“The riot is only in your own brain”
From time to time, we receive a press release at AustenBlog World Headquarters about a new edition of Jane Austen’s novels, or a book or film related to them; not surprising, considering the mission of our blog. Today we received a press release that had us scratching our head:
Rare book titles by famous authors are being brought back to the shelves of bookstores and online litterature dealers thanks to the efforts of two identical twins from sweden. “We grew up on books like these, they are inspiring and unique works of art. Upon reading them you are impressed by the genious of the creators. Be it turn of the century science-fiction predicting the atom bomb or Jane Austens romantic tale of forbidden relations. They do not deserve to be forgotten.” says Nils-Erik Lindstrom, one of the men behind the new editions.
The books are published under the collection name “A Twin Engine Gem”. Kent-Ove Lindstrom, the other twin explains; “We are presenting them under a single collection name because we think that although the books span several genres they are true literary gems. Hard to find, very precious items.”
So what is this “hard to find, very precious item” described as “Jane Austens (sic) tale of forbidden relations”? Pemberley in the Attic, maybe?* The answer, Gentle Readers, amazed us, and we are sure it will amaze you as well.
Jane Austen’s “Northanger Abbey” (ISBN: 978-1-84753-742-3) The first of Jane Austen’s novels to be completed for publication, though published only after her death. It is the story of seventeen year-old Catherine and how she matures from a dreamy irresponsible child to an independent strong woman.
This “hard to find, very precious object” has generously been made available to us ignorant Janeite plebes for the low, low price of $12.95. Isn’t that special?
It might have been a lot more special had the book not been available in multiple editions at many price levels in just about every bookstore we’ve ever entered, not to mention free to read on the Internets. Perhaps it is rare in the “publishers’” own country, though we know we have Swedish readers who presumably have read Northanger Abbey. What say you?
*Oh, dear. We just had a vision of a horde of wide-eyed fan fiction writers racing for their word processors. “Coming soon from lulu.com, a tale of forbidden love inspired by Jane Austen’s classic novel: Pemberley in the Attic!” You read it here first.
October 25th, 2007 at 7:17 am
Rare book titles by famous authors are being brought back to the shelves of bookstores and online litterature (lose a ‘t’, please) dealers (insert comma) thanks to the efforts of two identical twins from (capital ‘S’) sweden. “We grew up on books like these, they are inspiring and unique works of art. Upon reading them (comma) you are impressed by the genious (don’t need an ‘o’ there) of the creators. Be it (what is it?) turn of the century science-fiction predicting the atom bomb or Jane Austens (may we have a possesive apostrophe - and am still waiting to hear what ‘it’ is doing) romantic tale of forbidden relations (like a cousin you’re not allowed to see? Or are we taking ‘relationships’?). They do not deserve to be forgotten. (uh, comma, not full stop)” says Nils-Erik Lindstrom, one of the men behind the new editions.
The books are published under the collection (collective) name “A Twin Engine Gem”. Kent-Ove Lindstrom, the other twin explains; (full stop, not semi-colon) “We are presenting them under a single collection name (as a single collection?) because we think that although the books span several genres (comma) they are true literary gems. (colon, semi-colon or dash) Hard to find, very precious items.”
Sheesh, I hope whoever wrote this press release had nothing to do with the editing of the collection.
October 25th, 2007 at 7:27 am
Heh… looking over it again, I’ve found even MORE mistakes.
October 25th, 2007 at 10:12 am
You, Karenlee, have brought the smile to my face this morning. I’m a kindred editor and can only think this press release was LOST IN TRANSLATION!
October 25th, 2007 at 10:37 am
I’m already looking forward to the film adaptation of
“Emma: Forbidden Love in the Strawberry Fields”
October 25th, 2007 at 11:47 am
“Catherine: A Roll Down the Hill, and a Roll in the Hay”
October 25th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
No No: Emma–Strawberry Fields Forever.
A mad, mod, merry Age of Aquarius version.
October 25th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Aha! I always suspected Darcy was keeping his mad first wife hidden in the attic at Pemberley. I guess Grace Poole couldn’t resist that lucrative book contract…
October 25th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Or..
Harriet Smith Does Dallas: The ‘wide-open’ adventures of a young Georgian lady with a lasso at a cowboy round-up.
October 26th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
This is a bit off-topic, but I had to laugh when my 83-year old mother-in-law couldn’t remember the title of the Jane Austen film she had seen recently. She said, “I think it was called Not Quite Jane.”
October 26th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Or should have been.