moll Flanders, Far from the Madding Crowd, as well as Tom Jones. I was a English minor while in college.

Kim

Kimmy or who ever might know the answer:

What are the austen minors? I am in desperate need of some new books to read! So Im open to suggestions. Thanks!

Kimmy: No, I have not read Sense and Sensitility or Northanger Abbey yet but I have the former on library hold. I just finished Jane Eyre and (with apologies to Miss Austen) pronounce it the finest work of english language literature I have yet read. I am just starting in on Wuthering Heights.
And MCK: If you want to read something totally different, read The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Mr. McCarthy is regarded by many now as America's greatest living novelist. The book just ate me alive. (no pun intended but there is real cannibalism in that work) McCarthy is no slouch; his books are not for the faint of heart.

Hi I'm a newbie to the forum and a big fan of Ms. Austen and Ms. Viera Riegler. I've gotten so many other good suggestions from your comments, thank you. And since we cannot read Ms. Austen 24/7, I am currently reading Ladies of Liberty by Cokie Roberts. She does a great job at weaving History into crafty storytelling.

Yee-Hah! Finally, after a 3-week wait, our library finally got me "Sense and Sensibility." As with the the previous four novels of Miss Austen that I have had the delight to read, I am immediately wrapped up in her exquisite and totally original literary style. I am also tinged with a bit of sadness in wondering how many other masterpieces were lost to future generations because of her untimely death.

Oooh. Your lucky finetooner. Sadly I have read all of Austen's books already and do not have the pleasure of starting a new one. Sense and Sensibilitiy is very good. Oneof my favorite. I hope you enjoy it!

The good thing about Austen, though, is that she offers new delights on every subsequent reading!

My mom, knowing my love for all things Austen, got me the book Austenland. Have any of you all read it?

wow! MCK that sounds like a great book... do tell us more about it :)

macley:
It was a really good book. If you are looking for a short, easy read with ties to Jane Austen, I would recomend it! : )

MCK: I will take "Austenland" under advisement to read. BTW, I just finished "Sense and Sensibility" and found it tremendously satisfying like all the rest of Miss Austen's works. Of all her works, I had the most difficult time keeping her multitude of characters straight. I have found that going onto Wikipedia or some similar sight to become familiar with the players in her novels makes a world of difference. I could not imagine wading through "S & S" without first doing some research. Now, on to Northanger Abbey and minor works and I've had grand tour of Miss Austen. Then, perhaps re-reading ALL of them through for some fresh insights? Jane Austen's voice is unique and superior in just about every way to anything else I have yet read in the English language. Can I get an amen to that?

MCK I just ordered Austenland from Amazon. It was on sale for $3.99. I can't wait to get it. It looks so much fun. Finetooner, I do the same with wikipedia just to keep characters straight and to learn more about them, which makes reading much easier, especially for Sense and Sensibility.

Austenland also sounds like great fun to me!

Well I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

I'm going to wear out my welcome....BUT....I just picked up a copy of "Northanger Abbey" at an adjoining town's library. At the end of Chapter 5, Miss Austen seems to abruptly break out of the story line and give an impassioned defense of the novel, which during her era, was considered lightweight drivel to many. The edition I checked out is more a text book because it has excellent, descriptive footnotes, endnotes, essay questions, and critiques of the work. Thus far, I find this offering very entertaining with remarkable and detailed descriptions of Bath, the manner of dress, and the expected manners for that period.

Oooh. Northanger Abbey was so good! I thought it was pretty different from Austen's other works, but I enjoyed it alot. Have fun reading!

FWIW, I finished Northanger Abbey and thoroughly enjoyed every word on every page. In most of the other works of Miss Austen, she manages to wrap up all the issues into a neat little bundle. Not so Northanger Abbey! We are left hanging concerning the fate of James, Isabella and Capt. Tilney. Wow, Miss Austen waited right up to the end to get this one resolved. I began to think "come on, Ma'am, it's getting to close too the end." When the General put Catherine on the stage back home, my heart sank momentarily. But, Henry to the rescue and what courage he had to stand up to his father for true love! I believe the last one to read is "Lady Susan?" Then what? Thank you Laurie, for a wonderful site that allows me to share my thoughts!

Finetooner, I loved Northanger Abbey too. After Lady Susan you can read "Sanditon" (it's an unfished work, however several authors have finished it, so might be fun to read, though I haven't read them, yet) and 'The Watsons." I haven't read "The Watsons" yet though it's sitting on my nightsand waiting, and I don't know if it's an unfinished piece at all. I liked Lady Susan because it's in the form of letters and it was fun for me. Though I had a hard time keeping track of who is who, but you can probalby get a character list online.

