Walking in Miss Elizabeth Bennett’s shoes,…my thoughts on “Pride & Prejudice” by Jane Austen

Posted Monday, 16 September, 2013 by jorielov Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Whitehall 8 Comments

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen | originally entitled: First Impressions, written approx. during October 1796 – August 1797, at age one and twenty| Austen herself re-titled the manuscript, having made revisions to the story in 1811 and 1812. |originally enscribed as written: By the Author of “Sense and Sensibility”

Published by: Whitehall , in January 1813 | originally published in America as Elizabeth Bennett or Pride & Prejudice in 1832

Page Count: 490 | originally spilt into three volumes of a whole [based on the edition I am reading: Barnes & Noble Collector’s Library: pocket-sized unabridged edition]

[side note: I wish I could have collected more of these at the time! As I only was able to pick up the pocket edition of Dickens Oliver Twist, before they pulled these from the shelves!]

Acquired Book By: This is quite a good question, as I know I purchased it at Barnes & Noble at some point, but as to when and how or why, I yield that my memory is a bit fragmented! I only remember taking it off my shelf originally to read ahead of the [2005] adaptation that was soon in theaters, and I feared I would not finish it in time!

On why I choose this to be my first reading, for Austen in August an annual reading challenge hosted by Roof Beam Reader: I wanted to begin at the beginning of my experience with Ms. Austen, and that meant going back to my original choice of Pride and Prejudice, as I was thoroughly enchanted by the notion of the story, long before it ever populated in my mind! You will find that this is a ready experience that repeats itself in my reading adventures! Books and motion pictures walk hand-in-hand in my life, despite the fact that I am generally a purist, in wanting to read the book prior to watching the motion picture and/or limiting myself to which sequel authors I want to become engaged in reading, as I always feel they should honour the canon.

I originally planned to read my coveted collection of Austen novels, as I had purchased the full set of her works out of a book club I have long since forgotten which I was a member of [this goes back to when mail-order book clubs were all the rage in the mid-to-late ’90s], as they had such wonderful cover art featured on each volume! It was a gift to myself to celebrate my birthday one year in my twenties, and I wanted it as a counter-balance to the lovely set of Sense and Sensibility books my Mum had gifted to me around the same time frame! She had found an exclusively lovely edition of the novel, as well as the full screenplay and story of how the adaptation of 1995 had been produced. It was my intent to read the book, then the screenplay, and lead into watching the motion picture! Alas! I had to give in to the fact that my mind couldn’t yet settle into Austen’s brilliant prose, and I tabled the idea for awhile. Then, a few years went past, and in 2005 on the foot heels of Keira Knightley’s version of Pride about to hit theaters, I was quite determined to get into Jane Austen! I picked up this lovely pocket edition from Barnes & Noble, [as much as I prefer indies, my area has none!] as I am forever attached to the original cloth-bound pocket editions of centuries past! I love the comfortable ease to hold the tomes, as much as it feels like I am reading as readers read in a different age than the one I am living in myself! Therefore, with this new version in hand [daresay, how many editions do most end up collecting?], I embarked on completing the novel before the motion picture left the theater! A full fortnight passed, and I was anxiously worried that the film might leave our cineplex, only to be relieved that it hadn’t and I promptly found myself elated by what was unfolding in front of me! As it began, I noted the creative liberties, but I also had the re-collective memories of what I had read, as it nearly felt for the first half of the film, that I was both reading a subtext of narration alongside the live action!

I wanted Pride to serve as a proper starting off point to entertain sequel authors for the first time in my reading life! I sought out everything that my local library could give me, and came to appreciate the offerings long before I ever could read them! As soon as I checked them out, one by one, I would love over their covers, inlets, and read the synopsis, awaiting the day where I could dive into the heart of their stories! Except to say, that August played out a bit differently than I forethought it would:

Whilst I launched JLAS, I undertook Austen in August, declared my intent to read Books of Eyre, contributed a piece to The Clockwork Carnival, settled into Bout of Books, 8.0, participated in the first Blog Pen Pal Exchange, encountered an illness, a 4-day migraine, technical difficulties during the Bout & afterwards [more than half the Bout’er blogs wouldn’t load – who knew I needed to switch browsers!? I *love!* SeaMonkey now!], waylaid by fierce lightning and thunderstorms, AND just when I was thrilled to bits about all the lovelies I am reading, the hours ticked off the clock and I arrived at September before I could make a backwards glance and wonder, “Where did dear August go off too!?” I even found time to sort out which weekly memes I want to contribute too: Sunday Showcase (#1, #2) and Library Loot being two I felt best to start on, prior to finding WWW Wednesdays! September started with a surge of excitement, as I participated in my first Book Cover Reveal [Love at First Slight by J. Marie Croft] and my first Blog Book Tour Stop [The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate]!! All the while attempting to make headway on the list of books I had garnished to read throughout the month! In the end, I learnt a hard lesson: there are only so many hours by which you have to find the balance to accomplish everything you set out to do!

I decided that I would take a step back in September, arranging my goals into my day planner journal, and giving myself the freedom to have a bit more flexibility to truly enjoy the blogosphere events as they alight in my life! I feel like I couldn’t give as much of my heart to Austen in August, nor could I complete the Bout properly either! I need to compose my Wrap-Up Posts to where I can put it all in a better light and scope! There is, of course, the addition of wanting to get back to my pen, ferret off dearly owed letters and correspondences to the most patient friends a girl could ever hope to know, and knit my UFOs into finished objects I can be proud of!

One measure of gratitude in knowing that I wasn’t the only one who fell a bit short on their reading goals this past month, was the lovely PM I received from our Host Adam! I am not sure if he realised it or not, but he encouraged me to know that all of us run into issues or difficulties time to time, and if the overall reading experience trumps the stress of the insanity that came up whilst we endeavoured to complete our goals!? Then, we succeeded triumphantly! In this way, I feel more encouraged than ever in my next goal that is attached to Austen in August, is Classics Re-Told! A collective reading challenge, where each of us picked a ‘team’ to be on, and which ‘work’ we wanted to explore via the canon and after canons! Being that I had already chosen mine for “Pride and Prejudice”, I attached myself to 19th Century & Gothic Classics, hosted by Charlene @ Bookish Whimsy! I am going to read “Persuasion”, the few after canons, and Sandition to participate in Author of the Month hosted by The Joyful Bookcase, December’s selective author! In this way, I will be accomplishing the original goals I set forth to attempt!

English: "Reading Jane's letters" - ... — English: “Reading Jane’s letters” – Elizabeth reading Jane’s letters – Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. London: George Allen, 1894, frontispiece. (Photo credit: Hugh Thomson (1860-1920) (Lilly Library, Indiana University) [Public domain, PD-1923],
via Wikimedia Commons)

The ready exchangement of letters and correspondences warms my heart evermore: One of the best instances of the merits of immediate and intimate conversations to be freely conversed by way of letters and correspondences, is the inter-relation of characters in “Pride and Prejudice”. Theirs was a life that would never have superseded their own home front news, if not for the passages of letters by way of footman. In our own century {the 20th and 21st}, some of us still rely on news reaching our loved ones and friends alike by the same vein as Elizabeth and Jane Bennett!

And, what is humbling to denote, is that such a letter that was dispatched between Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennett, is one that I can readily attest as to have happening to a couple I know whose union was nearly thus disrupted had the man not had the fortitude as Darcy, to spilt his heart into the pen of his hand, and give way, to the felicities of the heart by which his companion had not yet expressed or were readily known unto herself! It’s not everyday you strike up a direct connection with a portraiture of literature, that has had such an affection placed inside your own life, by the story of another!

You’ll find that letter writing and correspondences shall become a bit of a mainstay on Jorie Loves A Story, as I am seeking out ways to bring to light this beautiful exchangement of lives, that some might readily dismiss as having ‘long since lived its proper due’. In my left sidebar, there is a particular section that lays to mind my attachment for envelopes, letters, stationeries, stamps, and the various minutiae of what any correspondent could ever possibly hope to find amongst their cherished supplies! Thus, time to time, due take a bit of a ganderment at my cross-referenced ‘topics’, curiously attuned to the category of: Epistolary Novel for forthcoming mentionments in literature, and of Letters & Correspondences for all others!

On why Pride and Prejudice is a story that I could re-read at least once per year: Singularly, my heart is full of rejoicement and giddy enraptures of what is yet to follow the very first page, of the very first chapter! It always begins rather innocently, as Mrs. Bennett merely wants to see her five daughters well-married, to self-sufficient men who can establish their well-being long after Mr. Bennett, her husband is put to the grave! A bit macabre of a denouncement at first glance, until you realise that there is a clause in the family’s inheritances which prevents the girls from benefiting from their father’s estate; as they were bourne the wrong gender! This is what opens the story to the novice reader of Jane Austen, of whom, wants readily to become acquainted with her collective works and might have picked this as a starting point! I have noted of late, that there is a bit of a disconnect amongst Austenites & Janeites (as I identify as the latter), as to where this story fits in with their love of Austen! Some I noted are a bit disinterested in the story forthwit, whereas others might lean more towards one of the other stories, but not as readily into this one. If any of those particular readers read this, I’d be deeply encouraged to hear their point of views as to what has caused a bit of a rife or rather, a bit of a disagreement on the benefits of the story!? Perhaps it’s too strongly viewed as a classical attempt of making a fluffy modern chick-lit!? I am being presumptuous here, although a rare slight of my own character, it’s been known to happen, that it’s difficult not to make presumptions in certain instances! As for my own regards to the story, I do not view it in the same light as the modern counterparts, as there is such a hearty breath more to this story, than the agreeable notion of young girls marrying before they enter their thirties!

I get forever wrapped up in the state of the affairs of the Bennett family, from the doting father, to the impossibly repentant Mrs. Bennett, who is both vain and shallow, yet affable in her attentions to her daughters. Outspoken to a fault, and determined not to be outshined by another family in the same district, I truly always sided that somewhere in her bosom, she had the right attentions; merely went about them in the wrong manner! Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary Bennett are the sisters that I always find myself to be able to have learnt more of, as they stand out in my mind as the sisters who have more to give than Lydia and Kitty. Kitty, however, is less in reproachment than her sister!

Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy: two characters that alight in your heart: As such they should, because they have an enigmatic way about themselves, that endears you to want to see these two make it in the end! She’s blinded to her prejudicial tendencies towards the prideful Darcy, of whom, cannot overlook her class, station, and family! Each are quite the pair in their own rights, as she is fiercely independent and strong! She is fortified by having been raised in a family that believed that each daughter had the bourne right to sort out their own affairs and their own motivations of how they wished to occupy their hours from young ages. Most girls during their time, were confined to structure and lessons, on how best to be in good form to be presented to society, and never, would any other family expect that all the daughters of one, should be ‘out’ for marriage at once! Thus, Elizabeth’s life takes on a new path than most women Darcy has been meeting up until this point! He’s bemused by her, he’s perplexed by her, and he is most especially vexed, too! And, yet, he has found himself repeatedly thinking about her, and drawing himself to be curious to understand her even better than he believes he has from afar! It’s through their tribulations and their small triumphs that you start to see how they become attached to your heart!

