My Dear Charlotte by Hazel Holt

I've been in a reading slump. This is partly due to my heavy schedule that hasn't allowed for the mental leisure to "get lost in a book." But it is also due to the non-fiction books I'm reading for some personal projects. They are feeding my mind, but not necessarily my heart. I've started and abandoned a dozen books in the last month, desperate to find the right one to meet that need.

On a whim I began reading My Dear Charlotte because it was described as 1) a mystery, 2) a "must" for Austen-lovers, and 3) an epistolary novel, which checked off a lot of my "biblio-boxes."

It was balm to my soul. 

For those who are unfamiliar with Austen's books this "novel in letters" might seem rather dull. Not much goes on beyond gossip about neighbors and small talk about the price of fabric. Yes, there is a mysterious death, but it won't have you hanging on the edge of your seat. And if you love a good romance, this one will seem pretty mild. 

So what's so great about My Dear Charlotte? It would have to be its nod to all of Austen's novels. Holt gives names to her characters that fans will readily recognize (Elinor, Frederick, Bates, Ferrell, Willoughby, etc.) There are familiar place names (Lyme, Bath, Church Street) and even phrases (Mary's headaches "being worse than anyone else's") that are taken straight out of Austen's novels. AND there are secret engagements, sudden proposals, and handsome young men who turn out to be dastardly. 

Hazel Holt is the author of cozy mysteries, but in this book she interweaves her story with actual letters written by Jane Austen. Some reviewers say that it is very clear where one author starts and the other ends because of the changes in subject matter. They may have a point, but I found no dissonance between Austen's tone and Holt's. Holt mimics Austen very well and I thoroughly enjoyed Elinor's ladylike snarkiness. 

Her description of Mr Russell: He is as accomplished at dancing as he is at flirting, and makes a very agreeable parnter on both accounts. Later she writes, Our mother said that Mr. Russell looked remarkably well - legacies are a very wholesome diet. 

As I said before, the romance and the mystery are not front and center. The book is about Elinor's witty take on every day life as expressed in her letters to her sister. It is pure literary comfort food.

P.S. As a lover of Methodist history, I loved all the little jabs at the "evangelicalism" of Mr. Wilmot. And I enjoyed the frequent references to books and plays that were popular during Jane Austen's lifetime.  

Blessings,

Persuasion by Jane Austen

It's been over thirty years since I read a print copy of Jane Austen's Persuasion. In fact, when I read it in 1988, I didn't like Anne who seemed like too much of a doormat; when I watched the 1995 film with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, I saw Anne in a completely different light. Since then I've listened to the audio version two or three times. Now thirty years later I revisited the actual book and loved it unequivocally. I laughed out loud at Mary's overgrown sense of importance. I relished each carefully crafted sentence. I agonized over Anne's losses. And I identified with her in a new way. She and I are both #2 on the Enneagram! Please beware of spoilers throughout this post.

The title of the book took on much more depth this time through. It not only refers to Anne who had been influenced to give up Wentworth as a young girl but also to Louisa Musgrove. Louisa declares she could never be persuaded to give up the man she loves, but later proves that implacability can be the same as pigheadedness. Even Wentworth admits that he was persuaded (by his own pride) to give up Anne too easily. The nuances of persuasion are noted in Anne's reflections after Louisa's accident. She is sitting next to Wentworth and wonders whether it ever occurred to him now, to question the justness of his own previous opinion as to the universal felicity and advantage of firmness of character; and whether it might not strike him that, like all other qualities of mind, it should have its proportions and limits. She thought it could scarcely escape him to feel that a persuadable temper might sometimes be as much in favor of happiness as a very resolute character. Later Austen writes of the necessity of distinguishing between steadfastness of principle and the obstinacy of self-will. In the end we find in Anne the perfect mingling of fortitude with gentleness.

Chapter 23 is pure literary comfort food as Anne and Harville debate over who is more faithful in unrequited love: men or women? And then there's THE LETTER from Wentworth to Anne. As Austen herself wrote, Such a letter was not soon to be recovered from.

If you haven't read this Austen title yet, please rush right out go online and get a copy. Preferably a hard copy that you can read, re-read and underline at your leisure.

Blessings,

Emma (2009) - Worthwhile Movie #8

Shortly after finishing the book, I watched the movie of Jane Austen’s Emma (2009 BBC). I had seen two other movie versions but had not yet found an Emma I could like. While I can’t say that I will ever love this heroine, this film certainly made her more endearing than the others. In fact, this production took the sharp edges off of several of the book’s most annoying characters.

Actor Michael Gambon was perfect as the father.  His performance was much more understated than the book, which made him a likable hypochondriac (rather than a huge bore). Even Miss Bates, the talkative spinster comes off more sympathetically. Best of all is Emma who is as silly and conceited as the novel portrays her to be, but who is also shown to be thoughtful, caring, and genuinely sorry for her mistakes.

The relationship between Emma and Mr. Knightley is done to perfection. There is just the right amount of brotherliness for him to be always giving her advice, but not enough to make make the romance unbelievable.  In the other films Emma seems intimidated by Knightly, but in this one she cares about what he thinks, while at the same time valuing her own opinion.

