What do the counties of Hertfordshire, Derbyshire, Somerset and Kent all have in common? Not long ago I read about a quiz on American states that was given to somebody from England. The quiz asked, simply, “What do you know about this state?” I was pleasantly surprised when this person was able to give accurate… Read the full blog post …
Author Archives: Elaine Owen
An Unpleasant Habit, by Elaine Owen
In Jane Austen’s day there was a habit that was carried out routinely by upper class people, but that did not make its way into her stories. Can you guess what it was? In 19th century England smoking and the use of snuff were common practices. Not only did society tolerate the habit, but some… Read the full blog post …
A Hidden Jewel, by Elaine Owen
What was your path into the world of Jane Austen? Which of her novels did you fall in love with first? Did you watch a movie first or read a book? Many Austen fans start and end their infatuation with Pride and Prejudice, and who can blame them? It’s a terrific story with memorable characters… Read the full blog post …
Meetings in Meryton, by Elaine Owen
In my last blog entry I posed a provocative question: could you ever picture Elizabeth Bennet with someone besides Darcy? How would Elizabeth get along with some of Austen’s other leading men? I described how I thought Elizabeth would relate to each of the men of Austen’s other major novels. Along the… Read the full blog post …
Make Me A Match, by Elaine Owen
Who is the most beloved Jane Austen couple of all time? Darcy and Elizabeth, of course, are the big crowd favorite. Why wouldn’t they be? Their personalities complement each other beautifully, and as their story develops it’s easy to discover, along with Elizabeth, what a perfect match they make. But I thought that in today’s… Read the full blog post …
“Will Nobody Have Compassion On My Poor Nerves?” by Elaine Owen
Mrs. Bennet is one of Jane Austen’s most memorable characters. Clearly Austen wants us to laugh at her histrionics and her constant, blatant husband hunting, and we feel sorry for her daughters when her antics push away eligible suitors. But we are also frustrated by her lack of manners and wish she would at least… Read the full blog post …
A Preview of Elizabeth and the Fleur de Lys, by Elaine Owen
About four years ago my husband and I introduced our children to a favorite movie of ours, The Scarlet Pimpernel, starring Jane Seymour and Anthony Andrews. If you have not seen it, I encourage you to do so as soon as possible. Our kids fell in love with the character of Sir Percival Blakeney, an… Read the full blog post …
How Rich Was Darcy, Really? by Elaine Owen
How much money did Darcy have? Exactly how rich was he? Any Jane Austen fan knows the easy answer: Darcy was worth ten thousand pounds per year. But a debate has gone on for years. What does ten thousand pounds actually mean in today’s terms? Lots of people (including some Austen Authors) have tried over… Read the full blog post …
Gotta Get A Bingley, by Elaine Owen
Charles Bingley, Darcy’s affable and somewhat heedless best friend, is a curious character in Pride and Prejudice. His inclusion in the plot is a little odd. After all, the love story between Darcy and Elizabeth could be told without Bingley’s part at all. Strictly speaking his story arc is completely unnecessary. But Bingley is a… Read the full blog post …
The Importance of Being Charlotte, by Elaine Owen
I think Charlotte Lucas is underrated. Do you agree? Readers of Pride and Prejudice tend to overlook Charlotte as a minor character who serves little purpose but in my opinion this is a mistake. Charlotte is a strong character in her own right, and she also serves as a warning and as a plot device.… Read the full blog post …
Which is Which? by Elaine Owen
“That’s just like Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. She was too proud! Or was she too prejudiced and Mr. Darcy was too proud? I can’t remember.” Do you remember these words from the movie “You’ve Got Mail”? Joe Fox says them to Kathleen Kelly as they play out their own private drama that’s reminiscent… Read the full blog post …
Between The Sheets, by Elaine Owen
Today I’d like to talk about a subject that has drawn a lot of attention recently among fans of regency romances: The first time I heard about the new Netflix series Bridgerton was when I saw fellow regency fans online talking about the “mature” scenes in it. Judging by the buzz created, there must be… Read the full blog post …
Experiments in Cooking, by Elaine Owen
Well, it’s been almost a year since we entered this pandemic! What a year it has been!!!! With so many of our formerly favorite activities now restricted, what kinds of things have you found to fill the time? Have you developed any new hobbies? Tackled any new projects? Found yourself trying something you never thought… Read the full blog post …
