Jane Austen Newsletter August 2015

Jane Austen Newsletter August 2015

Hello Everyone! Welcome to another edition of The Jane Austen Newsletters. Hope this finds everyone well. I have been watching Podark, a series on PBS that is in England in the 1800's and the Podark family is rich except for the cousin Ross Podark and he is trying to make it in the mining business and he is the poor relation. He marries a pretty servant girl that he hired. His rich uncle is a snob and his cousin Frances doesn't know beans about anything and he may lose his fancy house and he cheats on his wife Elizabeth whose Ross was in love with but everyone thought he died in the Revolutionary war in America.He comes home to find Elizabeth is marrying his cousin Francis. The uncle dies and Frances is clueless. He couldn't work if his life depended on it. He cheats on his wife. The scenery is beautiful in this show. It is by the ocean and the hills are so green. I want to live there. Ross' wife got Frances sister Vertie back together with her sea captain boyfriend and Frances tried to kill him and he got shot but Frances lived. Secret letters were passed back and forth between the sea captain and Vertie via Ross' wife. Anyway, this story reminds me of Jane Austen. I even have my husband watching this.

As promised, I read JANE AUSTEN: A LIFE BY: CLAIRE TOMALIN This is what I learned. The book TOM JONES, well the main character was quite a rogue. A man who makes loves with a lot of women. This novel deals with sexual situations and illegitimate children. Jane had read this and didn't approve of the book. She put her pen down for a day or two but decided she couldn't worry about this book. She would keep writing. She kept her novels romantic but not sexual. Lady Susan was another matter but it wasn't a Tom Jones novel.

Jane's aunt Leigh Perrots was accused of stealing a piece of lace and the lace was found among her parcels. If found guilty, she would have been sent to Australia. A lot of prisoners were sent to Australia. Luckily, the aunt was found innocent and did spend time at an old lady's house for a few months where she was under house arrest. The aunt was accused of stealing a plant from someone's home. This charge was dismissed as well.

The rest of the book talked about Jane's writing and her life in Bath and things we already know. I was hoping to learn things I didn't already know.

Mr. Darcy is considered the most romantic fictional character of all times. He even tops "Twilight's Edward" and "Titanic's" Jack Dawson. My cousin married an English man who left England to be with her and live in the US. I tease her about him Mr. Darcy. He loves his tea and she spends a lot on tea.

Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" has sold 110,00 copies and John Grisham's "Runaway Jury" has sold 73, 339 copies. Jane tops Grisham! I am sure Grisham and Patterson are good at what they write but I love romance, paranormal, fantasy, Jane Austen and Danielle Steel novels.

Cassandra burned a lot of Jane's letters after she died. I guess she thought they were too personal. I wish she wouldn't. I am sure there is more about Jane's life the world would liked to have known.

Jane has done quite well. I just wish she could have joined her fame when she was alive. She has fans and maybe she does know in the next world that she is well loved and we read her books and honor her.

I will try to be back with another newsletter next month. Have a Happy Summer!

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