Jane Austen Book Club

(Please submit your entries on or before 25th of December 2008)

This month, we’re taking a break from the monthly reading of Jane Austen novels. I’m giving away these lovely items to two winners.

Do you love to scribble? Here’s a lovely hardback Jane Austen edition journal to keep your random thoughts.

Whoever gets the journal automatically wins this classic pen. A Swiss made silver ballpoint pen which writes in blue ink. The pen itself bears an image of Jane Austen, plus it has ‘Jane Austen (1775 – 1817)’ printed down the side. It comes in an attractive box, bearing the same image; a detail from the engraving commisioned by J.E Austen-Leigh for the frontispiece of his ‘Memoir of Jane Austen’, in 1870.

The second winner will have this charming calendar for 2009 by English Literary Classics. Each month features a Jane Austen quotation and an illustration from one of her novels.

How to join?

(a) ANYONE (member or non-member) who has read any of the four featured novels (Persuasion, Emma, Mansfield Park, Lady Susan) in the Jane Austen Online Book Club may join.
(b) Make a twist about any chapter, story line from ANY of the mentioned novels (e.g. Fanny Price ending up with someone else instead of Edmund, in Mansfield Park).
(c) Blog about the twist and link back to this post (will earn 2 points). If you don’t have a blog, you may submit your entry to witsandnuts@gmail.com (earning 1 point).
(d) Submit your entry on or before December 25, 2008, 11:30 PM Pacific time.
(e) Winners will be drawn via randomizer.

Happy scribbling, everyone!

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Lady Susan is one of Jane Austen’s less popular novels. It was surprisingly a short read, a 36-page for the e-book that I had. It’s epistolary, as the novel is written through a series of letters from different characters. I honestly enjoyed the story form. It’s interesting to follow and see how the story progressed from Lady Susan’s letter to her friend, sister-in-law, and many others.

The other way to see it is like reading a novel through gossiping through exchange of letters. I found myself laughing out at some point. I enjoyed the descriptions, details, formation and transition of judgment for Lady Susan as she tried to manipulate the people around her including her daughter. I like this novel for its difference with the other writings of Austen. The main femme character is true-blooded deceitful and can compete to the reel and real world’s bitches.

As Mrs. Vernon wrote to her brother,

Well, my dear Reginald, I have seen this dangerous creature, and must give you some description of her, though I hope you will soon be able to form your own judgment she is really excessively pretty.

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I agree with Sinta that October’s novel, Mansfield Park film adaption is a lot better than the novel. On the other hand, JMom and I preferred Fanny Price’s than Emma’s characterization.

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This December we are taking a break from the monthly reading. It’s time to chill out for some Jane Austen items. We will do a twist. Yes, that’s how the December contest will look like. I’ll be announcing the mechanics in the next post.

(Photo source)

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Originally uploaded here.

Mansfield Park, our third novel for the Jane Austen Book Club, is a better read than Emma. The story started so right, as if intending to touch a soft spot in a reader. Fanny Price came from a poor family and was sent to live with her well-off relatives in Mansfield Park Estate. It’s like a Cinderella story for the sole point of view of coming from rags to riches, with the variation of having wicked cousins (minus Edmund) and a bitchy Aunt Norris.

An initial major unacceptable part for me was for Fanny having a crush-turned-to-love for her elder cousin, Edmund. [keep reading…]

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