Austen & Variations

Here is my list.

Austen and others

If you come across any thing worth reading please add to the comments section.

If I’ve read it, there will be a one or two word review.

Please note that: *=read, Sc=soft cover, Hc=Hardcover, Tp=Trade paperback, Ped=Pocket edition, A= Annotated version, Eb= Ebook

Of course one must have multiple copies of the original text!

• Austen, Jane. I am delighted to observe that many of my multiple copies have come as gifts from people I love, and they are therefore greatly cherished.
  • The Complete Works of Jane Austen (delphi Classics) – * Eb (recommend)
  • The Complete Works of Jane Austen – *Tp (thick book)
  • Sense and Sensibility – *Sc , Hc , Tp , Ped , A, Eb (multiple copies)
  • Pride and Prejudice – *Sc , Hc , Tp , Ped , A, Eb (multiple copies)
  • Mansfield Park – *Sc , Hc , Tp , Ped , Eb (fewer copies)
  • Emma – *Sc , Hc , Tp , Ped , Eb (fewer copies)
  • Persuasion – *Sc , Hc , Tp , Ped , A, Eb (multiple copies) (Favourite)
  • Northanger Abbey – *Sc , Hc , Tp , Ped , A, Eb (fewer copies) (least favourite)
  • Sedition – * Hc, Eb, (also in collected works)
  • Other works – (only in collected works)

Variations based on Jane Austens, Pride and Prejudice

• Adriani, Susan. The Truth about Mr. Darcy– *Tp (meh)
• Altman, Marsha.
• • #1 -The Darcys and the Bingleys –  (to be acquired)
  • #2 – The Plight of the Darcy Brothers – Tp
  • #3 – Mr.Darcy’s Great Escape – Tp
  • #4 – The Ballad of Grégoire Darcy – (to be acquired)
  • Road to Pemberley (anthology) – (to be acquired)
  • #5 – The Knights of Derbyshire – (to be acquired)
  • #6 – Georgiana and the Wolf – (to be acquired)
  • #7 – Young Mr. Darcy in Love – (to be acquired)
  • #8 – The Chrysanthemum and the Rose (to be acquired)
• Aston, Elizabeth. The True Darcy Spirit – Tp
• Baker, Jo. Longbourn – Tp
• Benneton, Nina. Compulsively Mr. Darcy – * Tp (Quirky)
• Berdoll, Linda.
  • Mr Darcy takes a Wife – * Tp/Eb (Brilliant, Favourite)
  • Darcy and Elizabeth – * Tp/Eb (Brilliant, Favourite) 
  • The Darcys: The Ruling Passion – (to be acquired)
• Burnett, Jean. The Bad Miss Bennet – Tp
• Collins, Rebecca Ann.
  • Book 1: The Pemberley Chronicles – *Tp (Good) 
  • Book 2: The Women of Pemberley – *Tp (Good)
  • Book 3: Netherfield Park Revisited – Tp
  • Book 4: The Ladies of Longbourn – Tp
  • Book 5: Mr Darcy’s Daughter -Tp
  • Book 6: My Cousin Caroline – Tp
  • Book 7: Postscript From Pemberley – (to be acquired)
  • Book 8: Recollections of Rosings – (to be acquired)
  • Book 9: A Women of Influence – Tp
  • Book 10: The Legacy of Pemberley – (to be acquired)
• Connelly, Victoria. Mr Darcy Forever – Tp
• Dawkins, Jane.
  • Letters from Pemberley: The first a year – *Tb (Good, epistolary)
  • More Letters from Pemberley – (to be acquired)
• Elliott, Anna. Georgianna Darcy’s Diary – Eb
• Fairview, Monica. The Darcy Cousins – Tp
• Grange, Amanda. Dear Mr. Darcy – *Tp (Amusing, epistolary) 
• Hamilton, Maria. Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman -*Tp  (Good)
• Jeffers, Regina. Darcy’s Passions – *Tp (Quirky, title deceptive)
• Lathan, Sharon.
  • Book 1 – Mr & Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two shall become one – *Tp (good) 
  • Book 2 – Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys beyond Pemberley – *Tp (Good)
  • Book 3 – My Dearest Mr. Darcy – Tb
  • Book 4 – The Arms of Mr. Darcy – Tb
  • Book 5 – The Trouble with Mr. Darcy – Tb
  • Novella – A Darcy Christmas – (to be acquired)
  • Miss Darcy Falls in Love – Tb
  • The Passions of Mr. Darcy – Tb (uncle)
• Louise, Kara.
  • Only Mr. Darcy will do – Tp
  • Darcy’s Voyage – *Tp (Quirky)
• Mingle, Pamela. The Pursuit of Mary Bennet – *Tp (delightful) 
• Pierson, C. Allyin. Mr Darcy’s Little Sister – *Tp (Very Good)
• Reynolds, Abigail. Mr Darcy’s Undoing -* Sc (Witty, spicy) 
• Sarath, Patrice. The Unexpected Miss Bennet (Mary) – *Tp (delightful)
• Slater, Maya.
  • The Private Diary of Mr.Darcy – *Tp (interesting)
  • Mr. Darcy’s Diary – Pb (duplicate, gift)
• Wasylowski, Karen, V. Darcy and Fitzwilliam – * Tp (Good)

