JASNA
Effusions of Fancy
FEB 2012 VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1
Central New Jersey
JASNA
Book Pollyanna a Hit! Leadership Team:
At our annual birthday one walked away with a Regional Coordinator
celebration of Jane Aus-‐ book they had not read be-‐ Newsletter Editor
fore. It was a wonderful day Webmaster
Meredith Barnes
spent in the company of 3905 Cleveland St.
we had a delightful after-‐ good companionship. Toms River, NJ 08755
noon. We spent the day (908)910-9277
sharing our favorite scenes minimeredith@yahoo.com
from the novels, especially Treasurer: Connie Paul
Sense and Sensibility as it Program Chairs:
was the 200th Anniversary. Geri Benedetto & Pat Shields
We talked at length as to Membership Chair:
Jane Arlauskas
how we were introduced Social Media Developer:
to Jane Austen, and lastly, Amelia Rodriguez
we had our book Pollyanna
Contributions always
in which just about every-‐
welcome!
Our Next Event: Music and Jane Austen
February 11 is our next RSVP to Meredith at cen-‐
meeting at the home of traljerseyjasna@yahoo.com Inside this issue:
Geri Benedetto, in Ewing. or call at (908)910-‐9277 or
to Geri at
Our focus will be on music 3
geriannbenedetto@gmail.c
om by February 7. Direc-‐ Regency NJ 2
its influence on her and tions to follow under sepa-‐
her writing. Please bring rate cover to those whom Jane Sightings 2
either samples of music on RSVP. Thanks!
Spot of Tea 3
CD for us to listen to or
quotes from the books or Book Review 5
her letters referencing mu-‐
JASNA updates 5
sic.
Current Events 4
EFFUSIONS OF FANCY Page 2
Just some CNJ JASNA housekeeping...
Our Officers: information, and now you can have these updates
delivered to your e-‐mail mailbox as soon as they are
Our chapter officers-‐-‐Program Co-‐
posted on the website. Just visit our new address
Chairs: Geri Benedetto and Pat Shields
(don't worry, the old address works too):
are putting together a 2011 year of
www.cnjjasna.org and subscribe via e-‐mail.
programming for us and are looking
for your ideas for the 2012 year. We have an addition to our
officers -‐Amelia Rodriguez
Membership Chair: Jane Arlauskas will
has graciously offered to
be keeping us up to date with mem-‐
help us develop our social
bership. And a new membership direc-‐
media side of things. She is
tory will be made available for us, so
going to develop the web-‐
we can keep in touch even between
site, Facebook, and now
the meetings.
Twitter presence on the
Connie Paul is our treasurer. Thank web. She has already done a
you to all these wonderful volunteers! lot of wonderful little things that will make your us-‐
age of the website and Facebook site even easier
Subscribe via the website:
without you knowing it. Now, CNJ has our own Twit-‐
Did you know that we have updates on ter Feed, so follow us on Twitter at @JASNA_CNJ.
our website every other day with
Thank you to all our officers for everything they do
events in the area, book releases and
to keep us going!
reviews, and other Jane Austen related
OUR CALENDAR FOR 2012
Central New Jersey JASNA has an exciting lineup of activities
for its 2012 roster. Join us in our fun!
2/11/2012 Music and Influence on Jane Austen
4/21/2012 Jane Cleland at Manasquan Library
6/16/2012 Mansfield Park
8/18/2012 Either Covenhoven or Monmouth Battlefield
10/20/2012 Tea Tasting and History of Tea
12/15/2012 Birthday Celebration
Page 3 VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1
-Now what?
Death Comes to Pemberley begins six family.
years after the close of Pride and Unlike many authors of Austen sequels, James hasn't popu-‐
Prejudice. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth lated her story with a horde of new characters. Of course,
Bennet are happily married and living there are some new characters, but James shows, through
at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's Derbyshire the course of the book, that she is well-‐acquainted with
estate, with their two young sons and Pride and Prejudice and the other Austen novels, and she
Mr. Darcy's sister, Georgiana. The new skillfully works events and characters from those books into
book begins with a short prologue re-‐ this one. The way she does this is true to the characters and
viewing the action of Pride and Preju-‐ even throws new light on their behavior and circumstances
dice and the six years before this in Pride and Prejudice. She does this so well that from now
novel's story begins. We then enter the great house at Pem-‐ on I will always think of some of the Pride and Prejudice
berley on the night before the Darcys are to host their an-‐ characters as having the back story that James gives them.
nual autumn ball. Elizabeth's sister, Jane, and Jane's hus-‐
band, Charles Bingley, are already in residence, along with James's writing style captures the cadences of Austen and
Darcy's cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam. A new character, Mr. there are several passages that recall Austen's tart and ironic
Alveston, is also a guest. observations. Here is just one, about Charles Bingley's sister
Caroline: "Miss Bingley was particularly anxious at this time
The hosts and guests are ready to retire for the night when a not to leave the capital. Her pursuit of a widowed peer of
carriage comes careening up the drive, the door bursts open great wealth was entering a most hopeful phase. Admit-‐
and out hurtles Lydia, Jane and Elizabeth's drama queen of a tedly, without his peerage and his money he would have
younger sister, screaming like a banshee that her husband, been regarded as the most boring man in London, but one
Wickham, has been shot and killed in Pemberley's wood-‐ cannot expect to be called 'your grace' without some incon-‐
land. (When you heard there was a Pride and Prejudice se-‐ venience."