I'm reading "The Jane Austen Book Club" right now. It's very good, but for some strange reason so far I still like the movie better.

Hi DKDC: That's another one I have never heard of: neither book nor movie! Tell us more. I just got done with "1776," the Pulitzer Prize winning account of the pivotal year of the American Revolution by David McCullough. Next? I dunno.....

Hello finetooner, if I may add a comment about the movie The Jane Austen Book Club :), it was a good movie, set in modern times, characters are imperfect and quarky at times. Overall I thought it was a good take on a modern version of some of the same socializing scenes Miss Austen wrote about. I hope you get a chance to see it :).

Oh I loved the Jane Austen Book Club! I haven't read the book but the movie was great. I wish I could read it over summer but I've got so much to read. I am reading Shopaholic Takes Manhattan , but on top of that I have to read Adventures of Huck Finn, and A Brief History of the U.S for school. And then theres Rude Awakenings, hopefully I can fit them all in!

MCK, I loved the movie too. Actually even more than the book. You are going to love Shopaholic Takes Manhattan. I read all of them in the series, including the final one "Shopaholic and Baby" SO GOOD. I can't wait to see the movie.

Finetooner, I think you and your wife will enjoy the movie The Jane Austen Book Club. It's funny, smart, and witty.

I loved The Jane Austen Book Club. I got so much more out of the book the second time, and I thought the movie was excellent. And I read the first two Shopaholic books and couldn't put them down. Really fun read. I'm looking forward to that movie, too.

DKDC:t
What is the next book in the series? I just stumbled across this one but really want to read more. Have you seen the movie? I haven't but I hope its as good as the book!

I haven't seen it yet, but it is in my netflix queue.
Ok from memory:
Shopoholic
Shopoholic takes Manhattan,
Shopholic gets Hitched,
Shopholic and Sister,
Shopholic and Baby.

Thanks so much! I cant wait to read them. Or see the movie. Hugh Dancy is one of my favorite actors!!

the version of "Northanger Abbey" I just read was annotated with footnotes that explained meanings to historical words, phrases, and places. I found this most helpful in gaining me understanding and heightened enjoyment of the work. Anyone out there know where I can get a complete set of Jane Austen's works that are so notated? If I'm going to collect Miss Austen's works I might as well go "deluxe!"

The books I read with footnotes helped me alot too. Espicially when I read Sense and Senseiblity. I don't know why but when I read it a few years back I had a hard time. The notes helped.

In Bath I bought a book called Captain Wentworth's Journal - his version of his relationship with Anne - I enjoyed it.

Merlin, could you tell me who the author is. It sounds like a very good book.

Hi MCK, I actually read it all in 4 hours on the journey home! The author is Amanda Grange she's also written a Darcy's Diary, Mr Knightley's Diary and an Edward Bingham's Diary.

She has a site: amandagrange.com

While I anxiously await my copy of "Rude Awakenings" to arrive from Amazon, I'm presently reading a wonderful little novel that my son gave me called "Peace Like A River" by Leif Enger. So far, GREAT read!

I've just bought Mr Darcy Takes A Bride to try..... I bought a 'sequel' to P&P years and years ago and it was awful - the writer tried to emulate Jane's wit but failed miserably and turned Elizabeth into a whining, simpering silly girlie who kept hiding from Darcy - rubbish! Hopefully this one will be better.

BRAVO, Laurie! I've just finished "Rude Awakenings" and found it delightful and satisfying. If "Confessions" and "Rude Awakenings" don't get get made into movies, there is no justice.

Im with you finetooner. They would make WONDERFULL movies! And Merlin_I was in the Barnes&Noble and they didnt have Captain Wentworth's Journal. I was mad. I was going to get the one about Mr. Darcy but my mom has restricted me from getting any new books until I finish my summer work for school! : (

Hollywood, are you listening??

:)

BTW, I am reading a fascinating book called WATCHING THE ENGLISH, which is about all of the unspoken, coded behaviors and rules of Englishness, written in a hilarious style by an anthropologist. I am learning that I am a vulgar, gushing American.

Welcome back Laurie - I hope you had a good vacation.

MCK - hurry up and do your school work LOL.

Speaking as an English person Laurie - I doubt Americans can be any more vulgar than some of the people here in the UK LOL.