Variations based on Jane Austens, Sense and Sensibility

• Aiken, Joan. Eliza’s Daughter – Tp
• Collins, Rebecca Ann. Expectations of Happiness – Tp

Variations based on Jane Austens, Persuasion 

• Jeffers, Regina. Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion – *Tb (Quirky)

Other Variations on Austen

• Fowler, Karen Joy. The Jane Austen Book Club – Tp
• Izzo, Kim. The Jane Austen Marriage Manual (a Novel) -Tp
• James, Syrie.
  • The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen (a Novel) – Tp
  • The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen (a Novel) – Tp
  • Jane Austen’s First Love (a Novel) – Tp
• Waters, Sarah. Dancing with Mr.Darcy (short stories) – Pb

Non-Fiction Austen

• Nixon, Lauren. The Complete world of Jane Austen – *Hc (Total Disappointment)
• Jennings, Charles. A Brief Guide to Jane Austen – *Pb (Brief, Meh)
• Sheilds, Carol. Jane Austen – Hc
• Tomalin, Claire. Jane Austen: A Life – Tp
• Vogler, Pen. Dinner with Mr Darcy: Recipes inspired by the Novels – Hc

Useful links to lists of Authors writing in this genre.

• Wiki List of literary adaptations of Pride and Prejudice
• Jane Austen in Popular Culture

New Austen Acquisitions

Well 2016 begins with more Austen Variations

My husband presented me with

Darcy’s Great Escape by Marsha Altman

While browsing the discount book section at our local Chapters today; I lucked out and stumbled on some new stuff!

I came across

Book 5 – Mr. Darcy’s Daughter by Rebecca Ann Collins

Still looking for Book  7,8,10

and

Mr Darcy’s Undoing by Abigail Reynolds and

The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy by Maya Slater

I really must make a List of all the iterations available written by modern authors using classic novels for inspiration.

Review: Longbourn by Jo Baker

Interesting take on life a Longbourn. Jane Austen was not known for getting into the nitty-gritty of daily life.

Jo Baker has written an account of life below stairs that parallels the goings on above stairs at the Bennet home during Pride and Prejudice.

Mr and Mrs Hill and the house maids Sarah and Polly (who’s given name is actually Mary, the Bennets change her name because of Mary Bennet, which rankles Polly), their trials and tribulations working for the Bennets. A servants life was not an easy one. 

Both Sarah and Polly were hired from the local poor house as children to work as house maids for the Bennets. Not an uncommon practice in those days. Though the work  is hard the Hills and Bennets treat them kindly.