quel with a murder, didn't you just *know* that Lydia would
take center stage in the hubbub?) Because a murder has As a sequel to Pride and Prejudice, Death Comes to Pember-‐
taken place on Darcy's estate and affects his family-‐-‐no mat-‐ ley is a satisfying effort. As a mystery, it is not conventional
ter how distant the Darcys have always tried to keep from and probably not what most of us expected when we first
Wickham and Lydia-‐-‐Darcy is necessarily involved in the heard about the book. Mr. Darcy doesn't suddenly put on a
resolution of the case. And, of course, the personal connec-‐ deerstalker hat and turn detective. But the way the story
tions make the case an emotional trial for Darcy, Elizabeth plays out is more true to the time and place, and to Austen's
and their extended families. style, than it would have been if James had tried to bolt a
detective story onto an Austen sequel. I should note,
Famed mystery author P. D. James hasn't merely dressed up though, that this Austenworld authenticity and the lack of a
a mystery in Austen style. Her book is very much an explora-‐ detective story may mean that the book disappoints some
tion of Elizabeth and Darcy's characters, emotional lives and mystery readers, including some P. D. James fans.
their marriage. James presents a nuanced portrait of the
two that is different from the pert Elizabeth and imperious As a lover of Jane Austen, if not a complete Austen fanatic, I
Darcy of the screen versions of Pride and Prejudice. Eliza-‐ was happy to spend this time at Pemberley, revisiting the
beth's new position as chatelaine of the vast estate of Pem-‐ characters from Pride and Prejudice and seeing their later
berley and her duty to her husband, his family, their staff lives depicted in a way that is faithful to the depth and com-‐
and the property have matured her and made her more con-‐ plexity that Austen gave them. I was disappointed that there
ciliatory to troublesome characters, even the likes of Lady wasn't more time spent with Darcy and Elizabeth together,
Catherine de Bourgh. Darcy is presented as a sometimes but that's more of a quibble than a serious criticism. -‐
brooding and self-‐doubting man, but one who is determined Maine Colonial for Amazon.com
to learn from his past errors and make a happy life for his
EFFUSIONS OF FANCY Page 4
Modern Day Jane Sightings
Book Review: Pocket Posh® Jane Austen: 100 Puzzles & Quizzes from Andrews McMeel Publishing
Literary icon Jane Aus- ish cover, elastic band closure and lay-flat
ten has inspired mil- binding. It is the perfect puzzler for the girl
lions of readers over on the go! Jane Austen-themed puzzles
the years. Those who include word search, crosswords, code-
also fancy puzzles will words and more!
love the fun and chal-
lenge of
Jane Austen. This eas-
ily-portable pocket
gamer features a styl-
Jane Austen Cigarette Card
Image Title: Jane Austen.
Specific Material Type: Photomechanical prints
Standard Reference: Cartophilic reference books, c18-109
Source: [Cigarette cards.] / 50 celebrities of British history.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building / George Arents Collection
Catalog Call Number: Arents Cigarette Cards
Digital ID: 1204542
Record ID: 480276
Digital Item Published: 7-26-2004;; updated 6-21-2011
Downton Abbey-Best Miniseries Golden Globes!
DOWNTON ABBEY-‐SEASON 2: It is 1916, and
World War I has shaken Downton Abbey to its
very foundations. As a way of life is forever
blasted apart, both heroes and villains struggle to
survive and forge ahead. Maggie Smith, Hugh
Bonneville, and Elizabeth McGovern return with a
stellar ensemble cast in the voraciously-‐
anticipated season 2 of Downton Abbey from
Primetime Emmy Award® winning writer Julian
Fellowes.
Page 5 VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1
London: The Board Game
The London Board Game is a brand new game developed by one of
takes players, ages 8 and up, through a fun packed 1000 years of
past.
Travel by London bus, taxi, or bike while you race along the time line
escaping from the Fire of London, solving some clues in Baker Street
with Sherlock Holmes and treading the boards at the Globe Theatre.
The London Board Game makes for a fantastic family Christmas gift.
All the Museum of London product ranges, alongside their popular
core stock range, are available in-store and online from
www.museumoflondonshop.co.uk.
A Spot of Tea: Regency Window Treatments
This Regency sels, which pass
era window behind the cor-‐
treatment fea-‐ nice hangings.
tures drapery of The rod and its
azure blue ornaments are of
edged with bul-‐ metal.
lion fringe. The This Regency era
window treat-‐
metal pins are
ment artistically
omitted and the highlights a nar-‐
row library win-‐
curtains are fes-‐
dow or French
tooned by door.
silken cords em-‐
bellished by tas-‐
EFFUSIONS OF FANCY Page 6
Regency Era-‐Music
To be considered accomplished in Regency England, a young gentle-‐
woman must be proficient in playing an instrument and singing. Evening
entertainments often featured a display of the musical talents of the
young ladies in attendance.
The pianoforte, a version of the piano, is prominent in many of Jane
Pride and Prejudice continually shies
away from any public demonstration
of her musical skills on the piano-‐
move over this instrument in the
masterly manner which I see so
the same force or rapidity, and do
not produce the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to
be my own fault
In Sense and Sensibility, Marianne Dashwood is accomplished at the pi-‐
wrapped up in her own music and her own thoughts, had by this time for-‐
Emma,
very elegant-‐looking instrument, not a grand, but a large-‐sized square piano-‐ -‐forte had
During the Regency Era, England was the center of pianoforte manufac-‐
ture. In 1812,
They featured a hand-‐colored print of a pianoforte from the
extensive variety in the stock of Messrs. Wilkinson and Wornum of Ox-‐
ford Street. The elegant instrument was six to seven feet in height,
three feet nine inches wide, and twenty-‐one inches deep. This piano-‐
forte was finished in mahogany and highly ornamented but was also
adaptation to the voice, it is extremely happy, particularly that with two