Jane Austen Pride And Prejudice Anniversary 1813-2020

Hello to my friends. January 28th is the anniversary of the publishing of Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice in 1813...

 

 

My favourite is the 1995 version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle...

The book was originally published with the author listed as A Lady, as it was considered scandalous for a gently bred woman to publish a book.

Eventually, her favourite brother Henry Austen let the cat out of the bag... and subsequently the Prince Regent hinted strongly she should dedicate her next work to him, as he had been an early and devoted fan of her books.

She dedicated Emma to him in 1816.

 It was thought she was not that fond of the idea, but felt it correct to do so...

This pair of Regency or Georgian hallmarked silver sugar tongs were made in 1828, and I like to think Jane Austen must have used a similar pair...

Where indeed would be without her wonderful books!

So glad to remember this anniversary! 

Mr Darcy, you must allow me to present this young lady to you as a desireable partner...

 

Jane Austen and Downton Abbey. A great night of TV

What a fabulous night of TV last night! It rarely happens in our neck of the woods and on our modest TV package...basic + Fox Soccer channel!!! But we have a PBS...struggling at the moment, but there.

First we had Jan Austen's Persuasion with Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones which is a very good shortened version of the book. I actually like Amanda Root's Anne Elliott a bit better, and the longer version has more of my favorite book moments, but a good Jane Austen at any length is a treasure!

Then we had Miss Austen Regrets...taken from many of Jane Austen's letters to her sister Cassandra and niece Fanny. The dramatization tries to establish the factors leading to her characterizations and story lines. The movie starts Olivia Williams who was Miss Fairfax in a PBS Emma and Hugh Bonneville from Lost In Austen and currently Lord Grantham in Downton Abbey.

Then we had the 2 hour opening episode of Downton Abbey. We so enjoyed being back to that great series! Although a bit more difficult to get through because of the warfare scenes, it was as absorbing as season 1. I was also so pleased that PBS US finally got smart and credited the American public for the ability to enjoy full length period drama. We in the USA got only 1/2 of season 1, as the PBS pundits thought the USA would be unable to follow or be interested in the concept of entailed inheritance and so sold the USA drastically trimmed versions. I was furious! But this season is the full length. Huzzah!!!!!

Roll on Sunday evening!