Update: Contest is closed. Congratulations, Cinthia! Those of us who belong to Jane Austen book clubs and discuss her books regularly have contemplated deeply about Jane Austen's novels and how they impact our lives - both real and imaginary. We are not so much obsessed with our favorite author's books as intrigued by her characters, the world she recreates with her witty insights and plots, and the insights she provides that give direction to our own lives.
In All Roads Lead to Austen, Amy Elizabeth Smith travels to Latin America to discuss Jane's six major novels with Latino book clubs. The results are not surprising - Jane, our British Regency spinster - speaks as clearly to other cultures as to ours.
For a chance to win a copy of All Roads Lead to Austen, please leave a comment about an aspect that struck you most about your favorite Austen novel, or a life altering insight. Everyone from all countries around the world is eligible to enter the contest, which ends on midnight, June 11, EST US time.
Click here to read my interview with Amy Elizabeth Smith on Jane Austen's World.
In All Roads Lead to Austen, Amy Elizabeth Smith travels to Latin America to discuss Jane's six major novels with Latino book clubs. The results are not surprising - Jane, our British Regency spinster - speaks as clearly to other cultures as to ours.
For a chance to win a copy of All Roads Lead to Austen, please leave a comment about an aspect that struck you most about your favorite Austen novel, or a life altering insight. Everyone from all countries around the world is eligible to enter the contest, which ends on midnight, June 11, EST US time.
Click here to read my interview with Amy Elizabeth Smith on Jane Austen's World.
47 comments:
I just read an interview with Ms. Smith on Jane Austen's world blog.The book sounds wonderful and I loved reading the journey about when it was being written. It's amazing how one woman's work have connected and inspired so many all over the world.
I have just finished reading the interview with Ms Smith and have to say that I adore the cover of this interesting book. It is really amazing how we all love Jane Austen's book throughout the world. I think that Jane would have been thrilled with this.
Zora.brozina@gmail.com
I would love to read this book. I'd also like to be one of those who goes to China to check out its popularity or lack of popularity. Alas, health will not permit me. I would love to win a copy of this book.
kfield2@verizon.net
I'm so in love with the idea of this book. How cool to discover Jane fans all over the world.
I remember my first reading of Persuasion in college--and being struck by the exploration of waiting! It's still one of my favorites.
breannelynn28(AT)gmail(DOT)com
your writting moment in guatemala looks miles away from the regnecy era. I mean by that
the latina atmosphers, mood and hot waether compare to the straight, cold or rainy days of england.
I would have eebn scared with all the animals all around at first
-__-
indeed, I confirm austen fans cross all boundaries !! I have friend in asia and europe who are fans of austen no matter their religion.
it is unversal for me :)
I'd like to congratualte you for your book :)
and also participate for the giveaway. thank you
arshi@live.fr
I've met a lot of friends from all over the world either in person or virtually through reading Jane Austen. Friendships I value tremendously. Truly all roads do lead to Austen.
Felicia
felicialso @gmail. com
Great idea for a book - travel and literature are fantastic companions, and Jane Austen would have been a sophisticated and enjoyable commenter on other cultures, if she had had a chance to explore the larger world. thanks for the blogs....
shawnmsim@gmail.com
I think my favorite aspect of Jane Austen and her writing is as Ms. Smith stated in her interview, "Her leading ladies find love, not in spite of being strong and intelligent, but because of it." I love that Austen's characters weren't these prissy little girls. They had gumption! I fell in love with Austen when I was in pre-teens, and I have not stopped loving them since.
I also love the idea of the author taking Austen with her throughout her travels. I too am curious and also interested in taking her challenge and seeing where Austen takes me. What a fascinating idea.
We are all Elizabeth Bennett in our own space and time. We all wonder how life and love work, how life is sutained, and what are the absolute rules (laws) of our time that are unavoidable as we find our way. I wish, though, I could speak and think in an English accent like hers! Ha!
I can be reached at
micheleb4@gmail.com
The reason all of Jane Austen's characters last is that they truly are human at heart. They have their beautiful qualities, as well as those qualities which they (like us) would like to hide and not show to anyone. Austen's genius and compassion comes through when the weaknesses of her characters get as much stage time as the strengths. We should all be so bold in uncovering our weaknesses for examination, because then they might just change into a strength.
All MY roads lead to Jane Austen...
What strikes me over and over in Jane Austen is the encouragement to stand up for myself--her characters do that and things come out swimmingly. It gives me confidence. I would love to win this book! Thank you for the opportunity. :)
It just occurred to me - even those of us here in the US would be foreigners to Jane Austen. I did once look for a copy of Jane Austen in a bookstore in Moscow - and there it was - a Russian translation of P&P! So maybe these days there aren't really foreigners - just people we haven't met yet (I think I stole that quote from someone famous but I don't know who). Thanks for the interview - it was interesting.
One of my favorite things about her novels is how her characters remind me of people I know. For example, there are definitely a couple of older people in my life with Mr. Woodhouse tendencies. :) Thanks for the giveaway!
~Kristin
sewtechnicolor (at) yahoo (dot) com
This sounds like a charming twist on all the reasons we love Jane. Thank you for the giveaway and interview.
I was discussing P&P with a good friend on a lunch date, and we realized that all young girls are either a Lydia (outspoken in inappropriate settings), Kitty (painfully shy), or a Mary (somewhat anti-social), and they grow up to become either a Jane (sweet and quiet) or an Elizabeth (independent and extroverted). I believe that I'm a Kitty who grew up to be a Elizabeth.
Six years ago I scarcely know who Jane Austen was. Now, I can't imagine my world without her. what a flip-flop. I'd love this book!
The one thing I always take from Austen novels is that it is never to late to change. Would love to win a copy!
