Join in the Sense and Sensibility Homage

The rules are simple: You just have to take a pic of the book (or DVD of any of the adaptations or both if you want), with your place as background, or a beautiful spot from your city/town.

Click here to read the rules and how to submit your image. You can view the images there as well.

Dick and Jane (Austen, that is)

During April and May of 2010, Parallelogramophnograph debuted the latest in their catalog of innovative shows: Dick & Jane.

Dick & Jane is set in the world of Jane Austen, costumes and all. It is a delicate place, full of giggling sisters, marriage-happy mothers, coming out dances, and fancy gentlemen. PGraph takes you on a tour of this dainty world and show you what happens when greed gets the best of Mr Darcy, Miss Benet slips her father a micky, and Sir John Middleton ends up face-down in the creek. Noir stories set in the world of Jane Austen! It is ever-so-devious.

PGraph's Dick and Jane, 4/30/2010 from Parallelogramophonograph on Vimeo.

Contributed by Raquel Sallaberry, Jane Austen em Português

My Jane Austen Summer: A Season in Mansfield Park, by Cindy Jones: A Review

First Impressions, as Jane Austen so famously wrote about, are characterized by lingering mental coat-tails. The first impression of a first book by a new author is all important. Cindy Jones’s cover of My Jane Austen Summer: A Season in Mansfield Park, is dreamy and girly. If I had been her when I first saw the book’s mock up, I would have been thrilled.

Like the cover, Cindy’s writing style is quite refreshing and as pleasant as a strawberry daiquiri on a hot afternoon, and I eagerly settled in to read the book. But my first impression of her heroine, Lily Berry, is that of a clinging woman who, instead of accepting that her boyfriend has moved on, stalks him. Perhaps “stalk” is too strong a word, but what would you call a woman who drives past her former boyfriend’s house repeatedly to spy on him and his new girl?

Lily perhaps had an excuse. After her mother's death, her father replaced his wife with another woman with undue swiftness. Lily turns to her favorite author, Jane Austen, for solace, which gets her into hot water at work, for she is found reading on the job. In short order, she has lost her mother, boyfriend, and job, and so she takes advantage of an opportunity presented to her and travels to England to join a summer-long literary festival that features an acting troupe performing Mansfield Park.

Lily is on what I call a fast-track maturation arc, in which she will eventually discover that the secrets to happiness and inner peace lie in her own self-confidence and self-worth. Her constant  companion is “my Jane Austen”, a quite unique character who pops up as the voice of Jane Austen at necessary times to give Lily some sensible advice.

There are a number of other particulars in this story that I liked. Lily and her sister Karen email each other back and forth, and these modern epistolary touches, an homage to Regency letter writing, are sprinkled throughout the book, providing a secondary plot (one that interested me more than the main story). I also found the idea of actors creating off-the-cuff Mansfield Park scenarios throughout the season intriguing, and the novel's minor characters are well drawn.

But because of my negative first impression of Lily, I never warmed up to her, and thus her Mansfield Park adventure and romantic dalliances did not engage me as much as I would have liked. When I was introduced to Lily’s roommate – the irresponsible and self-centered Bets, for whom I cared not one whit – I was unable to empathize with Lily’s dilemma of wanting her mother's “borrowed” necklace returned. For, had I been in her situation, I would have ripped that necklace off Bets's neck and not been left in a position of weakness, repeatedly asking for something that was rightfully mine. Be that as it may, Lily does grow up in the end, which is all I will reveal about the book's denouement.

I am aware that other readers might have different first impressions of Lily (some reviewers have compared her to Bridget Jones), and that they will enter into the spirit of this novel as the author intended. That Ms. Jones can write is undeniable. I give My Jane Austen Summer: A Season in Mansfield Park 2 out of 3 Regency fans.

Austenprose is holding a My Jane Austen Summer book giveaway! Always such joy.

The New 3-D Three Musketeers Sneak Peek Trailer!

Tell, me, Matthew MacFadyen fans: is this his voice over for the trailer? Yum.




The film follows a hot-headed young D’Artagnan (Logan Lerman) along with three formerly legendary but now down on their luck Musketeers (Ray Stevenson, Matthew Macfadyen and Luke Evans) must prevent Milady de Winter (Milla Jovovich) and her villainous employer Cardinal Richelieu (Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz) from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war.

The film is scheduled for release October 14, 2011. I am definitely going.

Jane Austen Zombie Throwdown

After watching this trailer, would you read Dreadfully Ever After, which is considered the best of the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies trilogy? Vote now.