You celebrate each small step towards their union, including seeing how everything unraveled to begin with, as it was conjecture and misconstruments that led to such a disgraceful start! She took the word of another bloke for straight-up honesty, and he misconstrued her worth by the wiles of her family! Each of them, have their fair share of faults throughout the story, and Austen does not limit her recollections of each grievance and each misunderstanding! She knits the story together through long and arduous monologues and narratives, that transport you into the living moment of each event! You barely can draw a breath as you turn the page, because your either going to be viewing this from Elizabeth’s point of view or that of Darcy’s!

Jane Bennett vs. Lydia Bennett: If such two could ever be thus compared to one another! Lydia has no common sense, much less decency of character, whereas Jane is tender-hearted, sensitive, and loving! Lydia seeks only to self-satisfy her own personal needs, and desires, whereas Jane is constantly striving towards full acceptance of all she encounters, and endeavours to resolve her mind not to make haste judgements that could lead to gross misunderstandings! I had to smile at this character attribution, because her sister, Elizabeth, is rather quick to judge, and doesn’t mind being in haste of her emotions! I think Elizabeth would rather feel the full-throttleness of life as she’s living through it, rather than to be chaste like Jane, and hold back all inclinations to give over to her human condition! Jane takes life calmly and with affirmation. She trusts in herself and has considered that there are far worse things in life than to be unattached in marriage; even if that were her first inclination to achieve once she was a certain age!

Lydia is a typical follower of the wrong influences, seeking self-gratification and never letting herself get attached to anything deeper of conviction than petty needs and forging friendships with people who can help her advance in life OR be of use to her in some other way. She doesn’t see fit to be a supporter of the family she was bourne into, because to me, she comes off as being a rather self-centered and spoilt child, who never learnt the first or proper way to live without conceited pride! I honestly do not think I can write more on her, actually! She is my least favourite of the Bennett sisters, and I oft was museful on whom Austen structured her of, if there were a real-life counterpart!?

Jane on the other hand, I enjoyed watching in close quarters, whilst she was in conference with Elizabeth! They shared such an enduring sisterhood bond, that I nearly felt as though the Bennett’s had two families in one! With the elder girls separate from the younger three! Except to say, of Mary, the one sister of whom next to Jane and Elizabeth, caught my attention forthwith! It had occurred to me that if Elizabeth hadn’t sought out the truth behind Bingley’s sudden exit at Netherfield, what pray tell would have become of Jane!? It’s quite easy to say you’ll quit the notion of love, but to walk through life without a chance of seeing it bloom!? I feared in time (if Bingley had not returned), she might become harder and less soft.

The secondary characters I questioned their loyalty for their friends &/or family: The Lucases and the Collins families were the ones I took the most angst with, as once Charlotte had married Elizabeth’s cousin (who inherits Longbourn, no less!), I noticed that his letters’ to Mr. Bennett became much more frequently, and always to absolve or rectify some grievance or instance of which he found fault with the Bennett’s! Such high piety for a man of the cloth! And, perhaps that is justly so, as I know some branches of religion are quite strict, but ooh! To have a relation that calls you out on every error, every fault, and every circumstance that might not quite go the way you had hoped!? How tolerable I found the Bennett’s and how agitating I found Mr. Collins! I was not surprised that Charlotte and Elizabeth’s friendship felt estranged and strained prior to her visit at the parsonage. It was nearly as though through marriage Charlotte had morphed into a new body and soul! Her parents, the Lucases were not much better in character, and here I shall leave their revealings for the reader to find them!

My overall review of Pride and Prejudice:

The story of Pride and Prejudice, will always be rather dear to me, because of Elizabeth Bennett. I feel as though from the very first opening chapter until the closing of the last, I am walking in Ms. Elizabeth Bennett’s shoes. Struggling at times to understand the indifference of her family, and the qualms that beseech a singleton whilst attempting to understand the opposite sex. She is bemused and befuddled by the man named Darcy, who from the onset makes no attempt to gain her attention, and has an ill-view of her family overall. She is a second daughter, in a family of five, who is deeply attached to the love and affection of her father, and is at times, more at quells with her mother, who tends to put the family in a bad light when out in public; due to the nature of her outbursts that do not always comply with the social norms of the day in which they live.

It’s a story that is full of intrigue, as far as knowing the full extent of how the unfolding events in regards to her sister Lydia will properly affect the four Bennett sisters who are left outside of matrimony, and yet, it is also a plight of a family’s survival once the provider has died, as there is a clause (or stipulation rather) in the will, that depicts the true heir is a male. In this case, a cousin named Mr. Collins, who is quite a disagreeable match for young Elizabeth! Even I, would have balked at such a choice! And, firmly would have asserted myself as much in the same vein as she did with her own father!What makes this such an endearing classic for me, is that the Bennett family rallies and bands together through thick and thin. They may have their fair share of disagreements but at the heart of the family, is simply that: their a family bond in love and do care about the happiness of each other. And, like most dysfunctional families, they at times, go about showing this affection in quite the wrong manner!It’s Elizabeth’s determination not to settle for someone less than her equal and a man of quality, that makes me endeavoured to love her! She stands firm in her beliefs, at all costs, and she isn’t quick to acknowledge a grievous mistake or misunderstanding, but her heart and spirit, does not allow her not to oblige a concession when the need arises that she has to omit a fault made on her own behalf. She lives strong and loves deeply. And, I appreciate that she is completely true to herself throughout the sequence of her life we are given to seeing her. She is a woman who is sorting out how to live and how to proceed forward in her life, by not limiting her options, nor settling for what she knows will be wrong for her heart. For in marriage, as Ms. Bennett and I both know, one must lead forward with one’s heart, and be entwined in true love for the relationship to last forevermore.

My thoughts on sequel authors: One of the key requirements I have when deciding about which sequel authors to read OR not to read, is whether or not they have written their new contribution to the story by giving proper credit to the original canon. This goes in my mind to include the proper setting of story, pace, and use of language, as there are quite a number of sequel authors who take more liberties with their contributions than I am willing to accept! Unfortunately, some spin too modern of a tale for me to be satisfied that the canon was upheld, and whenever I see colourful language eking into the dialogue and narrative I all but cringe outright! When you’re going to write a sequel to a highly well-known and beloved 19th Century story such as “Pride and Prejudice” (although you could insert ‘any’ story into this example), you must know, that for the most part, most of your potential readership is going to want to stay true to that original style!

In this way, it takes me quite awhile to sink into a sequel author’s work, as I am looking for certain ‘tells’ that this is an author who celebrates the legacy of the original writer (in this case, Ms. Jane Austen!), and yet, takes a new thread of discovery that not only embodies the original, but takes the reader on a new journey, that seamlessly shifts forward and or back, given the methodology of the writer at hand. I appreciate all sequels that bring us closer to the world by which Austen created, yet gently giving us a bit more of it, than what Austen could give us herself. I appreciate the same usage of language and turns of phrase, the older stylings of taking time to tell a story, rather than to resolve it rather quickly and make a person feel whip-lashed! I like hearty text with a hearty story, fully brought to life with characters that stay with you, and endear you to them long since the book is put back down!

I suppose in some ways, I would be considered a purist in most regards and yet adaptive in others, as most purists to the original canons will not entertain a sequel on any grounds. I think each contribution has its place, as there are as many different perspectives to come into “Pride and Prejudice” as there are readers who navigate the offerings. I think if each of us decides what she or he is willing to accept, then each sequel author will surely find the right reader for their works! If I bypass one book for another, odds are someone behind me will select it and pass on the one I that I choose in return! Such is the beauty of being individualistically unique in our reading patterns!

I am, of course, mindful that others’ might have a different approach? And, if any of them drop by my blog, I do hope they might entertain me with how they approach the sequels in the commentary!?

My thoughts on motion picture adaptations: I am not to say unyielding when it comes to motion picture adaptations, as the 2005 screen adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” did take creative liberties, and yes, did segue away from the original leanings, but there was enough included for me to pick up the story and the pace by which I have come to love! It still held the charm and the essence of what makes this story alight in my mind as a joyous memory! And, that makes the difference for me! I know too, that once I see Colin Firth as Darcy, in the 1995 adaptation by the BBC, I am most likely going to claim that as my favourite by far, yet as I haven’t yet seen it, I am at this time without an all-time favourite adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice”.

I can attest that even re-tellings in motion picture have their time and place, such is the example of “Bride and Prejudice”, which gives us a Bollywood touch and feel to the story! I am most encouraged that a story, an author, and a setting so distantly removed from our modern era, can lead to such extraordinary developments! I think this signifies that the story is universally accepted, understood, and known. It’s a story that sinks into your heart, and there are more than one way to have it properly represented. I am encouraged by the number of adaptations that are available to view, as I want to slowly work my way through each of them!

I suspect that even if I were to go back and watch the classic film versions, and shift forward again through modern eras, I am going to denote not only the differences of the film maker’s choices of what to include or exclude, but the changes in the perceptions of the actors and actresses who played the cast of characters that have charmed their way into our hearts! They are characters that leave an impression on you, due to their character development in the book, and the way in which they are presented to having had lived their lives. Some are wholly acceptable and curious to see in live action, whereas there are a few that leave you feeling rather vexed and anguished for their inclusions, yet they are still essential to the underlining of the story! In this, I find it most curious to see how each actor who takes each part will attribute which character traits that their character demands of their attention. I can find myself quite curious indeed as I progress through the adaptations!

On how I appreciated to be a part of *Austen in August*: There is something to be said for getting a group of like-minded and enthused readers together, to celebrate an author that they each love quite so dear! For a very long while, I was wondering if I would ever run into or get to converse with other appreciators of the 19th Century literature classics, that have intrigued me for most of my life! Books and stories that I have always wanted to take the time to delve into and alight long enough to have their impressions wash over me. These are the books that are not always readily accepted in our living generation as books that still hold merit, but I think, there are times in life when you have to seek out the right readers and the right circles, where your interests lie alongside the majority rather than the minority!

Thus, is how I felt when I stumbled across “Austen in August” and had had the high hopes of being able to read at least 10 sequels of Pride and Prejudice, after having completed reading the original text, and then, taking up Persuasion (and two of its sequels), before continuing into Sandition. My reading missteps already having been noted, I wanted to focus instead on what the month provided and how happy I am that I was able to take a glimpse into the world of ‘The Classics Club’, as well as the world of Jane Austen readers, who like me, are always eager for an opportunity to re-visit OR read her works for the first time!

Archive List of all Austen in August Posts on Roof Beam Reader – I sort of ducked in and out of the festivities as they were in progress, as I was participating in Bout, and finding that my hours were slipping faster than I could achieve everything I wanted to do! Therefore, what I appreciated the most was being introduced to the author: Sally Smith O’ Rourke, (contributed a guest post) who penned the books: Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen and The Man Who Loved Jane Austen. As much as I enjoyed the introduction to author Carol Cromlin, (contributed a guest post) who wrote the book Fitzwilliam Darcy, Such I Was. The flexibility of posts that our host gave to us throughout the month of August, is something that I appreciated very much, as he not only highlighted the finer points of Austen, but touched on the appreciation of Janeites & Austenites, as much as the endearing attachment we all have with Jane Austen!

