Sir William: “Do you dance, Mr. Darcy?” Mr. Darcy: “Not if I can help it!” Sir William: “What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy! There is nothing like dancing, after all. I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished societies.” ~ Pride & Prejudice Our sentiments were unlike …
“The day returns again, my natal day. …The day, commemorative of my birth, Bestowing Life and Light and Hope on me” – Jane Austen, a poem written on her 33rd birthday, 1808 We gathered on December 9th to celebrate the 248th birthday of our beloved author. The day featured music, lively chats, and a fabulous …
Step into our November gathering, where we aimed to recreate the charming ambiance of a Jane Austen-era drawing room. Picture yourself amid lively discussions, accompanied by a reading from Pride and Prejudice and a delightful summary of AGM happenings. As we immersed ourselves in period music, Austen enthusiasts engaged in friendly trivia while others observed …
Our October meeting featured a panel discussion where members passionately pled the cases of mothers in Austen’s novels and novellas, arguing which mothers were truly monstrous and which were actually misunderstood. Before diving into the panelists’ presentations, we listened as Meghan Adrian read excerpts from Pride and Prejudice featuring Caroline Bingley. Meghan pointed out Caroline’s …
Panel Discussion: Mothers in Jane Austen’s Novels – Monsters or Misunderstood? Read More »
Our September meeting began with honoring Ron Sutherland by gifting him with an honorary JASNA membership, a testament to his support of his late wife, Eileen, who served JASNA in many roles over 28 years: as Vancouver’s Regional Coordinator and newsletter editor, on JASNA’s board of directors, and as President of JASNA. From opening up …
The Very Heart of Bristol – Mrs. Elton as a Comic Stereotype Read More »
Our Books & Berries meeting started with our annual book sale fundraiser. So many books were donated that you could hardly see the tables beneath that displayed them! During the housekeeping/announcement portion of the morning, we were informed by our Regional Coordinator, Janice Mallison, that the Toronto chapter of JASNA will be closing. This sparked …
Books & Berries: Annual Book Sale Fundraiser & Member Book Reviews Read More »
Our guest speaker for the day was Dr. Cindy Aalders of Regent College. She gave a presentation on Henrietta Maria Bowdler (1750–1830), a writer and literary editor who lived in Bath at the same time as Jane Austen. Like Austen, Bowdler was something of a force in contemporary literary and religious circles. Half the leaders …
“Let a Woman be Seen: Henrietta Bowdler’s Novel Pen Tamar” Read More »
Our program for the day included 3 knowledgeable and entertaining guest speakers, a rare collection of first editions of Jane Austen’s novels, and a fantastic catered lunch! Our first speaker, David Lank, told us about his mother Edith (February 27, 1926 – January 1, 2023) who was born during the Great Depression and became a …
Our panel discussion topic of the day was “Shocking and Scandalous”. Five members chose a rogue and made their arguments for which of Jane Austen’s characters engaged in seductions, illicit liaisons, adultery, elopements, secret engagements or betrayals was the most scurrilous. The Panel Members, their characters of choice and arguments were: Meghan Hanet – Mr. Elliott …
Member Panel Discussion: “Shocking and Scandalous” Read More »
Marlo de Vaal presented a talk focusing on how the legacy of Regency fashion (1811 – 1820) has been translated on-screen addressing the question, “Does inaccurate always mean bad?” Marlo discussed the numerous adaptations of Jane Austen’s most famous novels and how despite the fact that Austen provides few descriptions of her characters’ outer appearances, …