Tempted to read Dreadfully Ever After?
	No way in Zombie hell
	Yes, absolutely
	Only when I'm doing laundry
pollcode.com free polls

Friday Folly: Ticky Tacky Royal Wedding Memorabilia

Ah, the whacky world of royal memorabilia. Note the Kate and Wils fridge. 

The Royal Wedding Memorabilia Sick Bag From Paper Heart

Or for the love of your life: Royal Wedding condoms, souvenir edition

Have you seen ticky tacky souvenirs to top these? Please share!

Book Giveaway and Review of The Jane Austen Handbook: Proper Life Skills from Regency England, Margaret C. Sullivan

The Contest is Now Closed: The first book I ever reviewed for this blog in 2007 was Margaret C. Sullivan's The Jane Austen Handbook: A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her World, which has been reissued with a new byline: Proper Life Skills from Regency England. The book's cover is different in color, as is the cover illustration, but the information and charming illustrations contained within this new edition remain the same.

The Pump Room

In the middle of her introduction, Margaret includes the phrase: “Have you ever wondered …?” Without further ado, I shall appropriate her question for this review.

Have you ever wondered which skills a well bred young lady should develop? On pages 16-19, Margaret details the particulars of how a Regency miss became well versed in languages, history and geography, playing a musical instrument, painting and drawing, sewing and needlework, and dancing. Better yet, she includes a full description of a gentleman's education.

A walk in the country

Have you ever wondered how Regency folk spend the season in London, Bath, the country, and seaside? Lovers of the Regency era will adore the clear way in which Margaret outlines the best times to go and which activities are best suited for each place.In London one attends balls and evenings parties, museums, the theatre, and shops. Similar activities are available in Bath, but one also promenades in the Pump Room or can take country walks to Beechen Cliff, for example, for a fine view. The seaside offers a walk on the beach or a promenade along the Cobb.

Bathing, Regency style

Have you ever wondered what gentlemen needed to do to improve their estates? How ladies spent their leisure time? And what about the marriage mart and choosing one's mate? How did one go about proposing? Flirting? Eloping?

These topics and more are covered in this handy reference book, compact enough to carry in one's carry on luggage or purse as one embarks on a lifetime trip to Jane Austen country in England. The book's organization is clear and the information easy to find. As a reference it is accurate, but it is written with gentle humor and with an easy style that makes it a joy to read. The Jane Austen Handbook: Proper Life Skills from Regency England is equally helpful to the Jane Austen neophyte as to the seasoned Janeite. I highly recommend it.

Book Giveaway! Do you have a question about the Regency era or Jane Austen's life? Leave your comment for an opportunity to win a copy of the new edition of this reference guide, now available at Amazon.com. Contest ends March 31st. Congratulations Treasa!

Read my interview with Margaret C. Sullivan on Jane Austen's World at this link.

Winner of Raquel Sallaberry's One Year Anniversary Notebook

My Giveaway Contest for my Sense and Sensibility notebook has ended:we've discounted one removed by a blog administrator and one duplicate comment, making a total of 51 comments.

Thank you all!

The winners's name through a random number generator is Anna, number 13. Please contact us at janeaustensworld (-at-) geemale (-dot) [com] and send us your contact information!

Sense and Sensibility Brazilian First Edition

This lovely and fragile book is the first edition of Sense and Sensibility, or Razão e sentimento, in Brazilian Portuguese, published by José Olympio Press in 1944. It was translated by Dinah Silveira de Queiroz (1911-1982), author of several books and the second woman to hold a chair at the Brazilian Academy of Letters.

Posted by Raquel Sallaberry, Jane Austen em Portugues

Jane Eyre in W Magazine

Jane Eyre, the new film adaptation, will arrive in my region in just a few short weeks.

Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska

Here are the new Mr. Rochester and his Jane in the new edition of "W" magazine:

Totally romantic.

Jane Austen Throwdown

Today's question is simple and in honor of Sense and Sensibility's 200 years of publication: Will Marianne Dashwood ever grow up? Does Marianne mature with age and temper her sensibilities? Or does she remain largely the same despite the passing years, and become a thorn in Colonel Brandon's side?

No, Marianne will essentially stay the same. People might grow older, but their personalities don't change all that much. She will remain high strung and selfish all her life. Poor Colonel Brandon will have a handful to deal with throughout his marriage.

