Hello and welcome Austenites to my guest post. My heartfelt thanks go to Team Austenesque for providing an avenue to share my story on how I discovered and fell in love with all things concerning Jane Austen.
One of my favourite places to hang out is in a shopping mall and I never fail to visit the bookstore when I’m out shopping. At that point, I have already read Pride and Prejudicealbeit the abridged version when I was twelve and went on to purchase my own Penguin edition ofPride and Prejudice. I stumbled upon Darcy’s Story written by Janet Aylmer on one of these excursions and sat down for hours to read about the parallel story from Mr Darcy’s point-of-view (much like Amanda Grange’s Mr. Darcy’s Diary). I did not know that such a thing even exists but I’m glad to have discovered a treasure. I’m sorry to say that I did not immediately purchase the copy nor was I very passionate about Jane Austen but the seed was planted from that moment.
As for when I became an admirer of Austen’s genius, I can date back to the time when I learn from Austenblogthat ITV, a television channel based in UK, will air the adaptations of three Austen’s canon in 2007. Called The Jane Austen Season, it comprises Mansfield Parkstarring Billie Piper and Blake Ritson, Northanger Abbeywith Felicity Jones and JJ Field and Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones’ version of Persuasion. After watching the wonderful television movies and wanting to prolong my enjoyment of viewing Jane Austen adaptations, I began to watch the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudicemini-series and was definitely charmed by the picturesque countryside, elegant costumes and unique customs. Pretty soon my next visit to book haven yielded some interesting results as I bought Old Friends and New Fancies, touted as the first ever published Austenesque sequel. And I was on my way to become a passionate Austen fan.
There are a number of reasons why I choose to read mainly Austenesque books. I’m sure most Janeites are aware that Jane Austen chose not to paint scenes when a genteel lady is not present. Thus we, the readers, are deprived of what the gentlemen are thinking, discussions and debates among men and whatever that would have occurred between them. On top of that, our dear Jane’s storytelling skills conclude at the matrimonial stage where we are told that the heroines and heroes are happily married. Of course there is a reason for it since she writes only what she knows as was her advice given to her niece, Anna Austen. This is where writers of Jane Austen fan-fiction or para-literature come in to sate our appetite to know what happens next (sequel). Besides this I am also curious to learn the events that took place prior to the beginning of the novel (prequel) and the thoughts of secondary characters and heroes (retellings). If there is a slight diversion to the tale, will the characters still end up the same as depicted by Jane Austen? (variations) What happens if the story occurs in modern times? (adaptations) How will the characters behave if they are transported to a different era from their original setting? It fuels my imagination to experience the stories that authors choose to write and this is why I love reading their works.
There are a plethora of favourite Austenesque reads but Amanda Grange’s Austen men diaries deserve a special mention. Among her titles, I love Captain Wentworth’s Diary, Colonel Brandon’s Diary and Mr. Darcy’s Diary. Then there is Pemberley by the Seaby Abigail Reynolds, Marilyn Brant’s According to Jane, Sara Angelini’s The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy and Compulsively Mr. Darcypenned by Nina Benneton vying for my favourite contemporary Austenesque novels. Mary Lydon Simonsen also writes fabulous Pride and Prejudice-inspired fiction and I’m lucky enough to have read Searching for Pemberley and The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy. The icing on the cake has to be Jane Austen Made Me Do It, an anthology of Jane Austen- inspired short stories compiled and edited by Austenprose’s Laurel Ann Nattress.
I leave you now with pictures of a small part in my treasured collection. See if you can spot a few hidden behind the piles ofAustenesque titles.
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Wow, what a collection! That’s awesome. 😀
araminta18 at gmail dot com
I recognise several titles that are also on my shelves. 😉
JA’s letters always make fascinating reading. That was another avenue I pursued when first falling under the spell of our dear lady author.
Thanks for allowing us a peek at your travelled path of Austen addiction, Sylvia. 🙂
Linda/Teg
tegeirian at hotmail dot com
This comment has been removed by the author.
I’m seriously drooling over your bookshelves. Looks like some awesome titles.
Robyn
rbquilter AT gmail dot com
Wonderful bookshelves!
@samjaymc
Thank you very much for your compliments. I have others kept neatly in a separate bookshelves but due to logistical decisions decided not to. 🙂
Nice to meet you…
What a wonderful collection…
see some of the same books from my shelves and see some I will need to buy….
Stephanie
lucasaaron_5297{{AT}}yahooDOTcom
Nice to meet you Sylvia! I loved reading your post and I must tell you, you have an amazing collection!
newyorkgirl82(at)gmail(dot)com
This is only a SMALL part of your collection? Wow 🙂
I know what you mean about the action in Austen’s novels never following the men. I like Austenesque books from their POV, too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!
