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Monday, November 14, 2011

"Jane Austen Made Me Do It..." Compiled by Laurel Ann Nattress ~ These Short Stories Are To Die For!

Published by: Ballantine Books
Pages:  464
Genre:  Fiction, General & Historical Romance



The Dame's View:

Will it be enough to say that I wish this book had gone on and on just like a Jane Austen novel? 

Laurel Ann Nattress has achieved a coup in this first of her books.  Who could have imagined that so many "mash-up" short stories would have been released about Jane Austen's novels and her characters?  I'll bet the great Jane wouldn't have. And, I'll bet she's having a delighted laugh over this one because it's by far the best of the best in concept and expression of any books like it.

Fun, luminous, entertaining, in the original sense; meaning a time when a book was meant to entertain before television and video games, "Jane Austen Made Me Do It.." is the book of this literay season that you'll want to give your best friends, your daughters, neices and mother.  I'm getting copies for Christmas gifts.

How on earth Ms Nattress ever chose from what had to have been a mountain of fabulous entries, because those that made it are the finest of the finest, I have no idea.  With writers such as Stephaine Barron, Janet Mullany, Lauren Willig, Margaret C. Sullivan...and I could go on, I just can't fathom who was left out!

These stories are about nightmares, ghostly visitations, visits from Austen characters, ideas and imaginations mixed with readings of Jane's books and more.  Short stories that lead one into another until you want to grab the orginal books and thumb through them to laugh or cry again at the characters and Jane Austen quotes.  And, Jane is quoted with such majesty here.

What more can I say except this is a book great fun to have in your Austen collection.  And I know anyone who's read this review so far, by this lackluster blogger, has a Jane Austen collection.

5 tearoom nods

Deborah/TheBookishDame





2 comments:

Lalaine

Great review. Ive been meaning to get around Jane Austen one day. thank you for dropping by my page:) following you now! http://www.ficbookreviews.com/

Ellie

I saw this amongst the Dewey readathon goodies and it looks like it would be entertaining.

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