To top it all off, the filming is glorious.  And I must say I was pleasantly surprised to see less heaving bosoms, which seem to be a standard component to many modern Austen films. A very pleasant four-hour series.

Emma by Jane Austen

I've been trying to get through Emma for decades but always tire of its annoying heroine by the fifth chapter. So when I heard that Elizabeth Klett (at Librivox) had done Emma, I was sure I would finally get through it. (Klett had changed my mind completely about Northanger Abbey, another Austen novel I did not enjoy.)

Emma Wodehouse is an impressionable young woman who lives alone with her hypochondriac father.  She has never been in love, but thinks she knows everyone else's hearts and has chosen matchmaking as a hobby.  The book is about her "insufferable vanity and unpardonable arrogance" in arranging everybody's destinies (Emma's own words later in the book).

If you can make it past Chapter Fifteen, you'll see Emma becoming aware of her shortcomings; and by the end of the book you'll even like her. Even so, my favorite character in the book is Mr. Knightly, an old family friend, and a gentleman to the core.

Miss Klett does an amazing job with voices, portraying each characters personality with aplomb.  But she surpasses herself with the voice of Miss Bates, the talkative empty-headed spinster.

I was intrigued by the fact that Peter Leitharth calls this the "most Christian" of Austen's novels.  I think it's because two of the characters act very wrongly and are shown much grace by the book's end.

I'm glad I finally got through this one. Thank you, Elizabeth Klett, for making it possible.

Downton Abbey and Jane Austen

I'm finishing up Moby Dick and Mockingjay. Also, The Linnet's Tale by Dale C. Willard, which has been a delight.

Since I don't have a book post this week I thought I'd link to this interesting article comparing the characters in Jane Austen to those in Downton Abbey.  What do you think?

(I can't watch Downton Abbey here, but I saw Season One and Two when I was in the U.S.)

Jane Austen Blues

I often say that Anthony Trollope ruined me for lesser books.  After completing one of his novels, I often struggle to find something else to read that measures up to his superior writing.  Now that I’ve finished Mansfield Park, I am having the same dilemma.   I’ve picked up and put down four different books today.  It’s not the quality of the books themselves because all of them come highly recommended.  It’s just that after the decorous behavior of Miss Price and the word precision of Miss Austen, everything else seems tawdry.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was too gritty.  Bud, Not Buddy too sad.  White Fang too bloody. Even the highly touted One Thousand Gifts came off as histrionic.  Obviously, I need some kind of therapy. Cyrano de Bergerac may be just the ticket.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

Mansfield Park  is the story of Fanny Price, a young girl who is shipped off to live with a wealthy aunt because her own home is too crowded and poor.  She is treated with kindness, but almost everyone in the new household considers her no more than a glorified servant - except for cousin Edmund who dares to accept her as a true sister and friend. 

If you are new to Austen, I would not recommend this book as your first attempt.  Fanny Price is widely considered one of the most boring heroines in literature.  I am thankful that the first version (from Penguin Classics) I ever read contained an excellent introduction by Tony Tanner that dispelled this myth.  Tanner wrote that Fanny represented goodness, and that goodness doesn’t have to “do” anything.  It just “is.” While all the other characters in the book are rushing after pleasure with little regard for principle, Fanny waits quietly and bravely.  In the end her virtue is richly rewarded.

The writing is very good (of course!), but this book is slow moving and not nearly as witty as some of Austen’s other novels.   If you stick with it, though, the closing chapters tie things up beautifully and it’s a satisfying read.

This was my first book completed for The Classics Club Challenge.

Miniatures and Morals by Peter Liethart

Austen’s books have sadly been relegated to the modern abyss of “chick lit”. In his book, Miniatures and Morals, Peter Liethart contends that Austen’s novels function on many other levels. I couldn’t help but be intrigued by his subtitle, “The Christian novels of Jane Austen.” Obviously her books are “moral” in the sense that the heroes and heroines are rewarded for gallantry and the scoundrels punished for their misdeeds. But are the novels “Christian” in the sense that they present truths derived from New Testament teachings? Leithart makes a strong case for his premise.

In his chapter titled “Real Men Read Austen”, he writes, “All of Austen’s great heroes – Darcy, Wentworth, Edmund Bertram, Knightley – are men who hold positions of authority and use those positions for good. Each of them is a Christlike lover who sacrifices, often at some cost to his reputation, to win his bride. They are servant-heroes, not macho-heroes. (p.19) Later he calls Austen’s novels “allegories of redemption”. (p. 32)

In addition to his expert analysis of each novel, Leithart offers insights into Austen as "craftsman". Over and over he points out specific scenes in each book that are perfect counterbalances to other scenes. One example comes from the book Persuasion. In the final pages Anne Elliot and Captain Harville are discussing whether men or more constant in love than women. Harville says all great literature is on his side and Anne counters that all the great literature has been written by men. Just at that moment the eavesdropping Wentworth drops his pen. I always thought he did that out of embarrassment, but Leithart contends that Austen purposely “takes the pen out of male hands” and puts the final word in the mouth of a woman. Those kinds of insights are sprinkled throughout the book and caused me to holler with sheer glee.