My son-in-law is English and his parents live only a few miles away from us. I'll say this: The English may speak the same language but they are definitely more European than American! Laurie: Thanks for the tip on "Watching the English." I'll read it and then turn it over to my English relations to see what they think.

Actually, I am quite resigned to being vulgar and gushing :) I just have to laugh when I think of how I must come off to an English person, what with trumpeting my publications in my email signature, putting out a book trailer, and sending out email blasts about my readings (thus violating what the author calls "modesty rules") and making heartfelt statements on paper and in person about how I feel about people, personally and professionally (a violation of what the author calls "The Importance of Not Being Earnest Rule").

It's really a fascinating book!

Ah To me vulgar means crude and rude like Amy Winehouse promoting your work is only right and natural and you should be proud of it.

Howdy!

Laurie, I did get your newest book. I am reading it in addition to "The River of Doubt" by Candice Millard.

Gosh, to read two books at once -- silly ah. :)

Laurie, so far your book has not disappointed me. I love it thus far. Thank you for writing such great books.

For you history buffs, "The River of Doubt" is about Teddy Roosevelt's adventure in the Amazon, down a river that had not been mapped/charted in the early 1900s. It is a known fact the whenever Roosevelt suffers a defeat or disappoinment, he retreats and takes on a physical challenge--hence the trip to the Amazon.

It's hard to put both books down.

Warmly,
Kim

Thanks, Kimmy. Happy to hear that you're enjoying it--and that Jane is in such good company. :))

Hi. I'm reading Ruke Awakenings right now and since I'm not finished it's taking all my willpower not to peak in the above thread "Now that you've finished Rude Awakenings." Anyway, I wanted to share with you the part where I actually laughed outloud!! I'm still laughing as I'm typing this. It's the first line on page 186, where a confused Courtney says: "Ma-ma?" because she isn't sure how to address her modern day mother. I don't know why, but I loved it so much that I'm still laughing.

So happy to have made you laugh, DKDC! I can just imagine how my mother would react if I addressed her as Ma-ma... :))

I am not just saying this to give you a compliment but I really truly from the depth of my heart believe that your books would make a Hollywood blockbuster. I hope they get picked up and I hope soon. I don't want to wait ten years for the movies to hit the big screen.

Has anyone read or presently reading Pride Prejudice and Zombies? Im reading it now and surpriseingly find that it is very entertaining. The way the author works the whole zombie plotline into Austen's origninal story is fantastic! Although some parts gross me out alittle, I would recomend it to anyone who is a fan of the original!

I am reading/reviewing Jane Austen for Dummies. Odd choice I know but the author, Joan Klingel Ray, will be speaking at the Vermont JASNA Regional Chapter gathering on Sunday, September 27, 2009. The discuss topic is "Jane Austen for Smarties".
I am quite enjoying this book. It doesn't talk down to those of us who are not Austen scholars and provides background info on references made in the novels (ie. the purpose behind entailing property).
Very excited to meet and listen to the author. After that...I think I'll start Cassandra and Jane by Jill Pitkeathley.

MCK - I see PP and Zombies everywhere but I haven't bought it. I wasn't sure if it would be my cup of tea. I also see PP retold through a vampire view, where Mr. Darcy is actually a vampire and that's why he is so moody. LOL. Anyway, I'm open to reading the Zombie book. Keep me posted on how you like it when it ends.

Mkay - I love Jane Austen for Dummies. I own it. It's my reference for all things Austen. I also just bought a small dictionary with words found in the JA novels to guide us through the novels.

Right now I'm reading the Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. It.Is.So.Good!!!! The hero Sir Percy masquarades as the Scarlet Pimpernel to safe innocents from the guillotine during the French Revolution. Shwashbuckling action, intrique, love, humor. Oh Sir Percy how I love thee!

Finished PP&Zombies. I'm not usually a zombie person either. But surprisingly i liked it. I mean some parts grossed me out a little, but it was deffinitely worth it to see a new view of P&P. At many parts it had me laughing( although Im not sure if thats what the author wanted). But I would suggest reading it .

I am re-reading A Room With a View by E.M. Forster and loving it. He reminds me a lot of Austen.

I loved Jane Austen for Dummies, too.

I just got a gift volume of Jane Austen's 7 novels and am presently reading "Lady Susan." I have a difficult time categorizing this work as a novel because it seems more appropriate as a short story. Nevertheless, I'm half-way through and true to Miss Austen's style, I have no earthly idea how it will turn out! I'm an admirer of any author that tries their hand at the epistolatory style of writing (Richardson, Burney) and J. A. does it superbly. I believe this is one of Miss Austen's early attempts. (age 18?)

