Penguin Classics: Why we love Jane Austen

Episode 1: Why we love Jane Austen

Elda Rotor of Penguin Classics interviews Jane Austen scholar Juliette Wells about Austenmania, what it means to be a Janeite, etiquette in Austen's time, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.


Alan Walker, head of academic marketing, introduces listeners to Excellent Women by Barbara Pym on "Reading the Classics from A to Z."


And Stephen Morrison, associate publisher and editor in chief of Penguin Books, offers up the opening to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in his segment, "First Pages."

"Regency" - an exhibition of clothes, prints and books from the days of Jane Austen

This special exhibition will run from 15-18 April 2010, as part of the Jane Austen Festival of Australia.

1. Black silk spencer, c.1810
2. Short cream mitts c. 1810
3. Man's linen shirt, c.1800
4. Roller-printed floral cotton bodice top (skirt missing), c.1820
5. Cotton bib-front daydress, c.1810
6. Silk bib-front daydress, c.1810
7. White muslin daydress, c.1820
8. Infant's nightgown, c.1820
9. Silk Ballgown with Pelerine, c.1830
10. Men's hand embroidered polychrome floral waistcoat, c.1780
11. Lady's leather dance slippers, c. 1830
12. Embroidered silk organza shawl, whitework, extremely fine and sheer, c. 1800
13. Blue chambray cotton girls round gown with ornate sleeves, c.1820
14. Corded stays (regency corset) c. 1830
    

The exhibition will run all festival, with costume researchers encouraged to book a time for up-close costume inspection for Monday 19 or Tuesday 20 April 2010.

We welcome loans of mannequins, dummies and display cases for the staging of this exhibition. Please phone Aylwen on 0409 817 623 if you can be of assistance.

According To Jane: a novel about pride, prejudice and the pursuit of the perfect guy

Announcing Marilyn Brant's debut book, According To Jane: a novel about pride, prejudice & the pursuit of the perfect guy (Kensington Books, trade paperback), to be in stores on October 1, 2009!

It's the story of a modern young woman who receives romantic advice--some good, some not so good--from the spirit of Jane Austen. This manuscript won RWA's prestigious Golden Heart Award® in 2007 for "Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements".

Preliminary Program for Jane Austen Festival

Find the draft program for the Jane Austen Festival Australia online. Join the mailing list for news of earlybird tickets. The festival invites you to be involved as a speaker, presenter, participant and as a volunteer!

Everything Austen Challenge starts July 1st

From 1st July 2009 to 1st January 2010 Stephanie’s Written Word is running an Everything Austen Challenge .

Join the challenge and read or watch six Austen related books or movies in six months to qualify for a chance to win a copy of the miniseries Lost in Austen.

For more information and all of the details visit Stephanie's Blog by clicking on the picture on the right.

For myself, I will be choosing the following:

Books
Emma by Jane Austen
Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
Jane Austen & Representations of Regency England by Roger Sales

Movies
Sense & Sensibility
Persuasion
Northanger Abbey

Jane Austen Cross Stitch & Needlework

We've been delighted to read of the kits available from the Jane Austen Centre in Bath. There's something for everyone - cross stich, doll kits and embroidery.

Do you have a passion for Jane?

We are looking for people with a passion for Jane Austen to be part of the 2010 Jane Austen Festival of Australia program.

Do you love her books? Are you an addict and read everything written about her? Are you a devotee of the regency period? Do you belong to a re-enactment group and wish to encourage others to join? Or do you just love the dresses and bonnets?

Contact Aylwen asap and be part of the 2010 JAFA program - which is going to be much larger, with more venues and more speakers involved. For the first time we are separating the dinner and ball so that each event will have their own evening.

Please contact us through the Earthly Delights Historic Dance Academy.