When I think of Jane Austen I think of opulence and sophistication.--Beatrice Arthur

OPINION August 3, 2008 Mr. Darcy Comes Courting By MAUREEN DOWD Barack Obama is a modern incarnation of the clever, haughty, reserved and fastidious Mr. Darcy, cherished hero of chick-lit. Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/opinion/03dowd.html?ex=1218427200&en=3bb54a38cb695e45&ei=5070&emc=eta1Thanks to BM for sending in...

The proprietors of an eight-room bed and breakfast in a Georgian-style mansion in Vermont say they are planning a series of Jane Austen-themed weekends. Four weekends are scheduled at the Governor's House in Hyde Park between August and next January. Each will concentrate on Austen's novel "Persuasion" with talks, book discussion, a comparison of the … Continue reading Vermont inn planning Jane Austen weekends →

P&P Pin-up Colin Firth-yes, you may not remember every line he uttered from P&P, but you will be hard pressed to find a woman who doesn't recall the scene in which Mr. Darcy rises out of the lake in a wet white shirt. Well, for those of you who keep tabs on this pin-up, please … Continue reading ***Wet White Shirt Alert*** →

Up to 75 columnists a week introduce a note of erudition into their articles by beginning them with the phrase "It is a truth universally acknowledged that..." Recent examples include, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that the new two-door Ford Capri is an absolute dream to handle" (Jeremy Clarkson, Sunday Times) and, "It is … Continue reading Little-known fact about Jane #10 →

The first filmed adaptation of a Jane Austen novel came with Emma in 1937, starring the young Margaret Rutherford as Emma and Charles Laughton as Mr Knightley. This adaptation did not escape the censors: a 10-second sequence in which an incautious Harriet, attending a ball at Donwell Abbey, performs a suggestive lap dance for Robert … Continue reading Little-known fact about Jane #9 →

Do you anticipate the next ball as eagerly as Lydia and Kitty? Are you breathless as the thought of holding hands and being so near a potential beau that only a country dance will do? Well, then check out the English Country Dancing Societies in our state--a special section is on the left in the … Continue reading Every savage can dance… →

Jane Austen's Regency World Magazine is offering a subscription discount of twenty percent to members of the Jane Austen Society of North America. You can read about it on this preview page: http://www.janeausten.co.uk/regencyworld/page.ihtml?id=12JASNA has a 2-page article in each issue of the magazine, and favorites Maggie Lane and Sheryl Craig are also regular contributors.

Grounds for Sculpture is a wonderful place to spend a day rambling through the gardens and looking at the sculptures. Last year we spent our Box Hill Picnic day at this lovely spot. To check out the grounds go to http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/

JASNA-NY will have a booth at the New York Book Festival in Central Park on June 28th 10am to 4 pm. They will be selling books and distributing information about JASNA. For more information click on the JASNA-NY link under Favorite Austen Links on the left or follow this link for the Book Festival http://newyorkbookfest.brinkster.net/portal/