An unexpected treat, was received by the author Ms. Cromlin, who upon the book being given to two fortunate winners, gave the rest of us the option of receiving bookmarks by Post! Her book, alongside Ms. O’ Rourke’s are two sequel authors I look forward to exploring in the future!

On how I was thankful to be included at the last minute for *Classics: Re-Told: 19th Century & Gothic Classics*: A silver lining and a bit of redemption at the same time, is how I came to view the inclusion of this wicked sweet reading challenge, which is a bookish blogosphere event to celebrate the works of the classics, but through the eyes of as many different bookish bloggers as possible! I had originally stumbled (you will notice this to be a trend; nearly everything I participate in, is ‘stumbled upon’ at rather the golden hour!) upon this event having thought it was closed for participants, but much to my absolute delight, Charlene had informed me that I could still join in if I so desired! Desire? I jumped, no! Leapt at the chance! I quickly set to mind which books to keep from ‘Austen in August’, and which books to ferret over to ‘Author of the Month’, and which, might just have to drop off completely if they didn’t cross-relate!! I even kept a few that I thought would work with the theme of what we were attempting to accomplish! In this way, I am most grateful to be a latecomer to ‘Classics Re-Told’ and look forward to seeing the rest of my contributions come to life!

An unexpected surprise discovery, art inspired by Pride and Prejudice:

| Slideshow of “Inspired by Pride & Prejudice”, the story unfolds in storyboard format,
curated by Jorie, featuring DeviantArt(ists) |

| Deviant Artists & the Titles of their Works |By Order of Appearance |

“Pride and Prejudice” by flominowa; “The Bennett Sisters” by PrimeHunter; “Elizabeth” by rynarts; “Pride and Prejudice – II” by MigraineSky; “Assembly” by gppr; “Original Regency Cloak” by Abigal709b; “Pride and Prejudice” by PatiMakowska; “Pride and Prejudice: The Ball” by EveyAmmond; “Pride and Prejudice I” by Isa-Wyrd; “Pride and Prejudice – Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth” by Madmorumotto; “Darcy’s Letter” by Kriegerin; “Pride and Prejudice” by WonderSara; “Jane’s Letter” by RaindropMaster; “Keira Knightley” by BarbaraMariaPoleszuk; “Pride and Prejudice VII” by MigraineSky; “Mr. Darcy’s Letter” by sive; “Keira Knightley” by AuroraWienhold; “Lizzie” by perselus; “Darcy and Elizabeth – detail” by gppr; “Mr. Bennett” by perselus; “Pride and Prejudice” by Pad-Mil; “A most unwilling subject” by gppr; “Mr. Darcy” by baronpluto; “Jane Bennett and Mr. Bingley by gppr; “Mr. Darcy” by manapia; “Lizzy and her Dad” by kakao-bean; “Pride and Prejudice Cover” by jessijordan; “His Pride, Her Prejudice” by hitora; “Bennett Sisters – Pride and Prejudice” by BlueFairy123; “Pride and Prejudice” by mademoisellek; “Pride and Prejudice Storyboard” by wahay; “Pride and Prejudice Bookmark” by Kitty-Grimm; “Pride, Prejudice, Markers” by Pau-Norontaus; “Pride and Prejudice I” by theancientsoul; “Pride and Prejudice” by MaryMaru; “Pride and Prejudice” by Lily-Hbp; “Pride + Prejudice: Hands” by Ladamania; “Pride and Prejudice” by Ines92; “Pride and Prejudice” by FinAngel; “Collide” by KuaKness; “Pride n’ Prej: Jane + Bingley” by flominowa; “Pride n’ Prejudice: Liz + Darcy” by flominowa; and “Pride and Prejudice” by milfei.

Jorie Loves A Story | @DeviantArt

This marks my first [& last!] contribution of participation in reading (Jane) Austen in August! I had been hopeful that before the close of the month [August], I could have added at least five more selections from the list I purported to being possible ahead of my blog’s launch! I fear, I have slighted myself a grievous error, in not allowing myself the proper time and attention I was attempting to give this challenge! Which is why dear hearts, I originally was going to extend the challenge, when I came upon a posting about “Classics Re-Told” via Bookish Whimsy!!

This post also serves as my first contribution piece for Classics Re-Told: 19th Century & Gothic Classics, which is hosted by Bookish Whimsy! I was fortunate to happen upon her post on 3 September, and confirmed my acceptance on the 5th of September! In this way, I shall be continuing onward and upwards with my goals! I am most appreciative that I was able to continue to give my original intentions such a hearty spotlight and not to discontinue reading the books that I discovered to include, which have become quite dear to me!

Due to a variety of circumstances, mostly of technical difficulties in nature, I have been forthwit delayed in my posting of this entry!

Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
Source: Purchased | Personal Library

Genres: Classical Literature, Romance Fiction

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Published by Whitehall

on October 1796 - August 1797

Format: Portable Hardback Edition

Pages: 281

{SOURCES: “Reading Jane’s letters” illustration were provided by Zemanta, and inserted directly to the post via the related content widget. Thus providing the related content with appropriate attribution and sourcing as they are in the public domain. Book Review badge provided by Parajunkee Designs to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Jorie Loves A Story badge created by Ravven with edits by Jorie in PicMonkey for the Classics Re-told badge. Austen in August badge created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Carli Jean (Public Domain : Unsplash). Classics Re-Told badge created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Cas Cornelissen (Public Domain : Unsplash). The Overcoming Pride and Prejudice poster was provided with embed codes to insert into this post! I had originally found it through Zemanta as a related article!}

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Mr. Darcy (wordwenches.typepad.com)
Pride and Prejudice: Readers Choice [Round Robin Story by Austen Authors] (austenauthors.net/pp-readers-choice)
Megan’s UK diary: Jane Austen & Edinburgh Castle at night (meganabigailwhite.wordpress.com) I loved the first person glimpse into Ms. Austen’s writing and world through the eyes of a festival attendee!
Pride and Prejudice: 200 Year Celebration in 2013 [by the Jane Austen House Museum] (prideandprejudice200.org.uk)
Pride and Prejudice: A 200 Year Affair (gouchercollegejaneausten.wordpress.com)
10 Ways to Celebrate 200 Years of Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (bbcamerica.com)
Pride & Prejudice 200 [Features an interview with Jane Odiwe & Abigail Reynolds] (austenauthors.net)
Which version of Pride and Prejudice Should You Read? (austenprose.com)
Jane Austen Illustrators: Isabel Bishop (austenprose.com)
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen [Read the book online!] (online-literature.com)
Preview of Pride & Prejudice at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (austenprose.com)
Jane Austen ‘Overcoming Pride & Prejudice’ (visual.ly)

by JeffreyDriver.
Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

Austen in August

Posted Monday, 16 September, 2013 by jorielov in 19th Century, Austen in August, Classical Literature, Classics Re-Told: 19th Century & Gothic Classics, England, Regency Era

Septemb-Eyre: Chapters I-XI | A tumultuous beginning, of a girl determined to make it on her own!

Posted Wednesday, 11 September, 2013 by jorielov Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, Smith Elder & Co. 8 Comments

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Originally Entitled: Jane Eyre: An Autobiography by Currer Bell

[Miss Brontë, like Jane Austen, lived in a time and age, where pen-names were of necessity to disguise their gender!]

Published By: Smith, Elder, & Co., London England |16th of October, 1847

Published in the United States, originally a year following in 1848.

| Currently in the Public Domain |

| Page Count: 643 |

Acquired Book By: Purchased at a big box store within the last several years, by which of whose origin is lost to time itself. It was my intent to read Eyre alongside a friend of mine, yet our goal was never achieved, hence why I was encouraged to join a blogosphere community read-a-long and interact with other Eyre enthusiasts! My version is the Puffin Classics unabridged edition, by which Jane Eyre is seen on the cover with a gothic lit road behind her, her eyes cast aside to the left. Adorned in bonnet and cloak, with her hands clasp in front of her, and a look for anticipation for which we can only yet imagine. She stands in her adult version of herself, with all the tribulations of her childhood thus behind her. Her countenance eludes that there is a story behind her eyes, awaiting to be shared and viewed indiscriminately; as she would readily expect no less of the readers who read of her story.

Ruminatively Expressive about Week I

Although, in the corner of my mind, I drew in a memory of my last viewing of Jane Eyre (as described on the originating posting of this reading challenge; see link attached below!), I was deeply curious about how my heart and mind would shift over and into the text of the canon! Its such a curious proposition to become intimately acquainted with a particular work, ahead of reading such a work, and then, as your whet with anticipation of delving into it, your struck by a curious enquiry of mind,… shall I become thus removed or thus wholly attached afterwards!? How will my perceptions alter as I read Ms. Eyre’s life unfolding upon the printed page, and will I, as I had with Pride and Prejudice, hearing the echoing effect of dialogue whispering in my ears as I read!? Hearing the voice of Eyre through the subtle and calm notings of Charlotte Gainsbourg?!

I was curious too, where the original story begins, and the measure of creative liberty of the motion picture will start to blur, and etch into each other. Which scenes have I latched onto as being the epitome of Jane story, that will in full effect, be additions rather than admissions, to where the overall takeaways will alter, deviate, and shift as I read!?

I would purport, that as these murmurings alighted to mind, I was at first a bit more anxious to pick up the book, than I had first realised possible, as I truly, attempted to put Jane Eyre off until the last possible hour! What ironic turning of events! As it were, I, of whom was rallying around the other Septemb-Eyres (my endearing reference for those blokes and lasses participating in the collective reading challenge), for the very start of this challenge to get underway, found in herself, a air of trepidation!! How unlike me! And, yet, part of that has a bit of founding in our pursuit of reading classical literature, we walk a bit of a dance between what we know, what we expect to discover, and what is shortly revealed as we consume their tomes! There is a measure of uncertainty that perhaps, even the best of readers, are cautious as he/she proceeds!

For you see, I had selected the bookmark for reading Eyre on Monday last, as we were making our meet + greets, as its a thin and narrow metal bookmark, adorned with beadings and ribbons that are attached at the top center piece. Enscribed in its center is a bold and uplifting quote from Ms. Eleanor Roosevelt, which I felt was more than fitting for the nature of story that was about to unfold as I lifted page after page, absorbing into a world that entices me and distracts me at the same time! And, yet, which hour did I first lay heart and mind to rest, to cast aside any fear or anxiety to read Eyre!? A shade past midnight on this very Monday morn, the very day we’re meant to impart our impressions of the first eleven chapters of Jane Eyre’s life! Four hours readily dissolved, as I was purposely elsewhere, drinking in the hearty words of Ms. Brontë’s choosing, by which, she would not alleviate the causal reader’s interest for a less hardy array of turns of phrase, but which a literary wanderer drank in with pure celebration! Such words! Such ways to describe the angst, the anguish, and the inner-most workings of thought in a character such as Jane Eyre! A girl quite ahead of herself, both in a curious perception of her set of circumstances, and the quality of changing said perception by her experiences and encounters at Lowood School for Girls.

Such was my beginning, but alas, its below that I am putting my thoughts down properly, and even, in a vain attempt, to list the murmuring echoes of Ms. Gainsbourg, as I had Ms. Knightley’s elsewhere! As well as to draw to light a few differences I noted between the text and the one adaptation I had previously seen!

