Just as I was contemplating scaling back or abandoning challenges altogether, along comes a new one I simply cannot resist! Stephanie at Stephanie's Written Word is hosting an Everything Austen Challenge. The rules can't get any easier - just pick six Austen-themed things to do between July 1, 2009 and January 1, 2010. The possibilities are endless! Jane's own writing, movies based on her novels, sequels, spin-offs, biographies...see what I mean?
I have a list to choose from, but will make some adjustments as the challenge progresses. Here is my starting point:
Jane Austen novels:
re-read Pride and Prejudice, the new annotated version
re-read Northanger Abbey
movies:
Pride and Prejudice, BBC version (Colin Firth will always be my Mr. Darcy)
Pride and Prejudice, 2005 (Daughter #1's favorite - Matthew Macfayden is her Darcy!)
Lost in Austen
Books already on the nightstand:
Two Guys Read Jane Austen by Steve Chandler and Terrence Hill
Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin
Austen-related novels:
The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy by Mary Street (not to be missed, according to Daughter #1)
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
The annotated Pride and Prejudice was already part of my summer reading plan, as was Two Guys Read Jane Austen. Austen-related novels always make for good summer reading, and I'd watch P&P again even without a challenge. This is a challenge that I can definitely complete! Thanks, Stephanie, for hosting such a fun challenge.
***************************
Completed Activities:
1. Lost in Austen - DVD... see review here.
2. Two Guys Read Jane Austen by Steve Chandler and Terrence N. Hill - reviewed here.
3. "I Dated Jane Austen" by T.C. Boyle - reviewed here
Oh, some of these I've never heard of! Thanks for joining in!!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fun challenge and the two guys reading Austen sounds very interesting. Have fun.
ReplyDeleteOut of curiousity...have you seen the two Sense and Sensibilities (the Emma Thompson version and the recent Masterpiece Theater series)? If so, which did you like better?
I have been resisting temptation with this challenge... I need to give it some more consideration. It's not that I wouldn't love to do it, because I would, but I, like you, am reluctant to commit myself to challenges at the moment as I have so many personal ones.
ReplyDeleteThe BBC P&P adaptation will always be my favourite but I loved Lost in Austen and now I have a replacement Mr Darcy for when Colin Firth is unavailable!
You should be exceedingly diverted! And I agree with you, Colin Firth is THE Mr. Darcy. Matthew is quite lovely but I find him to be more vulnerable than smouldering. Where's my fan...
ReplyDeleteI could not resist this one either. Colin will always be my Darcy too. My daugther likes the 05 version but has never read the book. Must be her age.
ReplyDeleteI am going to check out the Two Guys title.
Stephanie - This is a perfect challenge - how could I resist?
ReplyDeleteBookPsmith - I know I'll enjoy this challenge. I somehow missed the Masterpiece Theater S&S. I should have included that on my list of possibilities.
Paperback Reader - I thought hard before joining this one. I had planned to read at least two of the books this summer anyway, and will watch the P&P movies with my daughters, too, so it's really just two additional activities. Lost in Austen will most definitely be one of them!!
Darlene - EXACTLY!! More vulnerable than smouldering - I love it!
ReplyDeleteNise' - Maybe it is a generational thing. The Two Guys book looks very good. I'll do a Teaser Tuesday from it in a week or so.
I caved and joined±
ReplyDeletePaperback Reader - Ha! I knew you would...I'll be right over to check out your list!
ReplyDeleteI'm joining in this challenge as well. It should be loads of fun. You've got some good ones picked out there. I can't wait to hear about them all. I love Lost in Austen!
ReplyDeleteDar - This challenge will be a lot of fun! Can't wait to get started - glad you're joining, too.
ReplyDeleteHello, it's me again. I just wanted to tell you that "Jane Austen: A Life", the one you have listed, is fabulous. My mom bought me the biography for my birthday, and I enjoyed it immensely. I was also wondering if you had read all of the Austen books (in my mind, that entails "Pride and Prejudice", "Mansfield Park", "Persuasion", "Sense and Sensibility", "Northanger Abbey", "Lady Susan", and "Emma". If you have not read "Mansfield Park", I recommend that one. It was my favorite.
ReplyDeleteMadeleine - Thanks so much for visiting! I'm so glad to know that you liked Jane Austen: A Life. Emma is the only one of the major novels I haven't read...and, it's funny, but I seem to be 'saving it' so I don't run out of Austen novels to read for the first time.
ReplyDelete