I majored in English Lit and did my post graduate work in theology so this book was a perfect combination of subjects. It may be a bit didactic for the average reader and it presupposes familiarity with all six novels, BUT if you like literature because it gives you a deeper understanding into what it means to be human, you will appreciate this fine book. I wish I had enough room to give Leithart’s explanation of the complex meanings of the words, sense and sensibility. Or of his declaration that Emma is the “most Christian” novel of them all. Or to reiterate why “boring” Fanny Price is one the best heroines ever. But this post is already way too long.

(An explanation of the title, Miniatures and Morals: “Instead of a thin description of large events, [Austen] gives us a thick description of small events.” - p. 30)

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

As a budding reader I was surprised to learn that Jane Austen had written only six novels. Surely I could read them and quickly become an "expert" on all things Austen. Happily, my first novel, Mansfield Park, came with an excellent introduction that prepared me to enjoy the story immensely. Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility were also richly satisfying, but my attempts to read about Austen's more immature female protagonists proved futile. Emma seemed too obtuse for her own good. And Catherine (from Northanger Abbey) was too naive for my tastes. I wanted a heroine who knew her heart and mind.

Enter Elizabeth Klett, the answer to all Jane Austen dilemmas. I recently discovered her excellent version of Northanger Abbey at Librivox. Finally someone who reads beautifully and flawlessly! Her reading was so delightful that I found myself smiling, chuckling and even laughing out loud. Who would have thought that this was a VERY FUNNY book? Northanger Abbey was Austen's first published novel and though it lacks the rich characters of some of her other works, the wording is exquisite and the story charming. I'm so glad I gave it another try. Catherine Moreland, the story's heroine, is a young woman who has fed her mind on gothic novels. Because of this she is prone to read more excitment and intrigue into situations than they merit. While I scorned her naiveté in my first attempt at the book, I was won over by her goodheartedness this second time around.

Klett is my new "Librivox hero" and I look forward to listening to her other readings. She's even done a version of Emma, which means I may finally get through it!

Persuasion by Jane Austen

The first time I read Persuasion I didn’t like it. I thought Anne was too uninteresting, which is hilarious considering that I LOVED Fannie Price in Mansfield Park  who is thought to be one of the dullest heroines in all of literature. Anyway… the book redeemed itself (or should I say, I redeemed myself?) the second time around. Now I brush it off at least once a year to savor its lovely insights into male/female relationships. Even if I hadn’t learned to love Anne with all my heart, I’d say the book is worth its price for the conversation in the final chapter debating whether men are more faithful in love than women. The gentle, articulate and cordial manner with which Captain Harville and Anne express their very strong opinions to each other could be a lesson to us all.

One of the reasons I like the movie, The Lake House, is because it mentions Persuasion quite often. Yet I think the movie gets it wrong when it says that the book is about “waiting”. Anne Eliott, the heroine would say the story is about “true attachment and constancy”. She declares to Captain Harville, “I believe you [men] are equal to every important exertion, and to every domestic forbearance [in love], so long as – if I may be allowed the expression, so long as you have an object. I mean while the woman you love lives, and lives for you. All the privilege I claim for my own sex… is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone.” (p. 237) The Bible calls this, “hoping against hope” and it encompasses so much more than “waiting”!

This book is not about fluffy, high school-like attachments, but about people who think deeply and love sincerely. I always feel “nourished” after I read it.

Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen

I recently read Sense and Sensibility  for the very first time. (If I have read it, it was over 20 years ago before I started keeping a book log). I have enjoyed the Emma Thompson movie version on several occasions and thought I knew the story pretty well. The book, however, added new dimension to the characters. (Obviously movies are limited in that area.) Marianne’s imprudence was much more understandable when we discover in the opening chapters that she is only 15 years old! I also found Willoughby's lengthy apology to Elinor (not in the movie) quite interesting.

The loving (and sometime anguished) thoughts expressed by Elinor in the book make her a much more admirable and loveable character than the film version is able to do. What struck me the most from the book was the sacrificial love of both Elinor and Colonel Brandon. Although thwarted (initially) in becoming attached to their love interests, they continued to genuinely wish the best for the other parties. Instead of wallowing in vindictiveness or self-pity, they did all in their power to ease the burdens of others.

It reminded me of a movie I saw several years ago called Pot O' Gold with Jimmy Stewart and Paulette Goddard. (If you can ignore the movie’s negative depiction of African Americans it is a sweet love story.) Even when the two lovers quarrel they are extremely civil (not in the sense of coldly polite, but in the sense of never lashing out to hurt the other.) What a huge contrast to the film Hitch  that I saw shortly afterwards! I hated the evil things that those two angry lovers did to each other out of their hurt. How they ever got back together again, I’ll never know. When the going got rough their true characters came through and there was nothing admirable in them. Elinor and Colonel Brandon, on the other hand, were tested and “came forth as gold”. I highly recommend Sense and Sensibility as a case study on true love – both the romantic and friendship kinds.