Always-Alert Janeite Heather L posted in comments that the new television film adaptation of NORTHANGER ABBEY will go into pre-production this Monday. Jon Jones will direct; no cast confirmed yet.

We are all curiosity…and hope that Jane will watch over this production and that it will do justice to Henry and Catherine.

Alert Janeite Heather L. wrote to tell us that Graphic Classics will be putting out a Gothic Classics issue in April 2007, including Catherine Morland’s favorite novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, and…

*drumroll*

…Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen!

We should probably be appalled but actually we find it way cool; we’re not sure if any of Jane Austen’s novels besides NA would work for this format, but the concept of NA as a graphic novel is really quite brilliant. We are further encouraged by the publisher’s understanding that NA is a parody of gothic novels. The artists who will be working on NA are Trina Robbins and Anne Timmons (the links on the main page don’t seem to work).

We hope that the publication of Udolpho in this format will encourage those who blanch at the size of the regular prose version of Udolpho to read that story, as we think it helps one to truly understand and appreciate Northanger Abbey.

Oh, and if the artists would like some input on Henry Tilney’s many-caped greatcoat, please feel free to contact the Editrix, who is after all the Self-Appointed World’s Leading Expert on Northanger Abbey, not to mention Da Man! Or at least check these out!

Yo New Yorkers! We heard from a producer trying to gauge interest in an off-off-Broadway production of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Post and let us know if you would go to see such a play!

*flees from stampeding commenters*

Alert Janeite Paola wrote to tell us about an article (in French) about Samuel Beckett’s various homes; the article mentions that Beckett traveled to Jane Austen-related sites in England.

Le voici en Angleterre. Il a 29 ans et vient de villégiaturer avec sa mère, sur les traces de Jane Austen et de Shakespeare.

Here he is in England. He’s 29 years old and he’s just taken a vacation with his mother, on the traces of Jane Austen and Shakespeare.

Some of our readers have mentioned in comments something that we’ve been wondering about ourself…if ITV is putting on its “Jane Austen Season” this autumn, shouldn’t they be filming the bally movies, like, NOW? Billie Piper has been cast in MP, but there hasn’t been any other news that we’ve caught. Of course, they might be hiding from us so we don’t have a chance to pre-snark.

Oh, boy.

CS: Is the Jane Austen movie you’re doing, “Becoming Jane,” more towards the drama side or is it also a comedy?
Hathaway: It’s a little bit of both. I think that the first half of it is like a surprisingly fun romantic comedy and then it veers into tragedy.

*buries head in hands*

I can’t give too much away. It’s not really a conscious decision to stick to one genre or move to another. I’m just learning how to act basically

*cries like a little girl*

And, pssst…this movie takes place about 15 years before the Regency. But thanks for playing!

We are pleased to announce that the Jane Austen novel illustrations archive at Molland’s now has illustrations by C.E. Brock for Persuasion from the 1898 Dent editions.

Scroll down to the section titled “Tinted Line Drawings by C.E. Brock.” Anne is so pretty and delicate–and Miss Elliot so very handsome and haughty! And a bit scary! (No doubt her flying monkeys were being tended to by the footmen outside the Assembly Rooms.) And, of course…The Letter.

Many thanks (as always) to Cinthia for scanning these!

Amanda Grange wrote to tell us that her next novel, Mr. Knightley’s Diary, is available for preorder at amazon.co.uk.

The book will be released on August 31 in the U.K. and in October in the U.S.

Click on the cover to see a larger version of it at Amanda’s Web site and read an excerpt from a previous post on this weblog.

‘But will she marry? What is there to tempt her?’ I asked, as George climbed onto my knee. ‘She is already the mistress of her father’s house. She has her nephews and nieces to interest her. She even has a little Emma named after her,’ I said, looking at the baby. ‘I sometimes wonder what is to become of her.’

‘Come, George, this is a dim view of things. Emma will fall in love and marry, as we all do. She is only twenty years old, she has plenty of time. She is not averse to matrimony, after all.’

‘Very true,’ said Isabella loyally. ‘She is in favour of it. It was she who arranged the match between Miss Taylor and Mr Weston.’

‘That is exactly what I mean! She is full of her own importance, and you do nothing to bring her back to reality. She fancied herself a matchmaker, and instead of telling her she was talking nonsense, you all agreed.’

Alert Janeite Heather L wrote to tell us that the July issue of Smithsonian magazine has an article about a horticulturist developing new species of strawberries, that unsurprisingly (and quite appropriately) quotes from Emma.