Yes, Marianne will mature. She is only seventeen and highly romantic, as the young tend to be. Her marriage to Colonel Brandon will temper her, and she is a good It is unrealistic to expect that people are exactly the same at 34 as they are at 17. Colonel Brandon will not be like Mr. Bennet, abandoning his wife to her silliness, but will take an active part in her growing up.

I can't decide. Marianne has many good qualities - that of loyalty to her family, for example - but she loves too much and her emotions get the better of her. The truth is somewhere in the middle. There will be times when she acts her age, but she will always be histrionic.

Will Marianne Dashwood Ever Grow Up?
	No
	Yes
	I can't decide
pollcode.com free polls

Uptown Downstairs Abbey: A Spoof

Submitted by Tony Grant

Friday Find: Fashion Blogs

Experiments in Elegance is a blog focused almost entirely on Regency Fashion. It is well worth a visit.Although the blog is only two years old, Antonia posts frequently and her images are outstanding - as is the dress she has made, based on Princess Charlotte's Russian Jumper dress.

Antonia in her jumper dress.

The Regency Project follows a sewing project in which Anea of The Anea Project makes a Regency gown in the transitional style from round gown to narrow empire.

Anea in a dress based on Regency models

19th Century Fashion provides a timeline with thumbnails of fashions for that year. This website provides an organized, easy to use overview of 19th century fashion.

Fashion timeline with "live" thumbnails

Queen Mab, Sense, Sensibility and Dreams

Queen Mab is the name of the beautiful mare that Willoughby wanted to give Marianne Dashwood.

The gift, as we know, was rejected (reluctantly by Marianne). For an unmarried girl to receive such a valuable gift from a guy who was not even her fiancée was totally inappropriate. And to make matters worse, the Dashwood women had not the means to keep a horse!

Willoughby, hearing of the refusal, consoles Marianne:

“But, Marianne, the horse is still yours, though you cannot use it now. I shall keep it only till you can claim it. When you leave Barton to form your own establishment in a more lasting home, Queen Mab shall receive you.”

Willoughby's speech is dubious. We do not know if at this moment he truly thought of marrying Marianne, or if he just wanted to comfort her with the possibility of marriage.

Despite that beautiful scene in Sense and Sensibility (2008) Marianne,
in the book, never comes to know the lovely Queen Mab.

In the end, the gift was nothing but a dream, and it almost became a nightmare. Queen Mab appears in various works of English literature, as the poem Queen Mab: A Philosophical Poem, by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), and it is best known for the monologue of the character Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, by Shakespeare. In the first act, scene four, Romeo discusses the veracity of the dreams with his friend Mercutio, who begins a long monologue where he mentions Queen Mab, the fairy midwife.

O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you.
She is the fairies’ midwife, and she comes
In shape no bigger than an agate-stone
On the fore-finger of an alderman,
Drawn with a team of little atomies
Athwart men’s noses as they lie asleep;
[...]
This is that very Mab
That plats the manes of horses in the night,
And bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs,
Which once untangled, much misfortune bodes:
This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs,
That presses them and learns them first to bear,
Making them women of good carriage:
This is she—
Excerpt from Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare, 1594 – Act I, Scen IV
Full text at Open Source Shakespeare

The best interpretation for that monologue I've found was the Franco Zeffirelli's version, (1968) by actor John McEnery.




First published in Lendo Jane Austen, as "">Queen Mab, razões, sentimentos e sonhos"

Jane Austen Quote Widget Android App

Get a Jane Austen quote of the day with this new Jane Austen Quote application. You can even add a pleasant widget to your home screen our Jane would be sure to love.

You get a cool history view where you can see your past quotes and you can customize the way your widget looks.

Click on this link for more information. You will have to sign up with this site before you can download the app for free.

The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine: A Review

It is no well-kept secret that The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine (now in paperback) was written as a 21st century homage to Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, which celebrates its 200th anniversary this year. In this modern take of a classic, Betty Weissmann and her two middle aged daughters, Miranda and Annie, meet similar challenges that the Dashwood women faced in the early 19th century – the loss of a husband, and luxurious home and income for Betty, and the absence of a father's loving presence and support in the lives of the two daughters.

I picked up the book and began to read it and could not put it down for the first three chapters, enjoying Cathleen Schine's bright and witty retelling of this classic tale. Joe, Betty's husband of forty-eight years, has decided to leave her for another woman, a fact he withholds from his bewildered wife. Seventy-five year-old Betty had not anticipated this development or equipped herself to live on her own, for she had been a traditional wife, making a comfortable home for her family and not working outside of it.

