"Jane Austen Made Me Do It..." Compiled by Laurel Ann Nattress ~ Valentine's Week Tiny Tidbits

Published by:  Ballentine Books/Random House

Pages:  434

A Compliation of Various Authors

Edited by:  Laurel Ann Nattress

http://www.austenprose.com/  

GIVEAWAY !!!

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Giveaway Ends:  Feb. 29th

Book Cover Rating:
I love this cover!  Loved it from the moment I saw it!  The Austenish girl peeking out from behind hot pink grosgrain ribbon with "Jane Austen Made Me Do It" all over it is genius. The ribbon crisscross is mindful of our fancy, decorative posting boards,. The smattering of faux calling cards with authors' names set randomly behind the ribbons is enough to call us in for the "buy;" these authors have rank!! And Laurel Ann Nattress's name as the Editor is a stand out with its pearl tipped straight pin.   Absolutely A+

Overview:
JANE AUSTEN MADE ME DO IT: Original Stories Inspired by Literature’s Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart is a new short story anthology edited by Laurel Ann Nattress and available in trade paperback and eBook format.

This delightful collection inspired by Jane Austen—her novels, her life, her wit, her world—features an introduction and twenty-two never-before-published stories written by twenty-five authors from a diverse range of interests and writing experience; their uniting link is their admiration and love of the literary great, Jane Austen.
In Lauren Willig’s “A Night at Northanger,” a young woman who doesn’t believe in ghosts meets a familiar specter at the infamous abbey; Jane Odiwe’s “Waiting” captures the exquisite uncertainty of Persuasion’s Wentworth and Anne as they await her family’s approval of their betrothal; Adriana Trigiani’s “Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane” imagines a modern-day Austen giving her niece advice upon her engagement; in Diana Birchall’s “Jane Austen’s Cat,” our beloved Jane tells her nieces “cat tales” based on her novels; Laurie Viera Rigler’s “Intolerable Stupidity” finds Mr. Darcy bringing charges against all the writers of Pride and Prejudice sequels, spin-offs, and retellings; in Janet Mullany’s “Jane Austen, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!” a teacher at an all-girls school invokes the Beatles to help her students understand Sense and Sensibility; in Jo Beverley’s “Jane and the Mistletoe Kiss,” a widow doesn’t believe she’ll have a second chance at love . . . until a Miss Austen suggests otherwise; and one story from a debut voice, Brenna Aubrey, the Grand Prize winner of the Jane Austen Made Me Do It Short Story Contest.

Regency or contemporary, romantic or fantastical, each of these marvelous stories reaffirms the incomparable influence of one of history’s most cherished authors.


The Dame's Personal Favorite:
This was a tough one for me, and I really can't say I have an ultimate favorite, since I loved all the stories in this fabulous collection.  The authors are hand-picked, just like you wish every book would be in a very special and newly discovered small bookstore you've ferreted out somewhere.  These stories are like beautifully iced cupcakes at a tea party...just carefully crafted and delicately written without a word to spare. I will always cherish my personal volume and, I'm sure, will return to it over the years.That being said, I have chosen one story to talk about that I loved because it had to do with one of my very favorite Jane Austen characters, Captain Wentworth.  Capt. Wentworth is a favorite because he's a man with so much heart and feeling. So earnest and caring, Wentworth is a man with undying devotion, his few heartfelt expressions to Anne Elliot stole my heart in "Persuasion" and in this story. He's  a man who never forgot his love for Anne, and was willing to endure anything for her. I fell in love with him when his heart was laid bare and broken in "Persuasion."  Such amazing verbal expressions...I'm still moved every time I read this Austen book or his quotes.

Because of her wonderful extension reminiscent of my favorite Austen story, I want to recommend "Waiting" to you by Jane Odiwe. Ms Odiwe is a writer who kept to the truth of Jane Austen's characters.  She's an author whose books I'm dying to read after having a taste of her talents in this short story. While the whole of the tension between all the parties doesn't completely translate in this new adaptation, we get a hearty flavor of the original and enough to enjoy another few moments with them.