From the 16th to the mid-19th centuries, the musk strawberry—known as moschuserdbeere in Germany, hautbois in France and hautboy in England—was widely cultivated in Europe. In Jane Austen’s Emma, guests at a garden party rave about it: “hautboy infinitely superior—no comparison—the others hardly eatable.”

That was Mrs. Elton, we think, in one of the many truly brilliant passages in that novel.

Mrs. Elton, in all her apparatus of happiness, her large bonnet and her basket, was very ready to lead the way in gathering, accepting, or talking–strawberries, and only strawberries, could now be thought or spoken of.–”The best fruit in England–every body’s favourite–always wholesome.–These the finest beds and finest sorts.–Delightful to gather for one’s self–the only way of really enjoying them.–Morning decidedly the best time–never tired–every sort good–hautboy infinitely superior–no comparison–the others hardly eatable–hautboys very scarce–Chili preferred–white wood finest flavour of all–price of strawberries in London–abundance about Bristol–Maple Grove–cultivation–beds when to be renewed–gardeners thinking exactly different–no general rule–gardeners never to be put out of their way–delicious fruit–only too rich to be eaten much of–inferior to cherries–currants more refreshing–only objection to gathering strawberries the stooping–glaring sun–tired to death–could bear it no longer–must go and sit in the shade.”

Yes. Brilliant.

From Strange But True.

Word frequency analysis showed “significant difference” between the two writers, says David Crystal in The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. One method is to list the 50 commonest words in all available texts of each author, then to compare the results. You might think an author’s unusual pet words would be the tipoff, but frequency of bread-and-butter words like “to” and “with” are generally more revealing, says Erica Klarreich in Bookish Math in Science News Online.

These frequencies are unconscious and so make good literary “fingerprints.” For instance, in a famous dispute over whether Alexander Hamilton or James Madison wrote certain of the Federalist Papers, analysts studied the men’s other writings and found Hamilton used the word “upon” about 10 times as often as Madison.

“They assigned all 12 papers to Madison, concurring with the historians’ prevailing view.” When novels by Jane Austen and Henry James were compared, the number of he’s and him’s stood out in James’ work, says Crystal, they’s and them’s in Austen’s. James was also fond of using the indefinite article “a” and “an.”

Cool!

The Age has an article about art as sexual display that mentions Jane Austen, as it is a rule now that all articles must mention Jane Austen. (We got the memo.)

You can, for example, accurately describe family history in a way we all recognise is true to our biology and mating rituals without the narrative being considered the work of a literary genius such as Jane Austen. Great art reminds us of our everyday humanness even as it transcends it. Darwin cannot tell us precisely how that happens.

Austen’s 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice opens with a famous sentence that may sound like a pure expression, or rather anticipation, of Darwin’s theory of natural selection: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” But that “pure content”, as John Armstrong refers to it, is only the beginning of the story.

Not to mention being ironic humor. Geez. Lighten up, will ya?

Armstrong says Austen’s popularity is “profoundly mysterious” since her art is much more than a preoccupation with materialism and natural selection. “Jane Austen is a deeply magnificent thinker of subtlety and firmness of mind. Her popularity is based on a complete illusion about what she is interested in. Austen is a severe moralist and her stories are of the moral fitness of the best people not in terms of their ability to breed but of their moral superiority. It is a very Platonic society where morally superior people eventually mate and in which the wicked people mate too but are punished by unhappiness due to their moral weakness.

“The people who admire her work tend to think it is about elegant society,” he says, “but Austen is the harshest critic imaginable of the sort of person who reads her novels for their social character.”

Rather than merely dramatise human biology, Austen - who, incidentally, never had children or enjoyed much material success from her books - strives to deepen our understanding of the human condition.

HA! Told you so.

Article on Anne Hathaway:

When it comes to cinema, Jane Austen’s literary canon gets mined nearly as often as Shakespeare’s. Now, the author of “Pride and Prejudice,” “Emma” and “Sense and Sensibility” is once again due to get some big-screen love with “Becoming Jane,” a biopic that portrays her complicated pre-fame romance with impoverished Irishman Tom Lefroy and stars Anne Hathaway. “She’s a girl who is financially very dependent on her choice of husband,” Hathaway said of the Austen she’s seeking to capture. “She doesn’t have enough money. She’s not an heiress, so she won’t inherit [any money], so there’s a lot of pressure on her. But she has bigger plans for herself: She wants to write. Then, much to her surprise, she ends up falling in love with a poor man.” That role is played by James McAvoy, better known as Mr. Tumnus from “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Although the 23-year-old Hathaway has admitted to fears that her performance as Austen will not measure up to the lofty expectations of Janeites, she is convinced that director Julian Jarrold (”Kinky Boots”) will steer the currently shooting flick toward a successful 2007 launch.