It should also be said, as this is a collective reading, we are surely to depart an excessive array of [*SPOILERS*] to the reader who has not yet picked up this text! Due proceed reading past this point on your own liberty, and know, that if what is expressed has spoilt your joy of discovering Jane for yourself, kindly note that this notice was placed to prevent such a bad tiding!

In walked Jane Eyre, as calm as a willow bending in the wind,…

or should I say, that attribution belongs to another, a Ms. (Helen) Burns, of whom, Ms. Eyre draws a readily acquaintance and confidence as she’s removed from Gateshead and placed into custody of Lowood Institution for Oprhans! No, pray give leave, to express that Ms. Eyre is a firecracker of unrequited internal rage and admonition for her plight as thus handed down to her in life, as her parents are long since dead; her last surviving relation put to rest in the grave prematurely, and she is left to the dealings of her Aunt, [Sarah Reed, of the late Uncle Reed, her direct relation] of whom, is presented rather apt to reflect Angelica Houston’s character in “Ever After”, as she presides such blatant disregard for her niece, Eyre! It’s only in the reflections of Jane, as an older self, that we find a disconnect between the younger Eyre’s presumption of what was occurring and the wiser Eyre’s imparted understanding, that not all was as first known when the story starts to unfold!

The edgings of the story are wantonly haunting, as the world around Ms. Eyre is draped in grey tones, rain sodden exteriors, and the atmosphere of Gothic underpinnings, as there is rumours of a potential haunting of her Uncle, whilst alive was tender and kind towards Jane, but in whose death, wrecked a miserable state of affairs to unfold and befell her! I was quite appalled at her nephew’s extensive violence towards her, [in this regard, young Harry Potter lived comparatively comfortably!] and her Aunt’s diffidence not to correct the improper and unkind behaviour! Such grievances I can only try to attempt to tolerate, as I know the resolution of the story in-full, but that does not make it any easier to read or rather, observe her humble and caustic beginnings! If anything, it sets up in my mind how far Ms. Eyre had to transmorph into the resolute and strong adult she became!

As Brontë, deftly brings to life the under kernels of Eyre’s hardening and the porticoes of her knowledge that if she were to embark down certain pathways, she might not soon return! Much less, would she want to be such a creature!? To walk through this world, fully hardened and affaced to all the goodness that surely must still be present!? I can sympathise with her on this level, as when your day-to-day existence is presented in a continuous imprisonment of harsh punishment [solitary confined to the nursery, never allowed outside or downstairs, always finding reprimand rather than nurturing, and an absence of time being measured by usual perimeters!], I can understand her reasonings and her deepest of questions regarding not only the state of her personal affairs, but her state and place in the world itself! How angst ridden we should all feel, to have no Hope, no Light, and no perceivable exodus of our allotted circumstance!?

Her knight of sorts, comes in the shape and form of an apothecarist, who on a lark suggestion on her behalf, suggests that she is sent off to school, and given opportunity to make something of her life; rather than to be cast-off and put aside as she has been thus far forward! Her Aunt devilishly sets into motion to put her into proper place and denounce any notion of her ever becoming more than a humbled lowly counterpart of a human, as in her own eyes, she at this point didn’t seem to attach any wantings of Jane to succeed in life, no matter in what caste placed henceforth! Thus, we see the arrival of a most devious and darkly embodied cleric [Brocklehurst] who takes the task a bit too severely to not only punish the lower class of orphans (as he perceives them to being!), but he inflicts his personal religious reasonings for such outrageous declarations of “humble them before God, equip them with rations beneath regular souls, and do not attach favour, kindness, love, or humanity, for they do not deserve it!” (this is a paraphrase in my own words of the outrageous words spewed out of his mouth at Lowood & Gateshead!) A ghastly character, (reminiscent of Snickett’s Count Olaf, the caregiver of the Bauldelaire orphans!) you would not want to engage with, and yet, he is the one who presides over the teachers and caretakers of Lowood!

I took direct offense of his inability to accept that young Jane took pleasure in reading not one or five, but nine books of the Bible! Because her attention was focused solely on the passages held within: Revelations, Daniel, Genesis, Samuel, Exodus, Kings, Chronicles, Job, and Jonah, yet not inclusive of Psalms, he took this omission as a guilt of an girl with a wicked heart, a wicked soul! In his eyes, a wretched creature who will suffer hell and damnation, live a cursed existence and will need every ounce of her self-defiance to be rid from her by direct force! For a man of the cloth, his mind was closed and obtuse in its scope of the differences individuals take to walk a spiritual life amongst the living! How contrite and hypocritical this evoked an ire in my mind, as he would soon be bled out as a torturous tyrant!

Once Eyre is transcripted into Lowood, I started to see a shifting in her character, as she was thus removed from her previous environment, and placed into another; just as stark, cold, desolate, and un-inviting surely, but with the hope of ‘something better’ to alight in her life even still! I saw this in the appearing of Miss Temple , whilst at the same time, Miss Scratherd was rather an odious addition to her life! The affection that was revealed upon her exit of Gateshead, by way of Bessie, her nursemaid surprised me rather shockingly, as foresaid, it did not appear that there were any kind regards bestowed upon her, aside from the rhyming songs and fantastical stories she would give to young Jane; a reflection of an internal kindness that was not always extended elsewhere. By the time I had settled into Lowood, I felt sorry for Jane not to realise the full reality of Bessie’s adoration and love, until it was nearly too late to even admit existed! Therefore, by extension, the propellent of Miss Temple, becoming a solid ally and rock in her young years, I hoped that the encouragement and positive influences she may shower onto Jane, might in effect, re-direct the course of her outcome in life. It aught to be acknowledged, that up until this particular junction, Eyre was truly living by her wits and instincts, rather than the subjection and conjectures of a teaching adult!

Helen, by contrast to Jane, is a young teen whose angelic presence and inclinations of foreknowledge past her young years, gently guides her towards finding peace from her past, acceptance of her present, and a resolute hope for her future! Never had anyone listened to Jane’s conscription’s of woe, whereupon allowing the merit of what was disclosed to be absorbed and turned over in one’s mind, before selecting the appropriate response to give a young girl of ten years! For Helen, instinctively knew that if no one took the time to intercede on Jane’s behalf, she would be a begotten and fallen soul, doomed to be restrictive of the blight of life condemned to her by her Aunt! Helen, therefore, took every opportunity to enfuse the light and love of God, with the insightfulness of a woman at least thrice her age, to educate Jane how the edification of spirit and the education of the mind can lead to a truer freedom than by fierce altercations by which Jane was [at that time] proficient in being subjected.

This led to a continuation of Eyre’s soliloquy of conscience thought, which extrapolated the complex of the whole set of observations that her sensitive eyes took in around her. She was fiercely attached to the installment of liberty and justice for those who were taken askance and punished severely for their [supposed] indiscretions and faults of character. She was a budding sociologist in many ways, as she overturned many a thought as to how mature adults could subject children to the life by which they did at Lowood School for Girls! It was part abomination and part torture, to think that human decency and respect had fallen to such low degrees as the state of affairs the school was subject to before the revolt of the community to condemn its principles and organisation after the bout of typhus had consumed and taken the lives of nearly half the students! [They began with just past 80 girls strong!] How I celebrated this liberation! This show of support for innocent lives who lived without a proper voice! For me, it came nearly too late to right all the wrongs that had transpired, but to think that they received liberation at all was reason enough to celebrate!

Ill tidings and sorrow soon followed closer to home, as Eyre found herself in a position to lose the one confidante that knew her best of all: Burns! Helen’s young body fell to consumption and was taken to Heaven at the young age of 14 or 15. A trusted saint whose grace and conviction of faith inspired her young friend to trust in a being greater than them both, and to rectify by the means given before her, to re-write her own future. My throat was held tight with emotion, as I was nearly consumed by the grief that washed over me during Helen’s last night; where Jane was nestled close to her in an embrace of sisterly friendship. I nearly felt young Burns’ epitaph ought to have read:

Angel of Earth, Forevermore in Elysium!

[abode of the blessed, heaven]

The story shortly shifts forward eight years, no less! To where Eyre is on the brink of a new cross-roads in her young life. She is now nearly eight and ten years, and on the departure of Miss Temple to her martial life elsewhere than the village surrounding Lowood, she is illuminated by a startling discovery! Her life was lived up to this point, on the foothills of others around her, by whom, she drew her intense strength to carry-on. She was fully content to continue on at Lowood School, having graduated [at least this is presumed], and begun her tenure of teaching. Two years, she has not once felt the need to think about the world outside of Lowood, but with departure of Miss Temple firmly in place, she curiously steals away glimpses of the world beckoning to her just outside the walls; a sight she can readily see from her window. In her chamber, she steals away hours in the night, to come across an idea of a transition she could undertake, that would illumine her achievements but not uprise her past her station. An odd and singularly unique voice brings to light the notion of place an advert in the local newspaper, offering her service as a hired Governess [a teacher in the employ of a family to teach their children at home; the precursor to the modern home study movement], by which the [potential] employee could contact her at the local Post Office.

In my mind, I felt as though Helen herself was coming down to remit a seed of inspiration into her dear friends’ subconscious, if to help guide her towards the next bridge she needed to cross to obtain a measure of independence. Her conformity into life at Lowood was part ambition to succeed and transcend her environment(s), but also, as a measure of grace to find within its structures and limitations the sanctity and security it afforded her. In this way, when she purported the ability to advert for a means better than the one she currently had, she was in this way, seeking to step out of the shadows of her ill-begotten family, and the pseudo-control of Lowood. When Mrs. Fairfax’s letter arrived poste haste seeking her position to be substantiated, Jane drew in a breath of hope, that perhaps, her time had finally come! Trepiderious? Yes. Excited? Most definitely! By receipt of the initial letter, Jane made the motions come to life to grant her full release of her Aunt [who not once contacted her since she left!], and of Lowood, itself! On the eve of her journey to Thornfield Hall, dear Bessie [her nursemaid!] re-appeared into her life, keeping in tow a shy toddler, and endeavouring to bestow upon Jane everything that she had so very dearly wanted her to know eight years ago! Bessie was there as she left Gateshead Hall, and again as she left Lowood School for Girls! At the precipice of each turning tide of young Eyre’s life, Bessie was there to rally behind her, and bide her farewell!

Jane’s voice in the story has matured, and taken on a different scope than her former young self could articulate to the reader. You can tell she has not only deepened her compassion for humanity, but has facilitated a genuine ability to be humble in all manners, seek servitude and provide a need for others at all costs to personal needs or wants, and to rectify her mind towards self-assurance that come what may in life, she was now in the ability to provide for herself, rather than rely on the opinions of others as a vindication of who she was! Her entrance into Thornfield was under the [blind] preconception that Mrs. Fairfax was her charge’s caregiver, when in fact, she is refuted of this upon arrival, and has instead uncovered that Adele is a ward of Thornfield’s master, Lord Rochester! I didn’t bring to mind this entreaty, as much as I would preferred, enso, as though it was being seen for the first time, I appreciated that Ms. Brontë allowed a bit of softening to occur in Jane’s life! Up until this point, every day would lead to a possibility of confrontation, and with her settled here, in Rochester’s absence, I felt as though she could untense her muscles so to speak, ease into a new setting, and feel accomplished in her ability to communicate with Adele in the child’s native tongue of French!

