Happy Tuesday, everyone! I just got back Sunday evening from the JASNA AGM in Fort Worth celebrating the 200th anniversary of Sense and Sensibility, and it was a fabulous time. I met other Janeites (which is a relief to my family, since they get sick of me talking about Austen novels and movies so much! That was not a problem there–no one ever gets sick of Austen in JASNA….), ate some fabulous food, bought too many books and other stuff in the Austen emporoium (including a Pride and Prejudice board book for my one-year-old goddaughter–you can can never start P&P too early!), and got to spend time with Risky Janet (who declared herself my “chaperone” for the Saturday night ball!). It was a great weekend.
Since there were about 10 workshops in each session, I wasn’t able to go to everything I wanted. But here are a few things I did make it to:
1) Victoria Hinshaw’s “The Sensible Regency Wedding” (Vicky wrote some fabulous Regencies for Kensington, and it was great to get to see her again…plus to hear about respectable and not-so-respectable marriages!)
2) “Chawton House Library Asks; Are You An Elinor or a Marianne?” (actually a discussion of the vogue for “sister novels” and their meanings in the Romantic age. I especially enjoyed hearing about a short 37-page story titled The Castle of Montabino, an adventure story involving scandal, kidnappings, ghosts, good and evil twins, and moral lessons…)
3) “Sense and Sensibility as Austen’s Problem Novel”
4) Plus workshops on snuff and cravats, Fanny Burney, horrid novels, the Emma Thompson adaptation, and Austen’s writing income (among other things!).
I did not dance much on Saturday, but I think Janet did not sit out a set! And I tried my hand at cards but was pretty hopeless at it (as usual). And I loved looking at all the wonderful gowns…
I think the highlight of the conference was listening to Andrew Davies in his lecture “Mr Darcy’s Wet Shirt and Other Embarrassments: Some Pleasures and Pitfalls in Austen Adaptations“–he was so much fun to listen to. Janet and I decided they should have a whole conference centered around watching the adaptations while he told anecdotes and insights.
I am still tired from all the adventures this weekend! I had to force myself to get up off the couch (where I had laid down to watch my S&S DVDs) and get back to writing today, but I’m also feeling very inspired.
What would you want to do if you went to the JASNA AGM? What workshops would you like to see? Which is your favorite film adaptation???
And here’s a view from the street. Now, there’s an interesting factoid associated with the listing of these houses. Soho in the mid-twentieth century became associated with London’s musical life, (and other things too, such as the sex industry and good restaurants). In the mid 1970s an outbuilding of 6 Denmark Street was used as a recording studio by none other, wait for it, the Sex Pistols. Some of their graffiti still survive. And the buildings have been recognized in a year which coincides with the 40th anniversary of Punk. Yes, Punk is now an institution, recognized by none less than the British government.
Many terrific, literary-themed goodies are here, including some truly gorgeous Alice in Wonderland items such as this cake stand. I have lustful dreams about this cake stand. Thank goodness I don’t bake and thank goodness it’s out of stock.