Well, there’s a bit of news in there: 2007 release. (What did we tell you? Huh?) But still: Made Up Story! We suspect that the real story had a lot less to do with money than they seem to think.

This sounds like fun. An essay in the book The Right Words at the Right Time, Volume 2, edited by Marlo Thomas, is called “Jane Austen Meets The New York Giants.”

the story goes on to tell how an argument between me and Ron (Corcillo, her fiance) over what to watch on TV — “Pride and Prejudice” or a Giants game — and a random comment he drops into the conversation, leads me to realize that true love and amazing romance isn’t the stuff you find in books and movies, rather, it’s in the life you lead with the one you love. True love is warm and cozy and always there, folded in with the socks and towels.

Awww! We think Jane would agree.

The Enid Blyton folks are up in arms over the modernization of her work, and all in all we can’t blame them; we know what it is like to defend your literary heroine from those who would use her for their own evil devices. *glares at assorted filmmakers, who know who they are* But we could not help being amused by this bit:

I just wonder where it will stop. Do we start updating Jane Austen next, or Dickens?

Oh, no, perish the thought!

(But yes, anyone tampering with the actual text would face the wrath and Cluebat not only of the Editrix, but Janeites worldwide.)

We are torn between being appalled and delighted at yet more proof that Jane Austen is, truly, everywhere.

Can “The Count” survive the ferocity of the faux-hawk? Despite the fact that he reminds me of Colin Firth, yes he can.

We think the faux-hawk guy looks a little more Regency, actually. It’s the sideburns.

Mike “The Count” Bisping represents the refined aspects of life in England (reflected in the work of Jane Austen)

Refined Ultimate Fighting. Whodathunkit? But somebody is a closet Jane fan, we think…

…and then inadvisedly open their big mouths on the Internets where the Editrix can find it.

First up, Beavis:

On Lesbianism
How do you think I can live poking by myself, I who have been always used till this winter to have Charlotte with me.
– The Gossip-Monger Mrs. Jennings; In Sense and Sensibility

On Masturbation
Astonished and shocked, she was almost ready to cry out, but checking her desire, confined herself to this silent ejaculation.
– The Chatty Mrs. Jennings; In Sense and Sensibility

Heh Heh. She said “poking.”

*rolls eyes*

Interference is permissible, desirable and successful - when it is kindly meant.
– Final sentence of Pride and Prejudice; recognizing the helpful interference of Nice and Good Mrs. and Mr. Gardiner in uniting Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy

Huh? The final sentence of P&P is:

With the Gardiners, they were always on the most intimate terms. Darcy, as well as Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude towards the persons who, by bringing her into Derbyshire, had been the means of uniting them.

*chases Beavis away with Cluebat of Janeite Righteousness*

Next, we have Butthead:

I wanted to cover some literary figures, like Ninon de Lenclos and Casanova. I manage to avoid Shakespeare altogether, other than a reference to the Forest of Arden in the Lady Godiva chapter. There were others, like Jane Austen, who were much written about, but I couldn’t understand why no one was asking why she never got married when all her heroines did. What’s with that?

It wasn’t like she didn’t have the opportunity, bubba, so we would say “Because she didn’t want to” would be the most likely response; with, of course, the caveat “Though she most likely would have had she met the right man,” or had the Mysterious Suitor-by-the-Sea lived to come up to scratch. Go re-read Mr. Collins’ proposal, and Mr. Darcy’s first proposal, and John Thorpe’s awkward attempt at it, and understand why Jane might have preferred to remain single. And then read practically every biography ever written about her and understand that you’re not the first genius to discuss the subject. Sheesh.

*waves Cluebat at annoying Butthead*

And a bonus link from the The Stupid, It Burns Us, Precious Desk:

In charge of them, supported by a small band of marines, were stalwart minor functionaries of the Royal Navy, the kind of men Jane Austen chose as heroes in Persuasion and Mansfield Park.