As the grounds are slowly described and revealed, you get the sense that there is a bit of an ominous undercurrent to the estate, as though a small sense of foreboding is leading your senses to stand alert and ferret out what ‘is not quite right, yet not altogether wrong’ at the same time! This is further apparent, when Jane heard a women’s odd sounding laughter whilst Mrs. Fairfax was leading her around the turrets. A plausible answer was provided, but I, nor Jane, took it for any weight other than a passing acceptance that we have not yet been long at Thornfield to be in a position to question things further!

The starkness of Thornfield is warmed by Mrs. Fairfax, and the engagingly bouncy inclusion of Adele, of whom promotes a well-being that I had not yet seen visible in Jane’s life. She doesn’t have to forecheck everything she says or does, at least not at this point, as her cursory impression of Thornfield is limited in Chapter 11. I am on bated breath to sink further into the text over the next week, and eagerly await what fascinations will greet me! I know that the estate itself is as much as a character as Eyre and the inhabitants therein. That is one of the attractions I find with Gothic Literature on a whole — a near Hitchtockian accounting of setting, time, and place, to where your psychological suspended into the subtext!

What staid with me throughout the entirety of the opening chapters, is the elucidation of Ms. Brontë, who thus effused her fictional work with counterparts of reality at each turn! She mastered the ability to absolve and absorb what weighed heavily on her heart, pouring out her grief and emotional keenings into the breath she gave Jane Eyre! She took the tragedies of her own life [her elder siblings died as a result of a school similar to Lowood!] and gave them a proper tomb to cleanse herself of feelings she most likely could not dissipate otherwise. I believe, its through her pen, she tapped into a greater purpose that gave her life meaning and worth, than anything she could readily achieve in her everyday life. She suffered greatly by her own experiences, as I read she and her sisters [Anne and Emily] were afflicted by anxiety disorders, but with her pen, she cast aside all of this, in order to cast into the world a tome of her intellect and wisdom.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

Books Of Eyre
Septemb-Eyre

Posted Wednesday, 11 September, 2013 by jorielov in 19th Century, Books of Eyre, British Literature, Classical Literature, Gothic Romance, RALs | Thons via Blogs, Septemb-Eyre, That Friday Blog Hop, the Victorian era

Stories of Jorie | The First Thirty Days : Life of a Book Blogger!

Posted Saturday, 7 September, 2013 by jorielov 4 Comments

The beginning of a monthly journalling post of all the adventures

the last thirty days has brought to Jorie Loves A Story!

The following post is a record of my first thirty days as a book blogger, having launched *Jorie Loves A Story* on the 6th of August, 2013 @ 4:49a! These are my adventures in setting up my first book blog, becoming acquainted with the bookish blog community, undertaking book reviewing for a publicity firm and two book touring companies, tackling reading challenges for the first time + encouraging myself as a blogger and reader by seeking out bookish blog pen pals, as much as sorting out the best ways to encourage positive traffic patterns, by making Jorie Loves A Story fully cross-referenced, and accessible by various syndicated reading platforms! As I have been creating this blog since the 31st of March, 2013, most of what is included in this monthly report will follow through the day of creation until the 31st of August, 2013. Whereas one month from now, on the 7th of October, the focus will strictly be ‘thirty days’ henceforth forward! In keeping with this, my official blogoversary is set to acknowledge the start of JLAS as March vs. August!

Book Blogger | Book Tour Hostess:

In the beginning, when I first began to create Jorie Loves A Story, I was not sure which direction I wanted to head off into first, as did I want to solely blog about my own individual wanderings OR did I want to combine them, with opportunities that may become afforded through publicity firms and book tour companies!? I decided that I wanted to branch out and seek out ways in which to expand my reading horizons as much as to expand my abilities as a book blogger! I knew that I would still be in control of what I read, as you get to pick and choose which books you want to take on, [the same as I have with First Impressions by Book Browse] which in my mind was a win-win situation! In this way, I could gain more experience as a book blogger, but the primary motivation was to be in a position to be introduced to writers I may not have come across otherwise!

Even with my readings on Shelf Awareness + Book Browse, as much as my local library’s catalogue, and print copies of Book Page which circulate monthly, there is always a sense that there are books that your simply not going to become exposed too! The market for reading is such a largely cast net, that I do believe there are less hours than books to consume!! Laughs. A happy problem to have, I must say! Therefore, my new ‘title’ is: Book Blogger | Book Tour Hostess as I identify myself as a book blogger instead of book reviewer, as my own personal style of writing about books does differ a bit. Although, I am agreed to a structured review for First Impression novels, I do expand my thoughts after those are posted in a lengthier post on Jorie Loves A Story! In keeping true to what I outlined in my Introduction Post, I am still committed to writing about books that touch my heart, and sink into my imagination, yet with the addition of books coming to me via book tours and First Impressions, I am hopeful that those books will attach themselves as readily as a book that I select to read on my own outside of those ventures!

I truly do like to dig into the heart of a book, explore the subject OR subjects contained therein, and write about how reading the book affected me personally. In this way, you will find my posts on books to be larger than most and filt with a bit more extra content. I truly am excited about each book that I find to blog about, because I am a happy-go-lucky bookishly bent girl who is quite bubbly when she talks about books + authors any chance she is given to do so! Which is why it warms her heart to no end, when she sees comments that turn into mini-conversations across the spectrum of her blog!

The book tour companies I am working with are as follows:

To the left, is JKS Communications: A Literary Publicity Firm, by which I had the honour of being selected to read and review “The Prayer Box” by Lisa Wingate. They offer a wide variety of books: adult fiction, non-fiction, young adult, and children’s titles. I am hopeful that I can make another selection soon, as I was delighted to work with them on this tour! As much as it warmed my heart when I saw that the author, Ms. Wingate had stopped by my blog! And, further still had set up a link on her Reader’s Circle Facebook Page! I noted I had new visitors dropping by, and four people liked the post she had shared!

On the right, is the Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour company, whose main empathsis is the world of historical fiction, including their sub-genres that inter-connect!! When I saw that Illuminations was going to be on tour in November, I immediately contacted them after having submitted my application, as this was one of the book’s I had won last Autumn! Due to circumstances, I never had the proper chance to read it, and I thought that this was rather happenstance to have discovered this company & the inclusion of Illuminations! My first tour I was offered was Gracianna, and after reading the premise, I knew I could not pass up this opportunity! For a girl who appreciates ancestry and the roots of family, this is one book I knew that I would be inspired to read! I look forward to working with them during these tours, as much as to eagerly await the tours that will follow next! As I have already followed their Queen’s Gambit tour which is a novel that focuses on Katherine Parr, Henry VIII’s last wife! I have not yet read any of the lovely novels of the Tudors, and I thought this might be a keen one to start with, as I had originally read it either through Book Browse &/or Shelf Awareness! What I appreciate about the tour, is that you get a bird’s eye view into the perspectives each reader felt as he/she read the novel!

In the middle is France Book Tours, a recent addition to my life as a book blogger, as I was inspired by Caffeinated Life, to seek out their touring company, after having read and participated in The Bones of Paris tour! It was shortly after I had submitted my application, that I found the first book that perked my interest to read and review: Unravelled by M.K. Tod! I followed this up with making rounds on the “Miss K” tour, whereupon I *won!* a copy of the book from Boxes of Paper! I was quite stoked that I had won, as after making my rounds of the tour, I had become quite fond of the book and of the woman who inspired it! Meanwhile, I became interested in an upcoming tour: Taking Root in Provence by Anne-Marie Simons, which took me by surprise, as its a non-fiction travelogue-esque diary-style book about two American Ex-Pats who now call Southern France home! Its the way in which she describes accumulating to the French that struck my interest in reading it!

Jorie Loves A Story | Stats of the Month | 6 August to 7 September 2013

Number of Visitors within the first month: (approx. 1,289 + 62)

[as writ down on the 7th of September 2013]

Countries of Visitors within the first month: (as recorded by WP) United States, Serbia, Canada, United Kingdom, Barbados, Australia, France, Slovenia, Finland, Philippines, Germany, the Netherlands, Antigua & Barbuda, Portugal, India, Norway, Poland, Belgium, New Zealand, Hungary, and Romania! Truly book bloggers and readers unite globally!

*Due to being curious about this particular stat, I have installed a free Flag Counter!

# of Posts: 33 | # of Comments: 104

# of New Pages: 2 [Blogosphere Bookish Memes & Weekly Features + Bookish Events Featured on JLAS!]

# of Readers Following JLAS: 4 [Bloglovin’], 2 [FeedBlitz], 8 [Email] = 14!! I am grateful for each one!

Directories JLAS is listed in: Blog Nation [yet I cannot get my blog confirmed? did anyone else have this difficulty?] + Southern Book Bloggers

Books Read & Reviewed: Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson | A Moment in Time by Jennifer Butenas | Red Thread Sisters by Carol Antoinette Peacock | Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole | The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wrecker |

Contribution of Blogosphere Event OR Blog: The Clockwork Man by William Jablonsky , contribution to The Clockwork Carnival hosted by Once Upon a Time. IF you click on the banner, it will take you to the wrap-up post which has an archive of every post connected to the Carnival!

Books In the Process of Reading: Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson, Bluebird or the Invention of Happiness by Sheila Kohler, The Secret Papers of Madame Olivetti by Annie Vanderbilt, The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland, Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs, Murder on Monday by Ann Purser, Thyme of Death by Susan Wittig Albert, & Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Upcoming Books to Read & Review: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Mistress of my Fate: The Confessions of Henrietta Lightfoot by Hallie Rubenhold, Lucid Stars by Andrea Barrett, The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe by Mary Simses, and The Spirit Keeper by K.B. Laugheed.

Upcoming Topics OR Posts: Conversation with Robyn Carr | 70 Authors + 12 Months = [Focus On] Inspirational Fiction: A JLAS Exclusive | Bout of Books, 8.0: the Wrap-Up (posted under construction!) |

Bookish Memes: Jumping my Holds with a touch of steam & magical realism (Sunday Showcase #1); Austen, Her Name is Jane Austen! (Sunday Showcase, #2), What is a Girl to do!? Except continue onward! (WWW Wednesday, #1), and Reading Knows No Boundaries (Library Loot, #1).

Book Tours Participated In: 2! “The Prayer Box” by Lisa Wingate, as well as my first Book Cover Reveal, for “Love At First Slight” by J. Marie Croft.

Upcoming Book Tours: “Illuminations” by Mary Sharratt [1 November], “Gracianna” by Trini Amador [13 November], “Taking Root in Provence” by Anne-Marie Simons [27 November].

Reading Challenges, Read-A-Longs, or Read-A-Thons Participated In: August in August and Bout of Books, 8.0

Upcoming Reading Challenges: Books of Eyre, Septemb-Eyre, & Classics Re-Told: 19th Century & Gothic Classics

New Bookish Friends: The Joyful Bookcase, Caffeinated Life, and E-book Classics

Ways in Which to Follow Jorie Loves A Story: Email Subscription and RSS Feeds [FeedBlitz + Bloglovin’] Conveniently located in the lower left sidebar. For RSS Feeds, you have two ways to find them, the left sidebar and the bottom of the main page!