Comment: I found this book interesting, but not compelling. Not one that I would read again. More a feeling of social history, an upstairs, downstairs novel.

For the love of Austen!

This artical originated January 11,2014, on my other blog Kittens with Mittens.

I soon realized that I needed a Literary blog too, so Totally Austentatious was born.

This is a reediting of that origional post.

At this point I really have to thank you, my family and my friends, who put up, ad nauseam with my reading ramblings. What can I say, love me love my books!

Enjoy!

Yes, I have a thing for Austen. I didn’t realize how extensive it was till I started digging through my collection. 

It has even snuck into my knitting. On my to due list Darcy Shawlette,

The Dashwood Sisters Shawl and the Miss Woodhouse Shawlette

I have the famous novels… a few copies of each

The Complete Novels of Jane Austen: Seven Great English Classics (sc)

The Complete Works of Jane Austen (2 ebooks)

• Sense and Sensibility (1811) (1 hc, 1 sc, 3 ebooks)
• Pride and Prejudice (1813) (1 collector ed, 1 hc, 1sc, 3 ebooks)
• Mansfield Park (1814) (2hc, 1sc, 3 ebooks)
• Emma (1815) (2hc, 1 sc, 3 ebooks)
• Northanger Abbey (1818, posthumous) (1sc, 3 ebooks)
• Persuasion (1818, posthumous) (1hc, 1sc, 3 ebooks)

Short fiction

• Lady Susan (1794, 1805) (ebook)

Unfinished fiction

• The Watsons (1804) (ebook)
• Sanditon (1817) (1hc)

and ebook copies too, because you can’t go anywhere without Jane!

All of the above on Kobo Glow, Kobo Arc and Sony Ereader. 

Films, Audio tapes, and Ebooks 

Death at Pemberley by PD. James (audio)

Pride and Prejudice (DVD 1995) A&E starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle (the best!)

And the more recent Pride and Prejudice (2005) 

and an older BBC version. 

Somewhere I have Sir Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson, delightful!

Bride and Prejudice (2004) Bollywood musical (enjoyed it)

Persuasion (1995) – my all time fav! 

Sense and Sensibility (2008 – VHS) Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant (the best)

Emma (1996) Kate Beckinsale (best of the two)

though I won both…

Emma (1996) Gwynth Paltrow (not as good) but amusing.

I also indulge in continuations of her novels and there are a lot out there.

My favourites are by Linda Berdoll, 

*Mr Darcy takes a Wife and *Darcy and Elizabeth

My comment: Miss Austen, being as single lady of her age and time, probably would have been shocked by this more realistic view of married life. This is the Darcy and Lizzie you imagine as a married couple! I am so fond of these books, originally owned them in trade paperback, I also purchased them in ebook! 

Some other  delightful series

 Sharon Lathan has also written a rather good series related to Pride and Prejudice. This series sounds more Austen. 

1. *Mr & Mrs Fitzwiliam Darcy: Two shall become one
2. *Loving Mr. Darcy
3. My Dearest Mr. Darcy
4. In the Arms of Mr. Darcy
5. Miss Darcy falls in Love
6. The Trouble with Mr. Darcy
7. The Passions of Mr. Darcy (the story of Darcy’s Uncle George)
8. A Darcy Christmas (Don’t have)

I have also been collecting the Pemberley Chronicals by Rebecca Ann Collins

1. *The Pemberley Chronicles
2. *The Women of Pemberley
3. Netherfield Park Revisited
4. The Ladies of Longbourn
5. Mr Darcy’s Daughter
6. My Cousin Caroline
7. Postscript from Pemberley (don’t have)
8. Recollections of Rosings (don’t have)
9. A Woman of Influence
10. The Legacy of Pemberley (don’t have)

I like this series but Austen’s voice is missing.

Rebecca Ann Collins has also written Expectations of Happiness a follow-up to Sense and Sensibility

Found these in ebook format

Georgiana’s Diary by Anna Elliott eb. a free ebook 

and Colonel Brandon’s Diary by Amanda Grange eb. preview I am seriously thinking about purchasing this one. Has anyone read it?

