Dear Henry Tilney, Please consult Mr. Darcy on how to be a true Austen man. Sincerely, all the women who read Northanger Abbey! ~~~ Until this summer, I had not read Austen’s “Northanger Abbey.” I know, what true Janeite doesn’t binge read all of the novels, every year? One of the […]
What if being dead, as in a door nail, wasn’t exactly the end? Suppose with me for a moment, that we do, in fact, carry on without our bodies in tow–all of our memories, ideas, wishes, dreams get to come with us after we pass into the undiscovered country. As ghosts, we float about and […]
12 years ago, I first read Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Between my junior and senior years in college and while working at the J. Crew call center answering customers questions on bikinis that I would never wear myself or corduroy pants that felt like sandpaper–I first read Persuasion. This is the problem of being young and reading […]
One of the most peculiar things about human nature is this: we are addicted to safety. We love watching the psychopath’s shadow creep toward the shower curtain, raise the knife, then stab, stab, stab…blood down the drain. All while we munch on over-butterd popcorn from the relative “safety” of our sectional sofa. Of course, we […]
What if your grandfather told you that he had been hunted by squid faced monsters, had special friends who could do extraordinary things, and had boxes of photographs to prove it? Would you believe him? For most of us, we would chalk up grandpa’s tales of a supernatural or peculiar world to senility or dementia […]
Since we are half way through the lovely month of May, I thought it would be a nice time to check-in for a quick chat about Wuthering Bites. Right now, I’m over a third through the book. Yes, I know a good book club blogger would have finished the book three months ago, but I’m […]
It’s May, It’s May…the lusty month of May! (Double points if you can tell what musical said line is from…hint: Richard Burton and Julie Andrews starred in it) For the lusty month of May, we here at the DJABC will be gathering on the lonely moor to read Wuthering Bites! All right, I wish we DJABCers […]
In Jane Austen’s original work, Mr. Bennet bemoans his sad fate–the father to the silliest girls in Hertfordshire. Well, except for Lizzie. But I am not sure that is entirely fair. Obviously, there is no magic potion cure for Lydia’s stupidity(also, silly and stupid are not the same thing), but Mary and Kitty may not […]
Welcome to March here at The Dark Jane Austen Book Club! I certainly hope that it has been lamblike and docile for you, dear readers. Or perhaps, you prefer March to roar in like a lion. Full of noise and gusty winds. But whichever you prefer, like every month, our newest book selection both roars […]
As with every previous Friday, Charlotte waited for Mr. Collins to breakfast, pull on his gardening trousers, and head out in the tangled web of cucumber vines and cabbages. Today’s letter promised to be particularly promising since it was in Lady Catherine’s hand. Who would the old rich hag have had such a need to […]
Another Friday morning respite as Mr. Collins enjoys turning over the soil in his dear garden. I am afraid after reading his appalling epistle to our benefactress that I can no longer bear the sight of her “whipping boy.” But today, I shall be more happily engaged. For last week as Miss Anne de Bourgh […]
