Austen makes the A-list
The Christian Science Monitor has published an article discussing Jane Austen’s increasing appeal in today’s society:
Perhaps bored with the predictable cycle of conquest and consummation on “Sex and the City,” popular culture is rediscovering Jane Austen and her subtle love stories. From “Regency House,” a PBS reality series that challenges men and women to dress up in Georgian costume and court each other in the traditional manner described in Austen’s novels, to several new movie versions of “Pride and Prejudice,” audiences are intrigued by an era in which romance boiled slowly and passions bubbled under the surface. . . For Hollywood, the attraction of the stories lies in their appeal to the date-movie crowd. But Austen fans say what differentiates the author from similarly plotted Harlequin novels are her witty, often satirical, comments about human nature. “They are universal,” says Sue Hughes, editor of Jane Austen’s Regency World, a bimonthly magazine. “It’s the way people behave and work in connection with each other. The way she’s observed them so cleverly is really what matters.”
The article gives several nods to the various Austen adaptations released in the past decade, from the popular 1995 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE miniseries to BRIDGET JONES’ DIARY and it’s sequel. The crew here at AustenBlog are delighted to hear that the rest of the world is slowly catching on to the brilliance of Our Dear Jane!
November 18th, 2004 at 11:26 pm
I run into that a lot, and it doesn’t surprise me when I hear about it and I don’t think less of people who aren’t familiar with Jane Austen, but I think that being a Janeite is such a big and important part of my life now that I can’t imagine NOT knowing about her. I feel sorry for people who haven’t had a chance to be introduced to her work.