Some other recent finds: 

I also have a collection of short stories *Dancing with Mr. Darcy

How about from Darcy’s point of view

*Darcy’s Passion by Regina Jeffers – Don’t let the title through you it isn’t bad 

*Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion by Regina Jeffers  sc.- Rather good till just before the end. Spys and nonsence creeps in. 4/5th of the book is worth reading.

How about letters, and Diaries?

Austen began writing in this form then moved to the more conventional novel format. I enjoy epistolary books (letters) and Diaries.

*Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Maya Slater sc. (rather good)

*Dear Mr Darcy by Amanda Grange tpb (very good)

*Letters from Pemberley by Jane Dawkins tpb (Excellent series of letters between the characters)

Looking forward to reading these recent finds :0) 

Mr. Darcy’s Little Sister by C. Allyn Pierson tpb.

Only Mr. Darcy will do by Kara Louise tpb.

The Truth About Mr. Darcy by Susan Adriani tpb.

and my DH found this in the last copy section of Chapters :0)

*Darcy and Fitzwilliam by Karen V. Wasylowski – delightful and unusual take on Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam’s relationship. Totally recommend this slightly off beat book. :0) sc.

Other recent purchases, as yet unread 

The Darcy Cousins by Monica Fairview

The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle – I have since read, not how I saw Mary developing but good.

The Bad Miss Bennet by Jean Burnett (Lydia)

 There are reference books and biographies as well.

Jane Austen: A life by Claire Tomlin tbp

A Brief Guide to Jane Austen: The Life and Times of the World’s Favourite Author by Charles Jennings sc.

*The Complete World of Jane Austen by Lauren Nixon hc.

(total disappointment, waste your money on this one)

My family and friends keep me well supplied, and DH & DS but up with my Austen observations.

Just for fun go check out The Republic of Pemberley website for everything Austen. DH found it while surfing the net…Isn’t he awesome! (my Colonel Brandon)

Note: * = have read, sc.= softcover, tpb. = trade paperback, hc. = hardcover, eb. = ebook

The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle

The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle

Comment: I wouldn’t call this the best literary work I’ve ever read. Having said this I did enjoy it. This is a great beach book, or cottage weekend book. I enjoyed  Mary Bennets view of her family, and her development. Not exactly what I would have predicted, but I actually liked it.

Artical: Pride and Prejudice, explained in Two Charts

Pride and Prejudice, explained in two charts

Purloined from this very interesting artical by Brandon Ambrosino

 

I would differ on one point with the Mr. Ambrosino.

I think that Darcy and Elizabeth both exhibit Pride and Prejudice at various times during the novel.

They both are humbled and they both develop tolerance and understanding of the other.

He alludes to this in the artical but not on the charts.

Now that’s cleared everything up!

Worth a read!

.

Review: The Annotated Persuasion

As I have opined before; I have more than a few copies of Persuasion by Jane Austen, when people discover you are a fan of Jane Austen, copies arrive as gifts on occasion. I have a couple of particularly lovely copies, one very special edition and a delightful little pocket sized hardcover.

 

Don’t get me wrong I love each and every one, they connect me to the people that love me and are willing to listen  to me endlessly dissect her novels and sequels of her novels and other literature that I love…

Well I have found the best Persuasion so far,

The Annotated Persuasion: Annotated and edited by David M. Shapard

It is amazing how much the mind skips over or assumes more modern values when reading books of this vintage. It opened my eyes about somethings and confirmed some others. The novel really focuses on constancy and love versus other considerations in choosing a marriage partner.  The question arises, what are differences in modern terms of the the feelings of the characters mentioned in the novel.

For instance; In Miss Austen’s time, a gentlemen who had proposed to a lady couldn’t break that engagement without a scandal. It was presumed that he had a lot of time to think over this decision, and a change of mind could ruin both his reputation and particularly hers. It could turn into legal action on the part of her family. However the lady could change her mind and release him, provided that she didn’t repeat this with someone else, which would label her as a jilt. Jane Austen herself accepted a proposal and the following day changed her mind. She never married.