Most Unexpected Gift to showcase my passion for books + libraries: Squeesome Designs!! IF you have already read this posting in which I exclaimed my joy in finding all the lovely badges that promote book + library love, then your ahead of the curve! You see, I originally was hoping to find one or two badges to express this passion I have for libraries + reading! However, its hard to find beautifully made badges that are ‘free’ for book bloggers to use! Therefore, when I stumbled across this designer’s website, I made an official enquiry & suggestion! Shortly, thereafter, much to my absolute delight I had more than I could ever have hoped to choose from!! :) :) Do check them out, you will want them for your blog too!! :) :) You can find the full measure of which posts I have used these wicked sweet badges by browsing through my “Topics, Genres, & Subjects” section, OR simply clicking through here to the Squeesome Designs Archive List!

Best Resources I have found for book blogging: Shabby Blogs, Squeesome Designs, Wikimedia Commons + Wikipedia, Fantastic Fiction, Dictionary.com, and Zementa (WP provided). Which are yours!?

Best New Features Found Whilst Blogging: Comparatively, SeaMonkey + Firefox work easier for blogging than I have found with Explorer, by which I no longer use! The archive of commentary icon on the upper right corner of WP blogs is a lifesaving tool! You don’t always have to worry about ticking off the ‘subscribe by email to see new comments’ button if your signing a WP blog! In this way, it helps keep the conversation flowing without missing a step! *LOVE!* Uploading more than one media file at a time! Brilliant! Zementa is the best place to start for related content, as it is located directly underneath your posts in Editing. And, the absolute best discovery I made is being able to “add a blog” to my WP Reader by inserting the address! I originally had thought that you could only ‘follow WP blogs’!! Go me! And, of course, no blogger can not ‘rock out’ to the tunage as provided by iHeartRadio!

Long Term Goals: To curate my list of classical literature in order to join “The Classics Club” in January 2014! To sort through which serial fiction I want to focus on in 2014, and join one or two of the challenges by which others’ are collectively reading their own choices, too! To write posts a bit ahead of posting and allow the auto-scheduler to post in my absence! I have been winging it a bit closer to when I want posts to go live in the short term! To focus on one reading challenge + one read-a-long per month, so not to become overly taxed as I was in August! To get caught up in my magazine reading and to post about what I am enjoying through the zine format of discovery!

Short Term Goals: To write up my intentions and motivations behind reading 70 Authors of Inspirational Fiction, and to make a plausible headway in that direction before the close of September! To remember to ‘breathe’ and enjoy the journey!

In closing, I would like to thank each person who has taken the time to read through my blog, whether they left a comment OR have been silently reading and appreciating the content, I want to extend my gratitude for each of you who have alighted upon this little space in the book blogosphere! I created this blog first and foremost for myself, to pursue my own literary wanderings and passions, seeing where the new paths would take me that I stumble across as I blog, however, second to myself, I blog as a way to give back gratitude to each writer who touches my life by the book they have written, and thirdly, to you, the blog reader who draw inspiration out of what I cast out into the void via this space, as you might find a new author OR book that you may or may not have given a chance to read previously!

I want to thank the numerous bookish souls that I have encountered whilst my journey into this exciting world has only just begun, the type of book bloggers that everyone hopes to encounter at some point, due to their graciousness and warm-hearted approach to making each new blogger feel a part of the fold! I thank you, most kindly! For your acceptance of me and for giving me feedback that endeavours me to improve my skill as a blogger and writer!

To the authors I have come to know, a bit more personally through my explorations of their books, I want to thank each of them for their generosity and kindness! My heart overflows! And, for those who I did not contact prior to writing up a post on their novels, I want to thank them for stopping by and reading my reflections; you know who you are! And, to the numerous authors I have met along the byways of the blogosphere for almost a full year, who have made an impact on my life and uplifted me during the weeks and months I have found them on various blogs, my gratitude overflows beyond measure!

I am thankful that I am able to work with a publicity firm and two (blog) book tour companies, to where I can select which book I want to read next, and participate in a collective community of readers who strive to highlight and showcase books that strike an accord within us. We may or may not always feel keenly passionate about a title, but we strive at least, to give our honest impressions so that in some way, what we say can guide another reader in their own reading adventures! I can attest that even a negative review can inspire you to read a book, as I came across one such review during Bout of Books, 8.0, (The Ghost Bride), and despite the reviewer’s disinterest, she gave enough of an impression to me, to know that it would be a book I would find inspiring to read! And, therefore the circle becomes complete! Reader to reader, reviewer to reviewer, each of us, celebrating the printed word and the offerings of the publishing industry!

And, a special note of gratitude is extended to my local public library system, of whom, inspires me continuously to seek out intriguing authors and works of literature! They are gracious and friendly when it comes to making Purchase Requests, Subject Research Searches, and of course, their ILL service is quite top notch! As it allows the patron to request not only books through inter-library loan but also audio-visual materials such as musical albums OR audiobooks on CD, as much as motion pictures, BBC serials, documentaries, and other ‘films’ not included in their in-house collection! This makes the library a very useful place to frequent! And, I encourage everyone to take stock of what their library can do for them, as far as encouraging their joy of reading and for expanding their knowledge of what is readily available in film and music!

The most wicked sweet purchase request I have made recently involved my friend who lives in Norway, who came across a book she knew I’d be rather keen to read myself, and afterwhich, I was most delighted in seeing arrive to me quite soon indeed! Once again, I am thankful to have such a receptive library system, and a very gracious Acquisitions Librarian!

Rock on, dear hearts, rock on!

Another month is dawning, and I am most anxious to see how it unfolds!

{SOURCES: The badges of JKS Communications + Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours were provided each of them as a way for the book bloggers who review for them to promote their companies, and for us to declare that we review for them as well. The Clockwork Carnival badge was provide by Hannah, who runs Once Upon A Time, and of whom created the Carnival for those of us who adore Steampunk OR want to educate ourselves on the emerging genre! Stories of Jorie badge created in Canva. Welcome to My Blog badge provided by Squeesome Designs as a free resource for bloggers!}

Posted Saturday, 7 September, 2013 by jorielov in Stories of Jorie

Bout of Books, 8.0: the Wrap-Up!

Posted Thursday, 5 September, 2013 by jorielov 0 Comments

Wrapping up my experience with Bout of Books, 8.0!

Honestly, if I were to look back in time, to when Bout 8.0 began, I would not believe it were possible that I would be met with such a unique set of derailments that left me wanton and desirous of more hours than the days could allow to be drawn forward! I earnestly attempted to visit each blog that I had scouted out in the hours leading up to the Bout, but due to massive technical difficulties in accessing them due to issues I only learnt the full extent of over Labour Day weekend [I needed to switch out my browser! Twiceover!], I fell drastically behind, and I am sure, most of the Bout’ers might have doubted my sincerity in returning to their lovely blogs! Its my intent through this wrap-up post to not only make amends and give my full attention back to their blogs + the experiences they triumphed through during the Bout, but to give a measure of grace back to myself knowing that due to the circumstances I accomplished quite a heap more than I originally felt I had!

Whilst I was composing my first [& unfortunately last] Austen in August post, I came to realise how inter-connected all the blogosphere events have been thus far! Therefore, forgive the [future] redundancy [in reading this twice!] but I am going to cross-post what I exclaimed on my forthcoming post on Pride and Prejudice, as a method of a starting block of how to recognise the hours as they shifted forward and how unlikely it became that I could continue with the Bout!

Whilst I launched JLAS, I undertook Austen in August, declared my intent to read Books of Eyre, contributed a piece to The Clockwork Carnival, settled into Bout of Books, 8.0, participated in the first Blog Pen Pal Exchange, encountered an illness, a 4-day migraine, technical difficulties during the Bout & afterwards [more than half the Bout’er blogs wouldn’t load – who knew I needed to switch browsers!? I *love!* SeaMonkey now!], waylaid by fierce lightning and thunderstorms, AND just when I was thrilled to bits about all the lovelies I am reading, the hours ticked off the clock and I arrived at September before I could make a backwards glance and wonder, “Where did dear August go off too!?” I even found time to sort out which weekly memes I want to contribute too: Sunday Showcase (#1, #2) and Library Loot being two I felt best to start on, prior to finding WWW Wednesdays! September started with a surge of excitement, as I participated in my first Book Cover Reveal [Love at First Slight by J. Marie Croft] and my first Blog Book Tour Stop [The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate]!! All the while attempting to make headway on the list of books I had garnished to read throughout the month! In the end, I learnt a hard lesson: there are only so many hours by which you have to find the balance to accomplish everything you set out to do!

I decided that I would take a step back in September, arranging my goals into my day planner journal, and giving myself the freedom to have a bit more flexibility to truly enjoy the blogosphere events as they alight in my life! I feel like I couldn’t give as much of my heart to Austen in August, nor could I complete the Bout properly either! I need to compose my Wrap-Up Posts to where I can put it all in a better light and scope! Having said that, I would have been better to focus on a single read-a-long and a reading challenge, to where I wouldn’t have felt spread so thin! There is, of course, the addition of wanting to get back to my pen, ferret off dearly owed letters and correspondences to the most patient friends a girl could ever hope to know, and knit my UFOs into finished objects I can be proud of!

What the Bout enabled me to do, is to pull away from the inability to sink into the books that have been sitting on my shelf awaiting my attention for several years! I was able to sit in my comfy chair, sink into their narratives [and find that quite a few things have changed in the cosy mystery genre since my youth!], and drink in the beauty of the words that the authors created for me to fully realise their inner worlds of imagination! As a last best effort to make an enroad towards my last goal of ‘reading a bit of each book’, I read the first 20 pages of each book save The Lady in the Attic and The Crimson Petal and the White. I am at this point in time uncertain what to do with the latter book, but will be saving the former for Bout, 9.0 come January [2014!] as I embark on a new adventure: Reading Annie’s Attic series! :) I decided to go full-on cosy for the next one!!

Insofar as my current goals, I have already updated my intent to carry-on reading the rest of my Bout books clear through New Year’s, which correlates with my goals with Septemb-Eyre, Books of Eyre, and Classics Re-Told! Over the weekend shortly rising into view, I will have to set time aside to sort out how to incorporate my other reading challenge, which is my personal 70 Authors Challenge! I am sure most have seen the authors in the sidebar and were curious why they could not find a posting about it! It is one of those posts that was scheduled to go live before the end of the Bout, and never materialised!

I want to thank the creators of the Bout of Books Read-A-Thon Challenge for inspiring all of us to set up our own personal goals and motivations, finding our own path to embark down and for giving us the leeway to block out time to READ! :) There are times like these that I notice that collective reading truly has a gift for lending a reader the ability to break through a reading rut and dig back into books before the spell of enchantment is fully extinguished! :) In this way, I will always be grateful!

The 108 Bout’er Blogs that I Selected to Visit during Bout of Books, 8.0:

[To view my first impressions of their respective blogs you need to go here!]