Definitely an early attempt, maybe a bit older than 18 but still very young. I love Lady Susan, but what I love most about it is that it debunks the myth of Austen as a demure innocent who hever had a wicked thought in her head. I'm very glad that Austen broke out of the epistolary form, which even she realized was severely limited (you'll see what she says at the end of Lady Susan, Jeffrey!). And I agree, predictable she is not. Yet another reason to love her.

Anyone attempted Pride Prejudice and Zombies? I know many people haven't really gotten into it because it takes away from the original text, but i decided to read it and loved it! Im not usually into the whole zombie thing but, Elizabeth landing a roundhouse kick to the face on Mr. Darcy is hilarious. Just thought I would bring it up for consideration!

I did, Marrie--got pretty far into it and thought it was funny and clever. And I'm not typically into the zombie thing either.

I'm currently reading "Northanger Abbey" for the first time and am enjoying it immensely. It's got a bite and bleakness, along with a willingness to break "through the 4th wall" that's almost un-Austen-like. So far (about 60%) the characters are all shallow or smug or boring, with an occasional combo. I'm guessing where it's going as Isabel Thorpe is flirting with Capt. Tilney while engaged to James Morland. So far, I'm enjoying it more than "Emma" or "Mansfield Park", and even more than "Persuasion".

I just finished "The Dispossessed" by Ursulla K. LeGuin, which I last read in 1978 and I was astonished by its power and depth. The sci-fi is merely a vehicle for the main character to form, learn, break, and re-learn his philosophy of Life by changing his perspective. It's ending leaves you wanting SO much more!

Not sure where I'm going after NA...
Update: Yes I am! Martin Cruz Smith has a new novel out and I'm going to read that!

Happy you're enjoying NA! Yes!! Which Ursula LeGuin do you recommend to someone who has never read her work before? Thanks!

Hi Laurie,
I've finished NA and was a little disappointed with the ending, more for how JA executed it rather than what happened, which was fairly predictable. I guessed that the General turned on Catherine because Thorpe told him they were engaged, when, in fact, Thorpe had lied about her wealth, and I thought she rushed through the ending a bit, unlike the brilliant endings to P&P, Persuasion and Emma. I still enjoyed it immensely and did find it stylistically different than her other novels.

For Le Guin the place to start is with her great early works: The Disposessed, The Left Hand of Darkness, and the Earthsea Trilogy (A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore). The first two are sci-fi, but not the usual sci-fi, and the Earthsea is fantasy. A more recent work is "Lavinia" which is a historical novel about Aeneas and is beautifully written, and a complete stand-alone.

Then, of course, there's the extraordinary "The Lathe of Heaven" where everything a man dreams comes true, and the whole fabric of reality begins to break down. WNET of all things made a cheap but marvelous TV movie of it in 1980 with Bruce Davison that disappeared until 2000 when I stumbled on it and knew it instantly! (I do have to get the DVD) Try googling "Lathe" .

Really appreciate the detailed recommendations, Carl. Thank you!

You can actually watch Lathe of Heaven on a Google video! I watched yesterday and it was just as marvelous as I remembered, but Bruce Davison looks like a real kid in it!

Currently reading Martn Cruz Smith's latest Arkady Renko (Gorky Park) detective novel: "Three Stations" and I always like his stuff. "Rose" was amazing as was "December 6" though neither is a Renko novel.

Finished "Three Stations" and just finished Phillipa Gregory's "The Red Queen" about Henry VII's mother.

I've tried to start "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" several times but can't get going. Not really interested in the vampire stuff, though I read most of Ann Rice's vampire novels. Recent'y read Meg Cabot's latest, which is about vampires, but it was below her usual standard. Her novels (the ones for grownups, not "young adults" ) usually read like 30's screw-ball comedies.

I've been reading far more since my wife got me a Kindle in July. We went to Banff for a wedding over the 4th and I borrowed her Kindle and read a couple of books on it and was hooked!. She got it with a case with a book light and I really enjoy it. I'm going to take on some of Gerhardt Hauptmann's plays soon. I want to read The Weavers (Die Weber) as it was the inspiration for Pete Seeger and Lee Hayes to name their famous folk group after it (Think Springsteen's "Seeger Sessions").

Jane Austen sz egyik kedvencem. Jelenleg a A klastrom titkát olvasom! Nagyon szórakoztató!
Jane Austen is one of my favorites. I am readning the Northanger Abbey. It is so funny.
http://konyv-konyvek.hu/a_klastrom_titka_999632741