Heather M.
hmoll(at)nycap(dot)rr(dot)com
Fyi, a few days ago I bought two books which are just released (Emma: An Annotated Edition and The Chronicles of Downton Abbey) and am tempted to take another picture for my first photo. 🙂
Great collection, Sylvia – very eclectic! I really have not read many books about Austen’s life, or the non-fiction works regarding her. I need to work on that! 😉
Thanks for sharing with us *PART* of your Austenesque library!
@jaffobsession
Perhaps you can start with Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin 🙂
That looks like a great collection! I love going to bookstores and browsing the shelves looking for new books as well however most of the bookstores near me have closed so I don’t get to do so as much as I used to. I have read most of Amanda Granges books as well and really enjoyed them. Thank you for sharing your collection & giving me some new titles for my to-read list. Have a great day!
I forgot to leave my e-mail address.
crystal_dark[at]att[dot]net
Chelsea, I’m sorry to hear that the bookstores near your house have closed down. As a book lover I’m sad. Maybe you can try browsing your local library as an alternative.
I belong to two libraries nearby and get books out from them on a regular basis. I also browse amazon occasionally and every once in awhile I go to Half Price Books. Still it was sad when the nearby bookstores closed.
It was so nice to hear about you! And seeing your book collection! I absolutely love looking for new Jane Austen related books, and oh my goodness I wish I had your collection!
It was nice again hearing about you!
twitter: rosefire15
It was so nice to read about you. Old Friends and New Fancies – few people have read that book. I was intrigued that you read it so quickly into your Austen adventures. Great pics.
Suzan, I’m actually a slow reader as I take my time to digest the story in case I forget important plot points.
Janet Ayler’s book was one of my first Austenesque books too. Loved reading your post, Sylvia
Very nice to meet you!! And I love your collection! 🙂
What a great collection! It is so nice to hear about others who share the same love for all things Austenesque. I wish we could have a book swap!!
joyalegra at gmail
Thanks for sharing your collection. I am a fan of Abigail Reynolds & Amanda Grange as well.
castlefan@att.net
I see a few new books I need to add to my collection.
ddcknitt(at)yahoo(dot)com
Wow, Syvia, that´s an impressive collection!
And I love to look at all the Austen admirers pictures trying to find books I have on my shelf too. So fun!
Thanks for sharing with us!
kewinkler at gmail dot com
Kaewink, I love looking at the photos too as I can get an idea what books to add to my collection. My dream is to own a library like Pemberley. 😛
Wow sylvia, though I think I can probably rival you. I also have an extensive paper collection and my favs I also have on my kindle just in case I feel the need to READ!
Sorry email chatty1082 at gmail dot com
No Kindle for me so you win on that count. 😛
Once again, thank you everyone for your kind comments. I enjoyed your thoughts so keep them coming.
evangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com
LOL…..you’re bookcase looks like mine. There are just too many good books and before you know it there is no room left. 🙂
drcopeland(at)hotmail(dot)com
Yes, I’m running out of space already so I try to buy books from my favourite Austenesque authors.
Wow! What a lovely collection, Sylvia! I love taking a peek at people’s bookshelves! Thanks for sharing!=)
kellik115(at)yahoo(dot)com
You certainly have an impressive collection! Amanda Grange’s diary books are among my favorites as well.
diaryofaneccentric at hotmail dot com
Haha, I see you and I probably have similar taste in both tv and fiction! Your collection is absolutely lovely! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
liedermadchen(at)hotmail(dot)com
Nice to get to know you a little better 🙂 Loved your collection!
Very nice collection! And I see you have some of my favorites there, too in the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter books!
Don’t you love it when you have some many books they have to be 2-deep on a bookshelf? Happiness! 🙂
Whitby1734 (at)aol(dot)com
I love The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter movies. The Hobbit movie is going to show soon with the first movie this December. Can’t wait to watch and journey back to the magical world of Middle-Earth.
The library is near my house (a five-minute walk) so that’s where I get a lot of books. I see they’ve ordered the new Downton Abbey book. Didn’t know about that before. I’ve heard of those books about the Harry Potter movies and will have to get them from the library sometime.
I love to see pictures of people’s bookshelves. I also have the first Jane Austen sequel, Old Friends and New Fancies. I haven’t read it yet. I own some Amanda Grange and Jane Odiwe books. Lydia Bennet’s Story sounds interesting and I want to know what happens between her and Wickham but I don’t have the book yet. You have two copies of Jane Austen Made Me Do It!
catbooks(at)rocketmail(dot)com
Yes, I have two. I bought one copy when it was just released and read it. The other is a signed copy from Laurel Ann which I won in a giveaway some time after I purchased my copy. 🙂