Coffee Bean Bookshelf
Sarah Reads Too Much
Hopeful Happiness
Bookish Comforts
I am Sam Tule
My Readers Block
Doing Dewey
Afternoon Book Party
Books are Portable Magic
A Blog of Books
Lit Nerd
Bookish Geek
The Tale Archives
A Cup of Coffee And a Book
Snuggling on the Sofa
Little Lovely Books
A Geek’s Bookshelf
Estella’s Revenge
Paradise of Pages
Sophicated Dorkiness
Potterhead Reviews
Book Pairing
Book, Food, & Other Things
Books & Blockbusters
Read & Reviewed
Leeswammes’ Blog
Under A Gray Sky
Ink Scratchers
The Little Reader Library
The Book Lover’s Chronicles
You Book Me All Night Long
Smiling Shelves
Curiosity Killed the Bookworm
The Temporary Escape
Mom’s Small Victories
It’s A Nerdy Thing
A Bookaholic Blog
Stacks & Shelves
Everything to do with Books
A Book Lover’s Ramblings
Sharlene Says
Book Nerds Book Blog
Of Sunsets & Valleys
Snowdrops Dreams of Books
Student Spyglass | Geeky Zoo Girl (reincarnated)
Other Women’s Stories
Paperback Daydreamer
Curled Up with a Good Book & a Cup of Tea
I Blog for Books
The Book Sphere
The Book Barn
Just Another Book Lovin’ Girl
A Blighted One
The Attic
Undead Unicorn
Christian Bookshelf Reviews
The Writerly Reader
GaGa Over Books
The Geeky Blogger’s Book Blog
Simply Dazee: Tea & a Book
My Seryniti
Book Beats
Stitch, Read, Cook
The Oaken Bookcase
Reading in Winter
The Girl & Her Books
The Cozy Armchair
My Not So Real Life
Love YA Books
The Skeptical Reader
Pearl the Book Girl
Escape Through the Pages
Let Me Dream, Let Me Stay
The Writeables
Miles from Ordinary
In Libris Veritas
Bemused Bookworm
Jane’s Book Blog
Beyond Strange New Worlds
Teenage Years of a Teen
Always with a Book
Little Bird Reads
Booked on a Feeling
Pen in Her Hand
Vicky Thinks
Heather Hearts Books
Quinn’s Booknook
Pretty Pug
Must Read Faster
Bookworm in Barrie
Bookeater/Booklover
Life: Merging
Miss Reader’s Reading Adventures
The Polished Page-Turner
Listful Booking
Read. Run. Study.
Library of Mallory
Divergent Gryffinder
The Paige Turner
Devouring Texts
Of Nowhere Land
Paper Riot
Losing Myself in a Good Book
bookgoonie
Books Speak Volumes
Auggie Talk
Chels & a Book
Reading Extensively

My daily updates as they posted:

Declaration of Participation
Personal Goals and Motivations [archive post of Bout 8.0!]
Oh, Monday, sweet Monday! [Day One]
The Ghosts have Arrived! [Day Two]
Flight of Freedom from the Reign of Terror [Day Three]
Marching Forward with a Grin on my Face [Day Four]
Murder Most Cosy [Day Five]
In Walks the Reader, Tride & True! [Day Six]
What is a Girl to do? Except Continue Onward [WWW Wednesday on Bout 8.0]
Bout of Books, 8.0: the Wrap-Up! [final day: 5 September 2013]
[day all of the above posts were finalised into their final draft: ? September 2013]

My Favourite Daily Challenges were the Book Spine Poetry + the New Bout’er Blogs,
of which are recorded here as well as on their respective pages!

Thyme [time] of death, haunted the forest lover,
[who was en route between] Lark Rise to Candleford.
The lady in the attic [was] murder(ed) on monday;
[her homicide was suspected of] death by darjeeling!
The secret papers of Madame Olivetti [was an attempt of pacifying the] bluebird,
or the invention of happiness!
[The key to all of it was] the crimson petal and the white!

I selected 5 out of 108 blogs randomly:

[Focusing on each of the bookish bloggers’ blogs for what I appreciated on their blogs!]

#20: Sophicated Dorkiness

#63: Stitch, Read, Cook

#25: Read & Reviewed

#10: A Blog of Books

#44: Snowdrops Dreams of Books

Then, there were some blogs that I decided I wanted to keep tabs on after the Bout:

The blogs that I am following (officially):

The blogs that I am returning back to every so often to see what is new:

Moreover, I am thankful to have had the opportunity to discover ALL 108 blogs! during the Bout, and look forward to seeing who is going to return for Bout, 9.0!! Perhaps, we will have quite a few conjoined events in our futures ahead of its arrival, and perhaps, some of us will know each other a bit better ahead of 9.0 beginning! :) I noted that some of you, gave me a nod on your own blogs, whether as part of the ‘New Bout’er’ Blog Challenge OR simply as a daily reference of a new blog you had visited and enjoyed!! I thank each of you for giving me a shout-out, as it warmed my heart to know you enjoyed the posts I was able to compose whilst the Bout was in-progress! May our paths continue to intersect!

My final thoughts on Bout of Books, 8.0:

The wickedest moment for me, was waking up and realising on Day ? that Squeesome Designs had created a completely new set of bookish + library love badges off an idle suggestion of mine! In the days that would follow, coffee love + foodie love badges would magically appear forthwith! I cannot THANK them enough for their generous support of bookish bloggers!!

{SOURCES: Bout of Books Badge created by Jorie in Canva to give readers & visitors who come to her blog a way to know of its existence and therefore increasing the mystery & lore surrounding it!! This is one of three badges Bout of Books uses for promotion. Seriously wicked bookish badges {entirely FREE!} provided by Squeesome Designs!}

This post is currently a work-in-progress due to various technical difficulties with three browsers, I haven’t had the chance to fulfill my goals to make this post complete. However, the linky closes soon for wrap-up posts and I decided to link this officially and hopefully before or by Sunday I will have everything the way I wanted it to be! Thank you for our patience, and please continue to drop back to see how everything changes!

Posted Thursday, 5 September, 2013 by jorielov in Bout of Books

Classics Re-Told: 19th Century & Gothic Classics [focus on] Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

Posted Thursday, 5 September, 2013 by jorielov Abigail Reynolds, C. Allyn Pierson, Carrie Bebris, Colleen McCullough, Dancing with Mr. Darcy: stories inspired by Jane Austen and Chawton House, Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor, Jane Austen, Jane Austen mystery, Kate Fenton, Mary Robinette Kowal, Maya Slater, Melissa Nathan, Mr. Darcy's Little Sister, Mr. Darcy's Obsession, Pemberley by the Sea, Pride and Prejudice, Pride and Prescience or A Truth Universally Acknowledged, Pride Prejudice and Jasmin Field, Sarah Waters, Shades of Milk and Honey, Sharon Lathan, Stephanie Barron, The Independance of Miss Mary Bennett, The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy, Two Shall Become One: Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Pride and Prejudice Continues, Vanity and Vexation: a novel of Pride and Prejudice 6 Comments

I had originally read about the Classics Re-Told challenge, several weeks ago, and was under the presumption that the sign-ups to participate were long since closed! However, ever the optimist and curious about being able to participate the next time a challenge such as this would come back around, I left a comment! This was 3rd of September 2013, and by the 5th of September 2013 when I could finally return to see if a note was left in response, I joined officially!

For those who have been reading my blog, you will notice that I took the list of ‘after the canon’ books I had found to read during Austen in August and have re-absorbed them into Classics Re-Told! In this way, I can make amends on what I was not able to accomplish in August, and whilst continuing forward reading the books in earnest, I get to participate in a collective reading, where other readers will have the chance to watch my progress! Perhaps, even, be inspired to give one of the ‘after canons’ a chance, if they previously hadn’t come across them! The host for the *19th Century & Gothic Classics* branch is: Bookish Whimsy. I am joining Melissa @ Harley Bear Book Blog + Andrea @ Beauty but a Funny Girl + J. Dudgeon @ J. Dudgeon, in our quest to read “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen and the books that followed this classic essential from the Regency!

Books I Want to Focus On:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; ~~Vanity and Vexation: a novel of Pride and Prejudice {original UK title: Lions and Liquorice} by~~ Kate Fenton; Pride and Prescience or A Truth Universally Acknowledged by Carrie Bebris; Mr. Darcy’s Little Sister by C. Allyn Pierson; Two Shall Become One: Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Pride and Prejudice Continues by Sharon Lathan; The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy by Maya Slater; The Independance of Miss Mary Bennett by Colleen McCullough; Pemberley by the Sea {alternative title: The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice} and Mr. Darcy’s Obsesssion by Abigail Reynolds; Pride, Prejudice, and Jasmin Field by Melissa Nathan; Dancing with Mr. Darcy: stories inspired by Jane Austen and Chawton House {anthology} by Sarah Waters; Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal.

*I did not appreciate the style and prose of the one I struck through.

13 books in total. Equates out to 3.25 books per week!

Adaptations I Want to Focus On:

~~Pride and Prejudice, the audio book recording: Flo Gibson~~; Bride and Prejudice [2004]; Pride and Prejudice [2005]; Pride and Prejudice [1940]; Lost in Austen: mini-series [2009]; and ~~Pride and Prejudice: the BBC mini-series [1980].~~

* I did not think I could handle the drone of her voice! The words were rushed together!!

Cross-Related Works:

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor {Being a Jane Austen mystery} by Stephanie Barron
I Was Jane Austen’s Best Friend by Cora Harrison
Lost in Austen: Create Your Own Jane Austen Adventure by Emma Campbell Webster [2007]

My motivation to read “Pride and Prejudice” and the ‘after canons’:

Even before I first picked up Pride and Prejudice, I instinctively knew that I would be a life-long appreciator of Jane Austen! There was a drawing towards her works, her life, and her styling of writing that I cannot quite pin-point yet altogether know was threaded throughout my growing years and adulthood. I still remember for one of my birthdays {in my twenties} I purchased the “Jane Austen Library” out of one of the mail-order book clubs I was a member of at the time! I cannot recall directly if it was the Book-of-the-Month club OR another one, yet the books were hardback and had the most beautiful cover art I had then come across attributed to her collective works!

Prior to this, my Mum found the “Sense and Sensibility” screenplay {in hardback} which was directed by Emma Thompson. She also gave me a copy of the novel, in order to read and cross reference both texts. I remember beginning both quite eagerly, but I never properly became engaged into either! Around the time of the Keira Knightley adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, I felt that perhaps the stars were aligning and I could once again dig my heels into a book that had left me museful for most of my life! Especially with all the references being made in motion pictures {ie: “You’ve Got Mail”} making me ever the more curious,… I finally picked up a pocket hardback edition at Barnes & Noble! My greatest Austen moment thus far was being able to soak up the narrative during the opening week of the film and seeing it before it left the theaters! Quite chuffed I pulled that off, I must say!

As homage to my quest to understand Jane Austen, and to make a nodding at the first book that enticed me to her works, I decided to focus on Pride and Prejudice and the books that were spun into life out of respect of her canon and out of the inspirations that the story led other authors to create.