Jane Odiwe lives in North London and Bath with her husband, family and two cats.  More than anything she loves a house full of people, music and good books, which is just as well, because that's the norm!  She is the author of Effusions of Fancy, Lydia Bennet's Story, Willoughby's Return, and Mr. Darcy's Secret.  When she isn't writing, she loves painting watercolors, expecially of Jane Austen and the world in which she lived.

In addition, I want to compliment Laurel Ann Nattress once again for the extraordinary gift of compiling this fabulous book of stories inspired by our Miss Austen.  I've never read anything quite like it.  Her choices of authors leaves no stone unturned.  Only the best and the brightest are included in this collection.  I don't know how Laurel Ann managed to find her way through what must have been a multitude of submissions!!

Others of my favorite stories include:  Jane Austen's Nightmare by Syrie James; A Night at Northanger by Lauren Willig; and Intolerable Stupidity by Laurie Viera Rigler starring Lady Catherine de Bourgh as a Judge!!

All I can tell you is that this book needs to be on your Jane Austen shelf.  What?  You don't have an Austen shelf on your bookcase?  Time you did....  And this is the short story collection to have.

5 stars!!

Hope you enjoy this video of Laurel Ann Nattress giving a talk about her book!!

Deborah/TheBookishDame

Please Read ~ "Don't Sing At The Table" by Adriana Trigiani ~ You'll Be Transported

Published by: Harper Collins 

Pages: 224

Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir

Summary :

From Publishers Weekly~

Fans of novelist Trigiani will be delighted with this guided tour through the author's family history via her grandmothers, Lucia and Viola. She lovingly details the women's lives and recounts the lessons she's learned while offering a fascinating look at U.S. history from the perspective of her Italian-American forebears. Both Lucia and Viola worked hard from an early age, cooking and cleaning among any number of chores, and parlayed their work ethic and expertise into strong careers. Viola started out as a machine operator and, later, co-owned a mill with her husband, while Lucia worked in a factory and then became a seamstress and storefront couturier.

Her grandmothers also took pride in passing along wisdom to others; throughout her life, Trigiani benefited from their guidance regarding everything from marriage to money, creativity to religion. She credits them with telling good stories: "I mimicked their work ethic imagining myself in a factory, layering words like tasks until the work was done. I took away more than life lessons from their stories; I made a career out of it." Here, Trigiani combines family and American history, reflections on lives well-lived, and sound advice to excellent effect, as a legacy to her daughter and a remembrance of two inimitable women.

The Dame's Perspective:

What a treasure of a small book this is. I stayed up into the wee hours of the night because I just couldn't tear myself away from the story of Viola and Lucy and how they operated in the world. To say that Adriana Trigiani benefited from having them as grandmothers is an understatement.

I loved that both grandmothers had a strong interest in some area of dressmaking. Viola in the heart and hard work of factory sewing, and then her own blouse-making business; and Lucy in her devotion to clients and perfection when she became a "storefront couturier." Talented and beautiful women, they understood the value and power behind a women dressed well in perfectly fitted, classic clothing. They also understood that keeping up their skin/beauty routine, social standing and family reputations were tantamount to good life, good health and good self-esteem; among other important things.

It seems Adriana learned so much from them about integrity and self-respect, there's no doubt about that. But, she also learned the value of manners, of going after what you want, of having a purpose in life, of minding your reputation. The specifics of these lessons are ones you'll be delighted to read.

I thought it was delightful and serious at the same time to read Lucy's lessons first on romantic love, then on keeping a marriage strong. Hers is practical wisdom. Her instructions on raising children are some we absolutely could use today. I particularly liked her dictum never to burden a child with adult problems. That lesson alone would change the mental health of so many children in these times.

There is so much to this book. It's humorous, it's character building, it's serious and it's a lesson book on how to live a life with wisdom. What a blessing Adriana Trigiani had in these two lovely women. No wonder she's a bestselling author with fragments of these things to share with her readers.

Those of us who had grandmothers like Viola and Lucy will enjoy reading about them and, possibly, taking a nostalgic trip back to our own childhoods. Those of you who didn't have grandmothers like them will gain something very special in the reading.

5 perfectly heartwarming stars

Deborah/TheBookishDame

This Was A Review Made Possible By: TLC Book Tours ~ Thanks, Lisa and Trish! I loved this book!