Conclusion: Highly recommend this book.  However If you haven’t read  Persuasion at least once, I wouldn’t start here. If you are rereading it and want to understand more about the world of the novel this is an excellent, very approachable academic examination of the novel. Very well laid out with text on left page and notes, drawings, and diagrams on right page.

(see also her other novels which have received this Annotated treatment)

Other Annotated reviews:

Pride and Prejudice

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice

I have more than a few copies of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, when people discover you are a fan of Jane Austen, copies arrive as gifts on occasion. I have a couple of particularly lovely copies, one very special edition and a delightful little pocket sized hardcover. Don’t get me wrong I love each and every one, they connect me to the people that love me and are willing to listen  to me endlessly dissect her novels and sequels of her novels and other literature that I love… 

Well I have found the best Pride and Prejudice so far,

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice, 

Reading and knitting, two of my favourite things!

Annotated and edited by David M. Shapard

It is amazing how much the mind skips over or assumes more modern values when reading books of this vintage. It opened my eyes about somethings and confirmed some others. The novel really focuses on the individuals position in society, and their income and how that effects the selection of a marriage partner.  The question arises, what are differences in modern terms of the incomes of the various characters mentioned in the novel. For instance owning a horse and carriage at that time, why  is it such a big deal?  I was surprised that this was somewhat equivalent to someone owning a Helicopter today. Mr. Bennet, refers to calling the horse back from the farm work to take Jane to Netherfield Park to see Mr. Bingley’s sisters. The point being that his income was above average however his horses had to do double duty both farm work and pulling the family carriage.

There is also a very interesting note on the courses offered for meals. The day was also divided differently, morning, afternoon and evening were lengthened and consequently meals were arranged accordingly.

I really enjoyed the little insights into Jane Austens  views on aspects of society. David M. Shapard has referred to comments that the author made in her letters, that add another perspective on her personal life and how it coloured her writings.  She was a firm advocate for love and compatibility in marriage. She felt that a couple should be of similar values, understanding and interests, as well as love each other. This was rather unusual at the time as most marriages had more to do with connections and property. It is also rather obvious from her correspondence that some of her characters were drawn from real life.

Conclusion: Highly recommend this book.  However If you haven’t read Pride and Prejudice at least once, I wouldn’t start here. If you are rereading it and want to understand more about the world of the novel this is an excellent, very approachable academic examination of the novel. Very well laid out with text on left page and notes, drawings, and diagrams on right page.

(see also her other novels which have received this Annotated treatment)

Other Annotated reviews:

Persuasion 

An excellent Artical: Jane Austen

Why Jane Austen always hits the spot: Alexander McCall Smith on why the novelist has the answer to all of life’s problems

By ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH

PUBLISHED: 21:07 GMT, 25 October 2014 | UPDATED: 15:14 GMT, 26 October 2014 

The Artical

Alexander McCall Smith, a new take on Emma

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-2803922/Jane-Austen-hits-spot-Alexander-McCall-Smith-novelist-answer-life-s-problems.html#ixzz3HHqilr5A
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

In the Beginning…

Yes I am a fan!

I have been reading and rereading Miss Austens work with much pleasure since I was in my teens.

More recently I have begun an adventure sifting through the many and various authors that have taken up the Austen pen to continue the tales of our favourite characters.

I plan to wander far a field into movies, commentaries, Biographies and possibly other novelists writing in her time period that you may not be as familiar with.

I am also reviewing other books, fiction, nonfiction and literary criticism. I will endeavour to give you my impressions, and suggest some gems you may have missed. Take a peek at the yearly reading list with the one word review as well as the linked extended review.

Fair warning, hang on and feel free to comment and add to the lists of good bad or indifferent works. I’m looking for discussion, and all are welcome.