One of Jane Austen's most famous villainesses, Fanny Dashwood, has been transformed into Felicity Barrows, the woman Joe Weissmann loves and for whom he is leaving his wife. Joe wants to be generous with Betty and leave her in her home, but Felicity, who covets his Central Park West apartment, convinces him that the most generous gift he can give Betty is to take the apartment from her, for, as she tells Joe, his wife cannot afford its upkeep.

Betty, on the other hand, cannot conceive of living anywhere else and is shocked when Joe cuts off her bank account and credit. Enter cousin Lou (Sir John Middleton), a generous character who'se made a bundle and who surrounds himself with scores of people, including those whose circumstances are drastically reduced. In the most timely fashion imaginable, he offers Betty the use of his beach house in Connecticut.

Similarities to Jane Austen's plot are woven throughout this modern narrative and are easy to pick out for even the most casual Austen fan. The book follows these three women through their time of physical and emotional upheaval, for the two unmarried daughters decide to move with their mother into Lou's small cottage. Miranda (as impetuous a character as Marianne and never married) faces a major life challenge when a scandal rocks her literary agency, and Annie, a divorced mother of two and as practical as Elinor, decides to commute to her job as a librarian in New York in order to keep a financial handle on her spendthrift sister and mother.

And thus the plot unfolds.

So with everything going for this bestseller (and a New York Times editors' choice and notable book), why didn't I like it more? The tale is comfortably familiar, Cathleen Schine's writing sparkles, and the book is a breeze to read and a perfect accompaniment on a long flight or lazy weekend. The reader meets the modern equivalents of Colonel Brandon, Willoughby, Edward Ferrars, and the Steele sisters, and is treated to contemporary situations, plot twists and turns, and an unpredictable ending. Yet I never became emotionally involved with the characters, always standing back a little.

As a divorced woman who experienced much of the same bewilderment as Betty, I found that the emotional carnage of losing one's best friend and husband, cozy lifestyle, and shared friends was never fully realized in this novel. (Perhaps my problem with Betty's character was that she lacked the depth and complexity that would have made her more interesting to me.) Miranda at forty-nine is as dramatic and immature in many ways as 17-year-old Marianne, who, by dint of her youth had an excuse for being so overly romantic. One senses that with time, Marianne will mature and outgrow some of her more unrealistic sensibilities. That a middle-aged Miranda is still so unrelentingly theatrical struck the wrong note with my inner Elinor.

Annie's reason for moving to the cottage to take care of her mother seemed thin in this age of easy commuting and telecommunications and electronic oversight of bank accounts and bill paying. And so ultimately this book became (for me) a soap opera in print, albeit with many literary allusions and contemporary associations, such as Miranda's appearance on Oprah, but one that - despite Schine's clever writing - never quite won over my heart.

If you decide to pick up The Three Weissmanns of Westport, my recommendation is to read the book on its own merit and to refrain from comparing it to S&S. You'll enjoy it so much better.

• Order the book at this link.
• The Three Weissmanns of Westport, a review on Jane Austen's World

Jane Austen Gift Throwdown: Mr. Darcy

A miracle has happened, and you have been given an opportunity to attend Mr. Darcy's 40th birthday party. You have also just won the lottery. What present would you give him from the 21st century, one that would please both you AND him?

Matthew Macfadyen

A lifetime gym membership. Imagine our Mr. Darcy in fitness shorts while body building. Be still my beating heart. You could hold his towel and water bottle whilst he goes about the business of keeping his fine musculature in shape. Better yet, you could keep in shape by his side. You'll also have plenty of lottery winnings left over to treat him to a massage or two.

Colin Firth

An electronic Apple package consisting of a Macbook Pro, iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Imagine if Mr. Darcy was wired. You could text, tweet, blog, email, see or talk to him any time, any place, anywhere, plus share music, movies, podcasts and videos. Then imagine Mr. Darcy just a touch and nano seconds away. *Sigh.*

The 2011 Bugatti Veyron supercar: At £1.6 million per car, this rare gift would be most fitting for our discerning Mr. Darcy. Imagine how grateful he would be to receive a vehicle that has a 1,200bhp engine capable of accelerating from 0 to 62mph in just 2.5 seconds and can sprint all the way to 268mph. Why he could arrive at your doorstep zippity zip and carry you off on a date filled with smoldering looks. Unfortunately, this unique gift will take up all your lottery winnings and up to a year to deliver.

