Sunday 27 October 2013

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 250

 
I have stumbled across a most Delightful and Insightful book, namely: The Jane Austen Guide to Life: Thoughtful Lessons for the Modern Woman" by Lori Smith.
 
I am so excited I can hardly stand myself!!  Lori has analysed Jane's books and covered a multitude of 'womanly' subjects.  I only wish I had had this book some 60 years ago, because I would hope that it would have literally changed my life.  Jane was so intelligent about so many things including "women".  Lori has quoted extensively from Jane's books to prove her points.  Every woman should read this book - and LEARN !
 
So I will only quote for you the same quote from last week from The Loiterer, Issue No. 9 where Jane, as Sophia Sentiment' says:
 
I am a great reader...."
 
You can check out Lori's book at Amazon here:  "The Jane Austen Guide to Life".   You can also check out Lori's own web site here:  Lori Smith, writer.  Now I also am anxious to read her other book "A walk with Jane Austen: a journey into adventure, love, and faith".
 
Enjoy !!
 
Linda the Librarian
 
 
 

Jane Austen novels rewritten for the modern audience

It has been reported that four authors are going to be re-writing Austen's novels for modern-day readers.

Alexander McCall Smith, best known for his No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, is writing a version of Emma.
Sense and Sensibility will be recreated by Joanna Trollope, Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid and Pride and Prejudice by Curtis Sittenfeld.

You can read more in the Guardian article here.



Sunday 20 October 2013

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 249

The Loiterer, available from Amazon
Dear Readers, first let me quote from James Austen's "The Loiterer" No. 9 where I believe is a letter to the Editor written by Jane herself:
 
You must know, Sir, I am a great reader, and not to mention some hundred volumes of Novels and Plays, have, in the last two summers, actually got through all the entertaining papers of our most celebrated periodical writers, from the Tatler and Spectator to the Microcosm and the Olla Podrida.
 
I wish to recommend some excellent books written by my friend, Linden Salter, for our Great Readers here at Becoming Jane.
 
Here are the titles of her 3 books:  The Lady and the Luddite, The Major's Minion, and Freedom in my Love.  You can find the descriptions and links to purchase them at her web site here:  Linden Salter
 
I was honored to offer a few suggestions during the writing of Freedom in my Love and Linden was kind enough to mention my name on the Acknowlegements page.  That was a "first" for me.
 
Linden is now working on having her latest book published as a e-book.  I am so looking forward to that one.  Oh, and her special interest is the French Revolution.  Enjoy!
 
Yrs aff'ly,
Linda the Librarian

Sunday 6 October 2013

Tom Lefroy Quote of the Week 33

I am so amazed that when I am to post a quote, there is something going on in my life that prompts me to look up a certain subject and - Lo and Behold - I always find something in Jane or Tom's writings that addresses that subject.
 
So, lately I have been pondering 2 subjects, namely, the study habits of my grandchildren and what Jane and/or Tom thought about their God.  I found both subjects in "The Memoir of Chief Justice Lefroy" in a letter he wrote to his wife in Chapter 4, Page 86:
 
I hope my dear namesake [his eldest son] is not forgetting his October Examination; every hour he labours now is an advance in preparing him for those duties honourable to himself and useful to the public, in which I hope to see him engaged hereafter, and I can tell him that the present exercise of his mind and the formation now of habits of close application is the way to fit him for usefulness and distinction in the future life.  May God bless you all, my darling earthly treasures, and may He make us all sensible of the value of having the Lord for our God no imaginary God, but He who has made Himself known to us in His Word and by His dear Son, all others are but idols, and as John says, so say I, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." 1 John v. 21.
 
Now, there we have Tom's admonishment to study hard and pay attention to our Godly studies also. Oh, and there are many mentions of "God" in the Memoir which tells me a lot about Tom's own religious beliefs.  To top that off, Tom wrote about this some 200 years ago.  Will we ever learn?  Sigh.
 
Yrs aff'ly,
Linda the Librarian