Alert Janeite Laurie sent along a bit of YouTube silliness…

Not that any of the men HERE would need such a thing.

And have an open thread!

Alert Janeite Julie T. spotted this intersection in the south side of her hometown of Milwaukee:

We’ve had an insanely busy couple of weeks (so if you e-mailed us and we didn’t respond or post it, we’re not ignoring you, really) but hope to get caught up tonight or over the weekend. In the meantime, have an open thread. What’s new in Janeiteland?

We hear the call of our Gentle Readers for the Janeite Awards (and Laurel Ann actually suggested the same thing several months ago). We were too busy at the time to consider it, but since everyone is so enthusiastic, let’s figure out how to do it. We want this to be something reader-directed and not so much forced upon you by your Editrix. Use this as an open thread–post your ideas!

We heard from Janet Lee, who has a question for our Gentle Readers.

I am an English Leader and Literacy Consultant from Canada. I am happy that I found your Blog. You see, I have the responsibility of leading the English department Leader meetings at my school board. At the last meeting, we were debating the validity of the Internet vs. the Library. One of the leaders said, “The library is best because…I mean…you can’t find Jane Austen on the Internet!” This comment has bothered me so much because I knew that Jane had a following that would be valid in the classroom. Today I typed in Jane Austen and Blog into Google and found your amazing Austenblog site!! I have looked at the P&P Barbie, browsed announcements about Jane Austen singing tours, seen photos of people dressed like Jane and learned the term Janeites all in the past 5 minutes!

Your Blog is a wonderful way to bring Jane alive again for students! Could you post my comment for others to see and comment on. I would like to have a collection of comments to present at the next English department leaders’ meeting on Monday, February 25th. Thank you for your enormous efforts and love of Jane! GO JANEITES!!!

Thank you!
Janet Lee

We also would like to humbly point out AustenBlog’s associate site, Molland’s, particularly the e-texts, not only of Jane Austen’s novels but of public domain books and articles about Jane Austen and her work (and we will be adding more very, very soon–watch this space!).

We also would like to point out another useful site for students who are studying Jane Austen’s work, or just discovering her work and wanting to learn more. The Jane Austen Society of North America’s website at jasna.org not only has a short biography of Jane Austen but a comprehensive section about the films based on her novels and the real treasure trove of the site: the publications! Reviews of books related to Jane Austen and her work as well as the journals, Persuasions On-Line, which, as implied by its title, is an online publication of essays about Jane Austen and her work, and JASNA also has been digitizing back issues of its print journal, Persuasions. (Issue No. 10 is the latest to be added–when we get around to Friday Bookblogging this week, we planned to include it, but we’ll mention it here first). And let’s not forget the annual Essay Contest–specifically targeted to high school and university students.

We mention all these because we know we have a lot of new readers, as well as for Janet’s colleagues. So, Gentle Readers, let’s hear about your experiences with Jane Austen on the Internet! Fellowship is obvious, but what have you learned about Jane Austen on the ‘tubes?

P.S. It is an often-voiced aphorism at AustenBlog World Headquarters: Librarians Rock! As do libraries! We use ours as shamelessly as Willoughby used Eliza Williams.

Don’t pay any attention to Cranky McJerkpants and the Superior Sisters there. Chat away.

Oh! and we forgot to link to the latest post on the PBS Remotely Connected blog. Seth Cassel discusses Lady Catherine de Bourgh:

While Lady Catherine does have a role in the plot of Pride and Prejudice, her primary function is to give us a better understanding of other characters in the novel. Lady Catherine’s bout with Elizabeth over her relationship with Mr. Darcy is used to reinforce Elizabeth’s character as strong and impertinent. Austen sees Elizabeth’s nature in a positive light and sets her apart from the other women in the novel as a type of heroine, standing up to Lady Catherine by saying “I am only resolved to act in a manner which will… constitute my happiness, without reference to you” (298). Another fascinating use of Lady Catherine is how she is used to spotlight the personality change of Mr. Darcy. Lady Catherine and Mr. Darcy have similar amounts of wealth, which puts them fairly close in terms of rank. However, while Lady Catherine disapproves of Elizabeth’s “obstinate, headstrong” nature (296), Mr. Darcy relishes Elizabeth’s character, which the reader observes in her confrontation with Lady Catherine. Mr. Darcy’s differing opinion from Lady Catherine, despite their common rank, helps establish his divergence from the social norm. The juxtaposition of the two characters highlights Mr. Darcy’s change from prideful and conceited, which characterizes Lady Catherine, to not being “selfish and overbearing” (308). A minor use of Lady Catherine is to help establish the character of Mrs. Gardiner as compassionate and understanding, as they are both aunts. Lady Catherine’s interaction with her nephew, Mr. Darcy, can be clearly identified in her antiquated insistence upon an arranged marriage between Mr. Darcy and Miss De Bourgh. This relationship is contrasted with that between Mrs. Gardiner and her niece, Elizabeth. Mrs. Gardiner simply offers suggestions to Elizabeth, such as recommending the “understanding and opinions” of Mr. Darcy (271). The difference in the way the two aunts offer opinions to their relatives makes the caring and nurturing nature of Mrs. Gardiner apparent to the reader.

Listen to Luciano–it’s not on topic, but listen anyway–and talk about all things Jane.

Gentle Readers, tonight we seek your opinion. We realized that our local circulating library has one (35-year-old) biography of Jane Austen and one (even older) book of criticism–and not a single copy of Northanger Abbey! We hope to correct the latter situation and perhaps donate one or two biographies and/or books of criticism, but we cannot decide which. Our favorite biography, by Elizabeth Jenkins, is out of print; and our second-favorite, Deirdre Le Faye’s Family Record, is packed full of facts but not for the neophyte Janeite. Thus, we turn to our Gentle Readers. What is your favorite Austen biography, keeping in mind this might be the first and only biography that the good citizens of our home town might ever read? We can think of a reason not to donate just about every biography we can think of, so tell us why you like it; sell it! Pimp it! Convince us!

We currently are leaning toward donating a copy of Irene Collins’ Jane Austen: The Parson’s Daughter when it comes out in paperback next month. It is a favorite, though it only covers the first part of Jane’s life. Librarians, what is your opinion vis-a-vis paperback and hardcopy in the stacks?