“I never told my love vocally still.” Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Quote of the Day: Matrimony
“Matrimony is a serious thing.” The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
Quote of the Day: More Animated
“To talk to each other is but a more animated and an audible thinking.” Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Registration is Now Open for Jane Austen Summer Program 2019
Annnndddd it’s back!
Registration is now open for the 2019 Jane Austen Summer Program, which is to be held June 20 – 23, 2019 in Carrboro and Chapel Hill, North Carolina! The guest of honor this year is Soniah Kamal, the author of Unmarriagable, which it itself is published on January 19, 2019. (I have been waiting, it seems, for forever for this book! Ahem.)
This year’s theme is “Pride and Prejudice & Its Afterlives.” As with previous years, JASP has a reading list and a movie list to get you prepped for the symposium. The tentative schedule is also up. Don’t forget the Regency ball to cap off your experience! (I’ll hand it to the JASP organizers, they are on. it.)
Registration opened last week and the early bird pricing ($495) is open until January 15, 2019 and then the price goes up to $545. There are discounts available for K-12 student and teachers as well as UNC staff.
All of this information and more, including travel information, photos, and discussion guidelines can be found on JASP’s website. (I highly recommend to subscribe to their blog and Instagram because they are always publishing informative information on Austen and related things.)
Note: If you have attended or will be attending JASP, and you want to give it a review for the blog, please contact me!
Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters links for December 23, 2018
What’s happening this week in the Janeite and Bronteite universes:
- Happy 202nd birthday to Charlotte Brontë: The author of Jane Eyre – Devdiscourse
- Unthanks to play Bronte song cycle – Keighley News
- A Walk around the Home of Emily Brontë – The Daily Star
- The truth about the Brontes’ beloved aunt – Keighley News
- The Unthanks: ‘We’re known for not shying away from dark material but we’ve been completely out-darkened by Emily Brontë’ – Yorkshire Evening Post
- The Emily Brontë Song Cycle: wandering in the wuthering heights – The Guardian
- Last chance to see legacy of Emily Bronte’s 200th year – Keigley News
- Novels That Freshen Up Some Well-Worn Classics – The New York Times
- Winchester Cathedral unveils Jane Austen statue plan – Hampshire Chronicle
- David Baddiel on the genius of Jane Austen – The London Times (paywall)
- Insights From ‘Persuasion,’ Jane Austen’s Last Novel – The Epoch Times
- Daughter of the house: Cassandra Hill, Jane Austen’s Irish great-niece – The Irish Times
- Jane Austen’s pride and prejudice and the East India Company connection – Samaa
- Reading Jane Austen as a teenager taught me to make my own choices, no matter what society told me to do – HelloGiggles
- Jane Austen, Identity Thief – National Review
- Persuasions Vol 39, No 1 – The Jane Austen Journal On-line
- Issue #48: Presenting our newest Ambassador! – Pride & Possibilities
7 Ways To Celebrate Jane Austen’s Birthday
Here are 7 ways to celebrate Jane Austen’s birthday this month!
Lest we forget, happy 243!
- Watch an adaptation of one of her movies. Here is a list of what’s currently streaming on Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon!
Watch Pride & Prejudice again? Don’t mind if I do! - Read one of her books!
“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much soon one tires of anything than of a book!” - Read one of the endless numbers of Austen inspired stories.
Dare Jane read too much Tom Jones? - Learn to speak hand fan to woo and dissuade suitors. The art of the hand fan has been around for several millennia, as early as the ancient Egyptians, and is thought to have come to Europe via Asia in the 16th century. It started its peak during the late 1700s with the epoch happening in the late Victorian era. The use of fans for communication would have not been out of place in the Bingley or de Bourgh households since the fans were made of costly materials and considered only attainable by those with status. Can you imagine Caroline Bingley attempting to woo Darcy via a fan? She probably would! Sotheby’s has a really good article along with instructions on using a hand fan.
(Image is obviously not historically accurate.) - Binge watch The Lizzie Bennett Diaries or Emma Approved
Celebrate good times! - Play a game! There is a wealth of games available for our favorite writer including Good Society, Jane Austen’s Matchmaker, and the Facebook game, Jane Austen Manors to name but a few.
The Bennett sisters challenge you to a game of whist. - Live your best life the Jane Austen way!
Jane and Bingley dance their way into love.
Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters links for December 16, 2018
What’s happening this week in the Janeite and Bronteite universes:
- Author gives Emily Bronte a chance to speak again – Keighley News
- 12 Female-Driven Period Dramas To Stream When You Need To Bounce Out Of 2018 – Bustle
- Unthanks to play Bronte song cycle – Telegraph & Argus
- The truth about the Brontes’ beloved aunt – Keighley News
- The Unthanks make songs from Emily Bronte’s poems – Yorkshire Post
- Winchester Cathedral’s £250,000 target to install Jane Austen statue – Daily Echo
- There are two different types of Jane Austen fans – OUP Blog
- Jane Austen’s Subtly Subversive Linguistics – JStor Daily
- 8 Proper Facts About Jane Austen – MentalFloss
- Jane Austen News – Issue 146– Jane Austen Centre
Applications for 2019 JASNA International Visitor Program Due Tomorrow, December 15
If you are working on a Jane Austen project, and you need resources and research from England, you should apply for the JASNA International Visitor Program (IVP). IVP is open to anyone in the US or Canada, and you do not have to be a student or a career academic to apply.
One lucky person will receive:
- A stipend of $3,250 (US dollars), which is to be used to defray the costs of airfare from continental US and Canada to England, housing, travel, and other expenses related to the trip.
- Work two days a week at Austen-related institutions in Chawton performing duties as assigned
- Attend the U.K. Jane Austen Society’s Annual General Meeting in July and provide assistance as requested by the Society
The applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- The importance of the project
- The need to access materials in Chawton or nearby
- The viability of the project (in terms of project parameters, time, and resources),
- The useful skills that the applicant brings to JASNA’s Austen-related partners in Chawton.
To be eligible, applicants must be members of JASNA who live in the United States or Canada and have an Austen-related project that requires access to resources in England. You do not have to be a career academic or a student to apply. I keep stressing this point because if you have a personal Austen passion project and you need access to research in Chawtown and related areas, you can apply!
It should be noted,
The IVP Committee is particularly interested in applicants whose Austen-related projects and interests match the needs of one of our Chawton partners: Jane Austen’s House Museum, Chawton House Library, and St. Nicholas Church. Find out more about each institution’s needs and past IVP projects below.
To apply, download the application fact sheet and form from the IVP website. The decision will be made on or before February 15, 2019.
Jane Austen Inspired Movies to Watch This Holiday Season
As someone originally from, and still calls home no matter where I am, Michigan, the changing of the seasons tend to be subtle. It’s right around late October when the chill in the air is noticeable, the woolen socks and sweaters have come out and I am blowing the dust off my turtlenecks, that I reach for the same movies over and over again. I’m not sure why these films remind me of the holiday season since most of them are not placed during the winter months but I do reason that since their release date was in the fall and winter is probably why I associate them with the seasons. I have watched these films dozens of times and I am always finding something new about them.
So, if you’re looking for a good comfy clothes and popcorn movies to watch, look no more. (I own all of these movies but I’m including links to the services where you can stream them.)
- Harry Potter series I know. The link is tenuous but J.K. Rowling has said on multiple occasions Jane Austen is her favorite author of all time so there is some influence of Austen’s work in the series but more in a blink and you’ll miss it kind of way. Nevertheless, I inhale this series every holiday season and you should, too. The series is only available on streaming to rent or to buy on Amazon and the price is fairly inexpensive. To be sure, I don’t know that many people who don’t own the whole series to watch at their leisure but if you’re one of the rare ones who do not, there is an option to watch it immediately.
- Bridge Jones’ Diary Availble to rent on Amazon or to stream if you have HBO, I watch this movie several times of year, in fact I just watched it last weekend, but I always make sure to watch it once the snow hits the ground. Since the story starts and ends on New Years Day, it’s no surprise it has become a top favorite movie to watch every holiday season.
- Becomes Jane Have I ever mentioned James McAvoy is a future ex-husband? No? Well, now you know. I’m more or less, most often more, watch anything with him in it and coupled with Anne Hathaway whom I adore, Becoming Jane is my catnip. Reminagining the alleged relationship of Tom LeFoy and Jane Austen, it follows their relationship from start to finish. This movie also sets Austen fanatics to clutch their pearl necklaces which I do not understand but there you are. Yes, information about Jane’s romantic life is minute but what is wrong with wondering whether or not something happened? No one is taking this movie as absolute truth so why all the gawps and huffing? Who knows! Becoming Jane is available cheaply to buy on Amazon in SD ($2.99) and HD ($4.99).