Nothing against the Royal Marines, but the only one of that brotherhood in Jane Austen’s novels would be Mr. Price, who is no hero, and really isn’t even a Marine during the story (he was disabled from the service, you will recall).

Back there again, are we? According to a review of a book on modesty in modern women:

The growing interest in rigid social strictures manifested by the Jane Austen craze tells her that young women are pining for interference as their mothers once pined for liberation, even to the extent of wanting to be nagged and called on the carpet.

Oh, yes. The “Jane Austen craze” doesn’t have anything to do with just plain good stories that speak to women and men from all over the world and all walks of life. We just read them and write about them and spend an hour or more a night posting on this blog about them because we secretly want someone to tell us how to live our life. We haven’t learned anything from reading Jane Austen’s novels, mind, such as learning to trust our own judgment or not to rely on appearances or to think carefully about our actions. We’re just passive receptacles to be pushed this way and that by stronger minds; just like that sweet, demure young lady, Elizabeth Bennet, who wouldn’t dream of decidedly expressing her opinion to someone older and of a higher station, or telling a gentleman precisely what he can do with his very obliging proposal of marriage. Such a nice quiet girl that Lizzy is! And being a rather pretty girl, she’s lucky that Darcy didn’t just ravish her, because she was asking for it, you know.

Tread carefully, writers, when you attempt to co-opt Jane Austen for your own ends, and remember: she does not work for you. Now shoo, before we get out the Cluebat of Janeite Righteousness and start pushing you around.

Such jokers, pretending that this is a real book! We can scarcely write for laughing!

Agitated and angry that Anya should hold such sway over his sister, Darcy summons her to the balcony. In biting words he denounces her, whereupon she slaps him hard across the face. “The one advantage of my sex is the freedom to strike a man with impunity.” But the enmity between them is superficial and cannot long endure. Later that night, Darcy will abandon all propriety and come close to ravishing the beautiful young woman.

An Englishman of wealth and status could never compromise his social position by marrying a woman with a scandalous past. Darcy must have Anya the only way possible. When he is certain she loves him, he asks her to accept his offer. However, the friendship between Anya and Darcy’s sister complicates the matter. “What of Georgiana? Will you allow your sister to visit your mistress?”

The appearance of a rival forces a decision, and Darcy takes Anya as his wife. Finally, this willful woman must submit to him. Without doubt, the marriage will prove to be as tempestuous as the courtship.

Agog with curiosity, we availed ourself of the “Browse Before You Buy” feature; and what do we see in the third sentence of the book?

The heir to Pemberly Estate remained at his father’s bedside until that good gentleman exited the world with seemly dignity.

“Pemberly!” Uncontrollable!Libido!Darcy™! Clearly some jokester is hoaxing us! Very cleverly done, but we saw through it.

(Many thanks to Alert Janeite MCG for the heads-up!)

Alert Janeite Joan Ellen wrote to tell us about a book deal she saw in Publisher’s Lunch (to which we subscribe, so we are ashamed to say we missed it):

Actress Emma Campbell Webster’s LOST IN AUSTEN: A Make Your Own Jane Austen Adventure, to Sarah McGrath at Riverhead, by Zoe Pagnamenta at PFD New York, in a pre-empt, for publication in early 2008, on behalf of Sam Copeland at the Robinson Agency (NA)

We have no idea what it is about, but it sounds rather intriguing. We won’t see it for a while yet, though.

Either that or there’s a lack of reading comprehension in the non-Janeite world.

I just read a hilarious blog for Jane Austenites…

Gee, thanks! But mostly we just use “Janeites.”

…who are all of a quiver because Davies is working on a new adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. There’s a juicy bit of back-story in the novel, with Willoughby getting it on with a teenager, and posters are getting nervous that Davies will seize on this and upset their ‘sensibilities’.

We are all astonishment that the author of the piece can borrow our language verbatim (and she might want to Google “Kaavya Viswanathan” on that subject–just saying) but still fail to comprehend the basic point of our post on the subject, to wit:

We are of the opinion that such “explorations” belong more properly to the realm of fan fiction and scholarly papers than to film adaptations, which tend to leave out important stuff in favor of this sort of useless crap anyway. Jane Austen most likely made it backstory for a reason.

Once again: we are not concerned about our “sensibilities.” We are concerned that important elements of the story will be excised in favor of unnecessary content. There, we think even Mr. Elliot would agree that we’ve expressed ourself in “clear, comprehensible, elegant English.”