Jane Austen Made Us Do It
Today we are paying tribute to one of Mrs. Sallyâs favorite authors - Jane Austen. Miss Austen passed away 200 years ago today. If you havenât read one of her novels yet - now is the perfect day to start. Mrs. Sally has compiled a list of Austen classics and works inspired by them.Â
Pride and Prejudice - Â Arguably the most famous of all the Jane Austen novels, this is a good place to start exploring the world of Austen.Â
Of course, we canât forget the many adaptations of this classic title - including the BBC miniseries, which is widely hailed as the best adaptation among Austenites. And the library owns it!Â
Colin Firth looking dreamy as Pride and Prejudice hero Mr. Darcy.Â
A more recent adaption is the 2016 novel Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld. Set in modern day Cincinnati, this adaption imagines Elizabeth and Darcy navigating the barriers imposed on finding love by things like reality TV and busy doctorâs schedules.
Of course, if you prefer your Rengency-era tales with a little twist, you could always try out Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (though Mrs. Sally canât recommend the movie with any real vigor.)Â
Jane Austenâs first novel - Sense and Sensibility - follows sisters Marianne and Elinor as they navigate a new life with their widowed mother. They soon find love - and heartbreak.Â
Printed Book - Ebook - MovieÂ
Have you the seen the classic 90â˛s movie Clueless? No? What are you waiting for?Â
And when youâre done with that good time, try reading the novel it was based on. Emma by Jane Austen.Â
Some other titles that have been inspired by Jane Austen and her works include:Â
A truth universally acknowledged : 33 great writers on why we read Jane Austen - Â "In essays culled from the last one hundred years of criticism juxtaposed with new pieces by some of todayâs most popular novelists and essayists, JaneAustenâs writing is examined and discussed, from her witty dialogue to the arc and sweep of her story lines. Great authors and literary critics of the past offer insights into the timelessness of her moral truths while highlighting the unique confines of the society in which she composed her novels. Virginia Woolf examines Austenâs maturation as an artist and speculates on how her writing would have changed if sheâd lived twenty more years, while C. S. Lewis celebrates Austenâs mirthful, ironic take on traditional values" -- inside cover.Â
(Can you guess where we got the inspiration for this blog post title??)Â
Jane Austen made me do it : original stories inspired by literature's most astute observer of the human heart  - Stories by: Lauren Willig, Adriana Trigiani, Jo Beverley, Alexandra Potter, Laurie Viera Rigler, Frank Delaney & Diane Meier, Syrie James, Stephanie Barron, Amanda Grange, Pamela Aidan, Elizabeth Aston, Carrie Bebris, Diana Birchall, Monica Fairview, Janet Mullany, Jane Odiwe, Beth Pattillo, Myretta Robens, Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway, Maya Slater, Margaret C. Sullivan, and the winner of a story contest hosted by the Republic of Pemberley website. Â
The list could be 100 items long and probably not cover every thing the library owns. But - for a more simple and concise introduction - try The Complete Works of Jane Austen.Â