Yay! You did the tag! I also sit on tags for some reason even though I enjoy doing them. Now I have to go check out this Nero Wolfe series. You had me at mystery series set in the 30’s. Also I am cracking up at our solidarity in our shared baseball misfortunes haha😂 And of course thanks so much for the kind words!

I enjoyed this. You should be sipping something cold! I just subscribed to My Meesy Bookshelf!

Thanks for your review. I was disappointed by BK's version. I found it harder to get into than the original, and was sorry not to see a modern incarnation of Uriah Heap, for example, that would be equally nauseating but hopefully less of an extreme caricature. The female characters were more degraded than their originals, too, as was Demon himself. I am listening to it, rather than reading, so cannot make a detailed comparison, but i am not enjoying the voice of the narrator. This probably adds to my disappointment, and is making me long for the end! But i don't give up easily, and should probably buy the text itself! I was encouraged to read Michael Arditti's review in the Spectator, a section of which follows: "But her fidelity to Dickens’s plot is an increasing distraction. She writes in an afterword that she wants to counter ‘hillbilly stereotypes’ and draw attention to ‘the limited choices and suffocated hopes, poverty built into a region by historical design’. Yet, rather than feeling for the characters’ wasted and brutalised lives, the reader is too busy focusing on Kingsolver’s virtuosic reworking of their models."

I’m re-reading Emma with annotations and really appreciate them. I may get the other Jane Austen novels with annotations.

We’ve been Mariners fans from day one! 😅 something else we have in common!

We’ve been Mariners fans from day one! 😅 something else we have in common!

I'll try to do mine soon! Sorry it has taken me so long to get around to it.

When I was a junior in high school, I got a big old boxed set of 6 or seven ray Bradbury paperbacks, and I devoured them, one after another. I was immersed in his writing style, although as a young reader, I didn't recognize how unique it was. Now, whenever I read him, I am whisked back to those boyhood days. I think that was part of his magic, and somehow it still lingers. I notice when I write about it, my own words get a bit purple-y around the edges. Thanks for the vid!

Put down that Anthony Trollope it’s time for Jane Austen July is exactly me right now except I can’t put down Trollope so I just multitask lol

This sounds like a great story. Going to read it this weekend. Glad you found such a great copy of that collection!

Darcy IS very proud- he admits it.

I need to get a copy of that book!!

“Who’s not a fan of footnotes?” 😂 I couldn’t agree more. And honestly I’m happy to meet someone who feels the same way about Mansfield Park. It is still delightful but just not nearly as enjoyable as the others.

I took the water as more of the movement of time, juxtaposed with his inability to move on within his relationship with Margaret because of his loss of innocent love so long ago.

WOW! Awesome you were able to get a copy of that! And great cover!! I think The Lake is one of the most beautiful, moving of his stories. There are such beautiful descriptions in this one, but one that stands out is where he writes, "I lengthened my bones, put flesh on them, changed my mind for an older one." What a great way to show time passing as only Bradbury can. And then how he's frozen, as he holds his breath, to convey time standing still in that moment when he comes back to that spot after all those years. This one highlights his brilliance.

Glad to see you back! Rereading Mansfield Park is a stretch goal for me this month once I finish Sense and Sensibility. Moby Dick is one of the few books I consider my nemesis… I just completely quit every time! Your family collection of books sounds lovely and very special.

I think it’s nice to set realistic goals. The reward of commit far outweighs stressing about getting to everything.

Relaxing and informative format

I agree with the other comments , Lovers Vow was very good. This year I’m trying the play The School for Scandal. It sounds very amusing with characters named Lady Sneerwell, Sir Joseph Surface, Lady Candour and Sir Benjamin Backbite.

I've got to make a note of Jane Austen and the Clergy for next year's JAJ nonfiction. Also support the suggestion to read Elizabeth Inchbald's Lover's Vows. It is short and not an amazing play but adds to the Mansfield Park experience.

I recently watched Clueless for the first time and loved it. I think Mansfield Park is my next Jane Austen novel, but im not sure if I'll get to it for Jane Austen July. Also, I'm not if I've ever commented it, but your audio quality is so nice!

I’ve also heard that Celia’s House by DE Stevenson is a retelling of Mansfield Park. I’m reading Mansfield Park too, so my contemporary of Jane Austen read will be the play Lover’s Vows. I’m excited that you liked Manslaughter Park because I was on the fence about reading it. Now I think I will make it a priority. 😊

I love the web based series, also. I'm thinking of watching one of those also.