- Love, Actually Since the movie takes place during the month of December, every year it is the same deluge of think pieces why Love, Acutally is trash and a pox on humanity. I feel fairly confident to say it would take 3x as long as to read all of those articles than to watch the actual movie. If I stopped enjoying everything that is deemed trash, I would stare at a blank wall in a white room every day. I love this movie and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Don’t @ me. Love, Actually is streaming on Netflix or you can rent or buy it on Amazon.
- Pride & Prejudice (2005) Yep, you knew this was coming. I will continue to defend this movie to my dying day. It also has a special place in my heart since I visited Basildon Park (Netherfield Park) in 2008 while on holiday and there was an exhibit set up from the movie shoot to celebrate the production. Also, if you haven’t had a chance to listen to the soundtrack, it is divine. Even my husband likes it and he’s picky as heck. I also love just about everything Joe Wright has directed? (If you haven’t seen it, Atonement, also starring Keira Knightly as well as James McAvoy and a younSaoirsese Ronan, is heart wrenching.) If you don’t take my word for it, Natasha Shubrick over at Pride & Predjudice (2005) blog writes eloquently on her defense why P&P is sublime. It’s available to buy in HD from Amazon for $13.99.
And there you have it! My go-to movies for every holiday season. What are yours?
Holiday Gift Giving With Jane Austen and The Brontes
It’s that time of year again when many gift-giving holidays have arrived and you may be stuck on what to get your literary fan in your life. And sometimes it’s especially hard if they are an Austen or Bronte fan. What do you do? You peruse the following list for ideas from candles and jewelry to clothing and clocks. Whether they are an Austen or Bronte fan, there is something for everyone from ages 8 to 80.
I heartily recommend Brookish, Storiarts, Out of Print Clothing, and Pembertea as I have purchased their products over the years and found them to be of great quality. I have also bought products from Society6 and Zazzle before and their products tend to be fairly well made. One cannot go wrong with memberships to either JASNA or the Bronte Society. But any of the following products and services would be a delight to any literary lover.
Note: I have checked for last dates of delivery times in the US for the holiday season but it is your responsibility to check with the seller before purchase to make sure you’ll get it in time.
- A membership to JASNA
- A membership to the Bronte Society
- A gift from the Jane Austen Centre gift shop
- A gift from the Bronte Parsonage shop
- Brookish on Etsy has a wonderful selection of hand-lettered mugs, sweatshirts and t-shirts, notecards, and more! The last date for US delivery is December 16.
- Storiarts has a wonderful collection of Austen AND Bronte inspired gifts including infinity scarfs, headbands, and writing gloves. As of this writing, they are currently having a sale of 15% off but if they are not having a sale, you can use the code Austen15 at checkout.1
- Another fun gift is the Pembertea subscription box! Pembertea is a monthly subscription box for all things Austen. Each monthly box is themed and includes tea (of course), gifts, and trinkets related to that month’s theme. They also sell mugs, clothing, and blankets! Each subscription box is about $40 USD a month. I reviewed the boxes over here.
- Another fun store for all of your literary geekdom is Out of Print Clothing! I’ve been buying from them for years and the quality never disappoints. They carry t-shirts, bags, socks, sweatshirts, and other literary gifts. I have the most adorable pencil pouch from them. Not only do they have Jane Austen and Bronte (Charlotte and Emily (poor Anne!)) inspired gifts, but they also carry a gamut of authors such as Ray Bradbury to F. Scott Fitzgerald. You can see the complete list of authors here. (If you click on the ad in the right sidebar, you get $5 off your order at Out of Print clothing!)
- Jane Austen’s Office has a wide range of gifts from clocks to cellphone covers to mugs and clothing.
- Society6 has a large array of Jane Austen and Bronte gifts.
- Amazon US, of course, has books, DVDs, clothing, and more for Austen and Bronte alike.
- We can’t forget Etsy (Austen, Bronte) which has candles, make-up, and more
- There is also Zazzle (Austen, Bronte)
- Uncommon Goods (Austen, Bronte) has socks, mugs, and pillows (I have been gifted the Austen AND Bronte mugs and I love them so).
- The Literary Gift Company has Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, and Jane Austen inspired mugs, jewelry, and soap to name a few things!
- Novel Creations repurposes books into purses and clutches
Have a happy holidays!
1. Earlier this year, in lieu of payment for advertising (as seen in the right sidebar), Storiarts sent me a few items such as a Pride and Prejudice book scarf and Poe’s The Raven writing gloves. I have yet to review them (but that is upcoming) but for full disclosure, I receive no compensation for any purchase you may buy.