02 October 2008

A New Book, a New Venture into the Life of Jane

I got this book from Amazon - my favorite place to get discount books. It is in prime condition, not everything has to be used to be cheaper than retail. I'm going to be diving in on a trip I'm going on tomorrow. This simultaneous book reading actually happens quite often with me. But this time it's because I don't want to take my 8 pound baby with me on a trip. I refer, of course, to my all in one edition, not an actual baby. Books are like people to me. You can love them or hate them. They tell you stories. They can make you happy, sad, dreamy, or mad. I didn't intend to Seuss it up just then. I'll let you know how this one is.




As a side note, after seeing 'Cheer from Chawton', a one-woman show last year about Miss Jane Austen, then seeing 'Becoming Jane', I purchased the book 'Becoming Jane'. After reading several biographical sources about JA's life, I realized two things (at least!):


1)Although highly entertaining and one of the reasons I have immersed myself in Austen lit., 'Becoming Jane', the film, is full of inconsistencies and time differentials from Miss Austen's actual life.


2)'Becoming Jane', the book, is a good biographical resource, but not at all entertaining.




I feel like the book and the film are two completely different entities that merely happen to have the same name. For a screenwriter to read the book (I hope), then write the screen play for the movie... well, I don't know how that happened, exactly. There should be a novel written from the screenplay that tells the story the way the film did. However, I have already mentioned that the film has many discrepancies. I will go into them at a later point. That's all I have for now.

3 comments:

Tricia Bagley said...

I totally agree! I never saw "Becoming Jane" in theatres so when it was released I bought it thinking how could I not love a movie about Miss Austen? Within the first few minutes I was disappointed. Tom Lefroy doesn't actually seem to play that big a role in her life, but the movie he's the main man. Also I SERIOUSLY doubt Jane would entertain the thought of elopement. Oh well. I try to look at it in a fictional sense and I like it more that way (the movie that is).

Tricia Bagley said...

I haven't read 'The Prestige.' I did see the movie and I really liked it.

Anonymous said...

I've just finished "Cassandra & Jane", a biographical novel, which I think you might be interested to read... or maybe you have already.
Also, I've cast my vote on your poll. I've also an Austen Poll that I've just posted on my site, maybe you'd like to take a look. Thanks for an interesting blog!