Rare 2011 Bugatti Veyron supercar

A gift for Mr. Darcy
	A lifetime gym membership.
	An electronic Apple package consisting of a Macbook Pro, iPhone, iPad, and iPod
	The 2011 Bugatti Veyron supercar
pollcode.com free polls

An Uncanny Resemblance: Colin Firth and Tom Hanks

Inquiring Readers, Comparing Colin Firth as a young actor in the 1986 film, Lost Empires, and Tom Hanks in 1980's sitcom comedy, Bosom Buddies, I was struck by a resemblance of the two young actors wearing make up decades before they won their Oscars.

Colin Firth in Lost Empires (l) and The King's Speech (r).

Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies, 1980) and today, right.

Oscar Nominees Before They Were Stars

Friday Find: Modes and Manners of the Nineteenth Century

Modes and Manners of the Nineteenth Century as Represented in Pictures and Engravings of the Time, Max von Boehn, Oskar Fischel, 1909.

The book's cover

Sit back and enjoy these sumptuous engravings. Then click on the link above, enter the book, and explore a few more illustrations as you read the opinions of early 20th century critics write about that era. A little over a hundred years ago, the authors did not find the fashions romantic. Rather, they thought that the empire silhouette was repulsive and did a disservice to a woman's shape. There were some highlights, however. Take the shawl:

The rage for the shawl was not only due to the fact that it was an article of luxury, and therefore gave opportunity for rivalry among ladies of fashion, there was also an art and a very personal art too in the way of wearing it. The shawl was not just flung over the shoulders like a cloak; it required to be draped, and much individual taste could be displayed in this draping, for the shawl with its elegant folds was admirably fitted to betray or to delicately conceal the graces of the figure. No one spoke of a lady as well dressed but as "beautifully draped".  

Take a Virtual Tour of the Pump Room and Adjoining Rooms

Click on this image and then click on the View the Pump Room Tour link on the lower right. Be sure you have a flash player, then move the cursor around to see the entire room, from side to side and floor to ceiling. (You might have to click twice on the black screen to make the image appear.)

Follow the bright red arrows and see where they will take you:

The Kinsgston drawing room

The terrace

The great bath, Roman Baths

Jane Austen's Novels and the Android Market

Oh, what lovely news, Android users: These Jane Austen books may be downloaded for free. As with the Jane Austen Quote of the Day widget mentioned in the previous post, you will need to sign in. Click here to download the books.

Raquel Celebrates One Year on Jane Austen Today with a Giveaway Contest!

Contest now closed. The winner is Anna. Click here to contact us. My first post on Jane Austen Today was "Jane Austen Street in Brazil", published a year ago, followed with "More Jane Austen Streets." Since then, with an occasional slack, I've been writing a weekly post.

Vic, this has been a wonderful experience. Thank you and your gentle readers for this opportunity!

Let's celebrate! Just say hello in this post until March, 21st to compete for the little notebook below.

Raquel's handmade Sense and Sensibility notebook

NOTE: People from any country can compete, except from Brazil, because I've held other contests for them on my own blog, Jane Austen em Português. (Raquel's Etsy shop can be found in this link.)

Jane Austen Modern Fashion Throwdown

Inquiring Readers: Sir Bingley is starting a shop where Jane Austen's heroines would purchase items if they were living in the modern era. The online shop will offer for sale chic clothing, teas, journals, chic home decor, candles, and accessories at up to 70% off. But in order to provide the most tempting goods to this discerning customer, Sir Bingley is still doing market research.

Polyvore image of modern items that echo the Regency era. Image @Vic

His question to you is: out of the product types below, what would be your top three favorite categories that you, or your friends, would love to be able to obtain new at 40% to 70% off of retail from independent designers? The styling would be similar to that of a classic- vintage-bohemian kind of a "Jane Austen-ish" Anthropologie at a discount.

1) Clothing - dresses, jackets, shirts, blouses, sweaters, denim, etc.
2) Jewelry- earings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, jewelry boxes
3) Shoes - heels, wedges, flats, sandals, boots, etc.
4) Bags - handbags, purses
5) Accessories - scarves, wraps, belts, beanies, hats, hair accessories
6) Kitchen - baking tools and access., chic aprons, oven mitts, chic dishes/serveware.
7) Writing and Journaling - chic journals, stationary, notepads, organizational cubbies
8) Knitting, Sewing, Crocheting - tools, fabrics, tools, etc.
9) Comfort - Excellent Tea, chic tea pots, throws/blankets, books.
10) Personal Effects - candles, fragrances, soaps, bubble baths, skin care

Please keep your choice to three products! I for one can't wait to see what this online shopping experience will be like!