Her witty prose and the way she keenly observe how humans interact with one another that defines us no matter which century we live in.
evangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love visiting Chawton Cottage. It always amazes me that Jane had such a busy family life - as is obvious from going round the cottage and garden - and yet found time to develop and write her stories. And I also marvel over the Visitors’ book there – truly, people come from all over the world to savour a feeling of closeness to Jane in the house where she lived. It proves that she speaks to people all over the world, today as much as ever.
That the women had more control of their life's that I thought the would.
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love Jane Austen and all that is related! It is amazing how through out the years life never changes. We still love the simple life, although, it was not simple at the time. This book sounds great! I would LOVE a copy!
Beth
Persuasion and second chances...seeing how people we trust can encourage us to make decisions in their best interests, not ours.
My favorite Austen novel is "Emma." I love how Jane Austen shows us that love does not have to show up from far away; sometimes love has been right by our side the whole time. :)
Japan's most well known author, Natsume Soseki, was very interested in Jane Austen and imported her works around the turn of the last century. It would be interesting to find out how popular she is in Japan today.
I'd love to read this book. Everything related to Jane Austen is pure joy to me. Thanks for the opportunity, Claudia
claudiagaggioli@virgilio.it
The thing that strikes me most about Jane Austen is it's universality. No matter what time period you live in, Jane Austen's novels are enthralling and amazing and a whole mess of other adjectives. It doesn't matter what language you speak, what clothes you wear, what time you live in, Jane Austen's novels strike you right in the heart.
There is a reason that Jane Austen is still so popular today and her novels still so widely read. It is because what she wrote about is just as easy to relate to today as it was 200 years ago. Her observations of human nature are just as valid now as they were then.
Jane Austen has inspired countless generations with her witty and even sarcastic descriptions of a world gone by! What is most amazing however if that she was mostly an observer and rarely a participant! One never tires of reading her novels! She could put to shame many 'authors' these days!
Jane Austen brilliantly captures the varied personalities that surround us: quirky, thoughtful, jealous, proud, vain, kind, clever, and everything in between. We readily recognize these characters with a knowing smile, and embrace the shared experience. The fashions and expressions may change, but Elizabeth Bennet and all of her literary peers are timeless.
I can't wait to read this book!
The premise of this book is just wonderful! Love the concept. For me so many lessons can be learned from Lizzie Bennet ... but above all how quick we are to judge sometimes, however, the true lesson and humility comes from learning to grow and in time, change your opinion.
Thank you SO much for making this world wide!
helen at hancock dot id dot au
I remember reading Emma for the first time. I had heard the Jane Austen quote about how Emma was a heroine that "nobody but myself would like" so I was prepared to find her character hard to relate to. Imagine my surprise when I realized that I loved Emma dearly. I figured out pretty quickly that the reason for this was because I was almost exactly like Emma. I could be a bit selfish at times but I always truly had the best of intentions when I was butting into other people's lives. I love Jane Austen for being such an excellent writer that she made a character that was so inherently human.
Lovely interview, ladies! I love the idea of this book, it sounds wonderful! With Austen, I love that her books are still adored and making an impact almost 200 years later. Thanks for the giveaway!!=)
kellik115@yahoo.com
This book is the best to have. It is very inspiring specially to those lose hope.
wow, this sounds like a really interesting book.
I think what strikes me the most about Austen's books, all of them, actually, is that not one of the characters is perfect. They are all flawed, and learn based on those flaws
I found your post really helpful. Thanks for posting such informative content. Keep posting.
I completely agree with you, Amy. Austen's female protagonists are so strong and powerful - without being obviously so.
She was a strong voice for women in the 19th century and I think was actually writing down what many women were already feeling and doing.
Through acknowledging women's lack of power or status, she highlighted this as an issue, not through some obvious "Rise up womankind!" Romantic proclamation, but through her beautifully crafted narration.
Fantastic.
It is wonderful to read your blog. I always find something new and interesting and I love watching the coments on certain post. I know this will sound redundant but I think the give away is just awesome and I would like to try out for it :)
anda15y@yahoo.co.uk
Such a wonderful idea for a book. While I read several of Jane's books before Persuasion, it is Chapter 23 (the conversation between Captain Harville and Anne) that makes me love Persuasion most of all.
I was privileged to spend a week in Winchester working on a reproduction of Cassandra Austen's first sampler. It was a pleasure to stitch in the garden of her house in Chawton. I will cherish the time that I spent searching for anything Austen and delighted by what I found. On my journey is was amazing to see where everyone came from and that our common link was Jane Austen.
What a great thread this started -- I'm so glad to see the comments here! Good luck, everybody, w/ the contest! Amy Elizabeth Smith
The first time I read an Austen novel (a few decades ago), which was Persuasion, not only I found the love story extremely appealing, but also the insights about women's situation. As I read the other novels I also discovered Jane Austen's incomparable wit and understanding of all of us as human beings, in particular whims, follies and weaknesses. Thus, despite the 200 years of distance, it is easy to find now in real life people like Miss Bates or Lucy Steele or John Thorpe.
For almost 13 years, I've helped to run a Jane Austen forum for Spanish speakers (JAcastellano), so I wonder how much it will contrast my own insider view and experience, to Ms. Smith's view and experience or how much they will be alike.
My recent experience as my dad's carer has shown me an aunt and uncle cannily like John and Fanny Dashwood. I ponder if attitudes towards women and property inheritance have changed much since Jane Austen. Life's road does lead to Austen. Good luck in the contest, everyone. :)
I remember reading Sense and Sensibility and finding out that sometimes love is not about giving yourself freely. Its about having to wait and restraining your feelings. With that same realization our feelings should not be held in and repressed, when there is an opportunity to express them.
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