My Fellow Classics Re-Told Co-Contributors for “Pride and Prejudice”:

Melissa @ Harley Bear Book Blog

She has listed the following on her post as the selections she will be reading and watching during the challenge: Pride and Prejudice [2005] motion picture adaptation starring Keira Knightley & ?; The Lizzie Bennett Diaries [2012] web adaptation starring Ashley Clements; Spies and Prejudice by Talia Vance; Austenland by Shannon Hale; Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg; Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik; Pride and Popularity by Jenni James; and Prada & Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard. Be sure to follow her along as she embarks on this journey!

Andrea @ Beauty but a Funny Girl

She wrote that she had completely forgotten about the event taken place, but is still going to attempt to participate, as she has watched and enjoyed several adaptations over the years. She filled out a questionnaire specifically addressing her impressions of the films, and what she has taken away by absorbing into the life and world of Pride and Prejudice. I am not sure if she meant for that to be the main post OR if she is going to contribute more as the weeks go by. Stay tuned! By the 16th of September, I haven’t seen any posts leading me to think otherwise, and I think, she has quite literally bowed out. I can understand her circumstances, and therefore, her contribution is her Introduction.

Introduction Post

J. Dudgeon @ J. Dudgeon

Introduction Post
Countdown: 10 Things I Love About Pride & Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice vs. Pride, Prejudice and Jasmin Fields
Bride and Prejudice vs. Pride and Prejudice
Lost in Austen vs. Pride and Prejudice

She is the writer behind her own spin-off version of Pride and Prejudice entitled: Pride & Prejudice in California: Vol. 1: Pride, Prejudice and Termites. She has not yet composed her first posting by the 5th of September when I first began this post. However, on the 8th of September she started to post, including a breakdown of what she hoped to read & view! We have a few overlapping interests, as I too, am going to seek out “Lost in Austen”, “Pride, Prejudice, and Jasmin Fields”, as well as re-watch “Bride and Prejudice”.

Observations of our Differences:

Whereas Melissa and Andrea have grown an affection for “The Lizzie Bennett Diaries“, I cannot stipulate the same affection for the adaptation myself. Personally, it was a bit too raw, modern, and I took issues with various dialogue choices as well as the pace/flow of the story itself. I originally started to hear the murmuring of this adaptation across the broad spectrum of the bookish blogosphere earlier this year, but most predominately over Summer! I tried to keep an open mind about it, but to be honest, my first instinct was to roll my eyes and avoid watching them! Then, I thought that would be too prejudicial of me, and a bit too proud of my admiration of the classic film adaptations, by which, I have always wanted to see in full! I will admit, that even I, have a soft spot for a modern re-telling, which is the 2005 adaptation, where purists [Austenites + Janeites alike!] will shudder in horror for me to even admit this, yet its true! Therefore, after reading this post over on Bookish Comforts which bespoke about modern adaptations, I decided to take up the suggestion of ‘giving it a go’. I stopped watching after Episode 3. I. Could. Not. Take. One. More. Second. To each their own, as the saying goes.

Ironically, or naught, I felt that “The Autobiography of Jane Eyre” might actually be something I’d be more inclined to tune in and watch, as I watched Episode One! I will have to see how I feel about it after I conclude my reading of: Jane Eyre, for both Septemb-Eyre and Books of Eyre!

I am thankful that each of us are approaching this challenge from a completely different perspective and starting point! We might cross-relate on the motion picture adaptations, and of our love of the original canon, but you will be happy to note, we each take different forks in the road from there! Dear hearts, you shall have a full month to spend wandering around our blogs, and seeing a quite varied array of discussions populating our reviews!

Archive List of my Classics Re-Told Posts:

Prelude: Austen in August
Preface: What is a girl to do? Except Continue Onward!
Preview of a new sequel: Book Cover Reveal for “Love At First Slight” by J. Marie Croft
Post I: Classics Re-Told: 19th Century & Gothic Classics [focus on] Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Post II: Walking in Miss Elizabeth Bennett’s Shoes,…
Post III: Book Review: “Love At First Slight” by J. Marie Croft
Post IV: My second “Pride and Prejudice” Adaptation | First Viewing | 1940
Post V: My first “Pride and Prejudice” Adaptation | Second Viewing | 2006
Post VI: My first re-telling of “Pride and Prejudice” Adaptation | “Bride and Prejudice” | 2004
Post VII: “Darcy, Such As I”, a special keepsake and glimpse into the novel
Post VIII: Jane Austen Puzzle via Austen Authors
Post IX:
Post X: ?
Post XI: ?
Post XII: Austen, Jane Austen, Detective at the Ready!
Post XIII: Decidedly and Decisively Darcy: Private I’s
Post XIV: book
and continuing,…
Epilogue: Cross-Referencing Austen in August + Classics Re-Told
Epilogue: Websites of Austen & Pride and Prejudice
Epilogue: Review of: Lost in Austen, the book
Epilogue: Review of: Lost in Austen, the mini-series
Epilogue: book
Afterwards: Recollections of Classics Re-Told Reading Challenge

Con-current Classic Re-Told Events & Their Respective Hosts:

Ancient to Renaissance Lit Classics | hosted by: Alyssa @ Books Take You Places

Mythology | hosted by: Brittany @ Book Addicts Guide

Children’s Classics | hosted by: The Cheap Reader

American & Miscellaneous Classics | hosted by: Excellent Library

Read this: A full history of how *Classics Re-Told* became to being!

My Favourite Resources for Jane Austen:

Jane Austen Knits – despite being aware of this lovely zine which drops once or twice a year into our lives, I have not yet had the proper chance to collect the volumes! Each visit I make to Barnes & Noble, I find myself properly flushed with excitement over what the issue will contain! One day!
Austenprose –
Jane Austen Centre –
Jane Austen House Museum –
Austenticity –
Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine –
Jane Austen’s London – Blog of author Louise Allen who wrote Walking in Jane Austen’s London. I discovered this in connection with her book tour as the book was featured on The Word Wenches blog! Its an exciting book that allows the Janeite full access to know where in London you can take a walk, and be transported into the era of Jane Austen!
Austen Authors – An informative blog about Jane Austen, populated by sequel authors who enjoy writing about their muse. A recent discovery of mine! They host monthly giveaways and encourage readers to not only drop commentary but to pass the word around about their lovely blog! The authors you will find in conjunction to the blog are as follows: Susan Adriani [The Truth About Mr. Darcy & Darkness Falls Upon Pemberley]; Nina Benneton [Compulsively Mr. Darcy & Death Sparkles (anthology)]; Diana Birchall [Mrs. Darcy’s Dilemma, Mrs. Elton in America (trilogy), Jane Austen Made Me Do It (contributor), Onoto Watanna, The Story of Winnifred Eaton]; Marilyn Brant [According to Jane, A Summer in Europe, Friday Mornings at Nine, On Any Given Sundae, Double Dipping, Holiday Man, & Pride, Prejudice, and the Perfect Match]; Jack Caldwell [Pemberley Ranch, The Three Colonels, & Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner]; Karen Doornebos [Definitely Not Mr. Darcy & Undressing Mr. Darcy]; Monica Fairview [The Darcy Cousins, The Other Mr. Darcy, Jane Austen Made Me Do It (contributor), & An Improper Suitor]; Alyssa Goodnight [Austentatious, Austensibly Ordinary, & Unladylike Pursuits]; Maria Grace [Darcy’s Decision, The Future Mrs. Darcy, & All the Appearances of Goodness]; Cassandra Grafton [A Fair Prospect: Disappointed Hopes, A Fair Prospect: Darcy’s Dilemma, & A Fair Prospect: Desperate Measures]; Syrie James [The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte, Dracula, My Love, Nocturne, Forbidden, Jane Austen Made Me Do It (contributor), & The Harrison Duet: Propositions and Songbird]; Regina Jeffers [The Phantom of Pemberley, Darcy’s Passions, Darcy’s Temptation, Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion, Vampire Darcy’s Desire, Christmas at Pemberley, The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy, The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy, Honor and Hope, The Scandal of Lady Eleanor, The First Wives’ Club, A Touch of Velvet, A Touch of Grace, A Touch of Cashmere, A Touch of Mercy, Second Chances, His: Two Regency Novellas]; Sharon Lathan [Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One, Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley, My Dearest Mr. Darcy, In the Arms of Mr. Darcy, A Darcy Christmas, The Trouble with Mr. Darcy, Miss Darcy Falls in Love, & The Passions of Dr. Darcy]; Susan Mason-Milks [Mr. Darcy’s Proposal]; Jane Odiwe [Mr. Darcy’s Secret, Willoughby’s Return, Lydia Bennett’s Story, Jane Austen Made Me Do It (contributor), Searching for Captain Wentworth]; C. Allyn Pierson [Mr. Darcy’s Little Sister]; Abigail Reynolds [What Would Mr. Darcy Do?, To Conquer Mr. Darcy, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World, A Pemberley Medley, Mr. Darcy’s Obsession, The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice, Morning Light, Mr. Darcy’s Undoing, By Force of Instinct, Mr. Darcy’s Letter, Mr. Darcy’s Refuge, Mr. Darcy’s Noble Connections]; Colette Saucier [Pulse and Prejudice, All My Tomorrows, Alicia’s Possession, Dearest Bloodiest Elizabeth]; Mary Simonsen [Anne Elliot: A New Beginning, Searching for Pemberley, A Wife for Mr. Darcy, For all the Wrong Reasons, Mr. Darcy’s Bite, Mr. Darcy’s Angel of Mercy, Darcy on the Hudson, A Walk in the Meadows at Rosings Park, Captain Wentworth Home from the Sea, Becoming Elizabeth Darcy, Darcy Goes to War]; Sally Smith O’ Rourke [The Man Who Loved Jane Austen, The Maidenstone Lighthouse, Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen]; Shannon Winslow [The Darcy’s of Pemberley, Mr. Collin’s Last Supper, For Myself Alone, & Return to Longbourn]

{*NOTE: What is most curious to me, is to reflect, that on this one group author blog alone, there are two sequel authors I am reading this month represented! Their book titles are set in bold! I wonder if anyone else has read any of the selections mentioned!? I do notice a bit of a trend to vamp up the characters, however, I am not one inclined towards embarking down this particular path!}

Is “Pride and Prejudice” amongst your favourites of Jane Austen!? Was it the first of her novels that you picked up OR did you select another!? Which adaptation vexes you!? Which adaptation warms your heart and enchants your mind!? What is one happy hearted memory that surfaces to mind when you see a post like this, where the novel is at the forefront of the discussion!? Which Austen sites of interest do you enjoy visiting!? Do you have any to suggest!? Which actors do you think best represent Elizabeth & Darcy!?

This began as a month-long event I was participating, and I decided to expand it to become inclusive of my first Classics Club experience; thus making this a self-directed challenge and not limited to the constraints of it’s original event.

{SOURCES: Classics Re-Told badge created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Cas Cornelissen (Public Domain : Unsplash). Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination.}

Related Articles:

Jane Austen in Popular Culture – [Wikipedia]

Walking in Jane Austen’s London (the book) – [janeaustenslondon.com]

Posted Thursday, 5 September, 2013 by jorielov in 19th Century, After the Canon, Audiobook, Austen in August, Bookish Whimsy, British Literature, Classical Literature, Classics Re-Told: 19th Century & Gothic Classics, England, Inspired by Stories, Motion Picture Adaptation, Re-Told Tales, Sequel Authors, Spin-Off Authors, the Regency era