Which Three Items Would You Pick for Sir Bingley?
	Clothing
	Jewelry
	Shoes
	Bags
	Accessories
	Kitchen
	Writing and Journaling
	Knitting, Sewing, Crocheting
	Comfort
	Personal Effects
pollcode.com free polls

Friday Folly: Twinings Tea Production to Move to Poland and China

In a letter written to Cassandra on Saturday 5th March 1814 from Henrietta Street, amongst gossip about the theatre, mending a petticoat, [her brother] Henry having a cold, going out for walks and meeting people, Jane writes, 

"I am sorry to hear that there has been a rise in tea. I do not mean to pay Twining till later in the day, when we may 0rder a fresh supply." - London Calling, A Cup of Tea With Jane Austen

It is a sad state of affairs when an august and venerable firm such as Twinings decides to pull up shop and outsource its tea production from England to Poland and China by September 2011 as part of "an efficiency drive." Worse, the powers that be have decided in their almighty wisdom (and lack of empathy) that the British employers about to be laid off will have to train their replacements. Nice touch that.

In addition, "the firm applied for £10m worth of EU aid to help it open a new factory just weeks after announcing plans to close down production in North Shields." At the very least, the firm should be stripped of its royal warrant, which apparently isn't going to happen. Rub salt in the wound much?

My thought is this: Jane Austen should never have paid her bill.

(All opinions expressed in this folly piece are Vic's, who is biased.)

• Twinings site: No hint of desertion here.
• Twinings to Leave Britain for Poland

The Art of the Mash-up Design Competition: Perfect for the Computer Savvy Janeite Artist

Hello there, design savvy, zombie loving bloggers.

Quirk recently teamed up with the Bridgeman Art Library to create an awesome contest; the Art of the Mash-up Design Competition. Quirk is inviting fans of Quirk Classics to create their own mashed up covers, using the same resource for the fine art and historical images they've used for Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, Dawn of the Dreadfuls, Android Karenina, and the upcoming Dreadfully Ever After .

Dawn of the Dreadful Mash-up Cover

The contest wraps up in a little over a week - March 11, 2011. The prizes are pretty amazing.

• The grand-prize package includes entrance to the HOW Design Conference in Chicago and a feature in GD USA Magazine!
• Quirk's favorites will be featured in a First Friday gallery show at Brave New Worlds in Philadelphia .

For more information on how to enter, click on this link to visit www.bridgemanart.com/competitions.

Playing Pride and Prejudice

The student actors in Kansas Wesleyan's production of Pride and Prejudice are gaining the technical and acting skills they need to portray characters from a different century.

"Pride and Prejudice," adapted by playwright Jon Jory, was selected to give theater students experience in performing classical theater, said Kansas Wesleyan theater professor Richard Esvang, director of the production.

To effectively perform a play set in a different time period, student actors must learn a different style of walking, sitting, talking and even dancing, Esvang said, as well as master British accents. 

"There's a lot of elevated language, style of movement and diction," he said. "We're using the play to work on elocution."

Allison Yaple, who portrays Elizabeth Bennet, says that the technical aspects are more difficult to master than the emotions:

"You always have to remember your posture," she said. "The lines also are more difficult because of the phrasing. It takes a lot more work and study time."

For more details about the challenges students face in playing Pride and Prejudice's familiar characters, click on KWU Students Take on Austen from Salina.com.

Jane Austen First Day Cover

I've always wanted to have one set of the four stamps with Jane Austen's characters. Last month, visiting eBay, that "road to perdition", I found them by just one pound and a half. What surprised me when I received my order was the beautiful envelope with the images of Emma and Mr Woodhouse.

First Day Cover, Jane Austen Commemorative Stamps

It was a First Day Cover envelope! If you, like myself, do not know about that day, you can read more about it at this link: First Day Cover.

The Jane Austen First Day Issue was made available on October 22nd, 1975 to celebrate the bicentenary of the year of Jane Austen's birth.

There are a lot envelopes about this date, some of them on this site: BFDC. Or eBay...

• Collect GB Stamps
• Stamp Collections of Various Authors
• Make your own Jane Austen stamp on Zazzle
• Jane Goes Postal

Posted by Raquel Sallaberry, Jane Austen em Portugues