I'd love to read the book about Austen and clergy. The Tirzah Price series looks really good!

I don't think I'm going "all out" for JaneAustenJuly this year, either. Over the past couple of years, I've tried making July truly JaneAusten everything, but I have a lot of other things, so even though I'm going to choose books for all of the prompts, I'm not going to get to them all. For me, as long as I read one of her novels, I'm happy about it.- yep, I'll definitely watch that version of Pride and Prejudice. For me, Matthew Macfadyen is the best Mr. Darcy.

Hi, Art. I'll be reading Persuasion this year. My TBR is on Goodreads. For a JA contemporary, I highly recommend reading, or rereading, Lover's Vows by Mrs. Inchbald. This is the infamous play from MP.

I won't get through all of these, but these are my possibilities: READ ONE OF THE SIX NOVELS * Sense and Sensibility (I may read Emma instead because it's been a while since I've read that one) * Pride and Prejudice READ ONE OF THE OTHER WORKS * Sandition * The Watsons * Lady Susan * Selected Letters NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT AUSTEN OR HER TIME * Jane Austen at Home - Lucy Worsley * Jane and Dorothy - Marian Veevers * A Truth Universally Acknowledged * Jane Austen Cover to Cover - Margaret C. Sullivan RETELLING OR SET IN LIFETIME * Jane Fairfax - Joan Aiken BOOK BY CONTEMPORARY * The Old English Baron (1778) - Clara Reeve * "The Rivals" (1775) - Richard Brinsley Sheridan * Cecilia (1782) - Frances Burney * Evelina (1778) - Frances Burney * The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) - Ann Radcliffe * The Antiquary (1814) - Walter Scott WATCH DIRECT ADAPTATION * Pride and Prejudice miniseries (1995) * Emma (2020) * Sense and Sensibility miniseries (2008) MODERN VIDEO RETELLING * Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (not expecting much) * Clueless OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES * Jane Austen Puzzle OTHER RELATED BOOKS * The Female Quixote (1752) - Charlotte Lenox -- book that influenced Jane Austen.

Darcy seems guarded and cautious. He possibly dealt with many immature ladies looking for a husband. ❤️

OK, my main reads for July this year are Martin Chuzzlewit and Adam Bede, but I’m going to participate in JAJ for the following prompts: Prompt 1/Group Read-Sense and Sensibility (I’m going to try the Nadia May audiobook, simply because I loved her Wives and Daughters SO MUCH) Prompt 2-I’m going to reread Jane Austen’s prayers Prompt 5-I’m declaring Charles Dickens a contemporary of Jane Austen, since he was born five years before she died, so Martin Chuzzlewit fits this prompt! Prompt 6-I’m going to for SURE watch either the 2008 Sense and Sensibiltiy or the 1995 Pride and Prejudice (or both!) at some point during the month!

“Time travel shenanigans” 😂😂😂

Sorry for your loss and that you’ve been unwell - it’s good to see you back, Art!

Sorry to hear about you loss and recent illness. Best wishes with what you choose to read and to your channel.

Condolences for the loss of your father. I’m glad I found your channel. You are kind man. May your father’s memory be a blessing

Great to see you back on youtube, Art! I love that you're getting your dad's books. How special! My big book for the summer is Kristin Lavransdatter

I’m so excited you’re rereading Barnaby Rudge, Art! I absolutely loved it-the riot scenes are some of the most visceral and gripping writing by Dickens that I’ve read!!

You have a voice, Art!! It’s so good to see you back in action!!

Hey Art! Good to see you! I am so sorry to hear that your father passed. My prayers to you and your family. I’m glad you are feeling better. I look forward to your JA TBR and I don’t think she will mind if you discuss Dickens in July. 😂

Oh boy, sorry you’ve had a rough time, Art. Really sorry to hear about your dad… I lost my mom last year. Glad to hear your health is improving…. It’s about time you catch a beak! I have wanted to try Moby Dick for a long time, but I feel like it’s one I won’t get to until I retire 😜. It sounds like Lady Chatterly’s Lover may be one you’d like for GarbAugust, if you haven’t read it already. I’m planning to read Dandelion Wine and Something Wicked this Way Comes (with Gareth) this fall. I’m also a Christmas freak…. Even did some Dickens fireside readings this past December.

I agree- thankful for technology so we can connect with other book nerds. Our Bradbury group is the best! I'm glad you're starting back up your short story club, too. I hope to participate this time.

I just reread Dandelion Wine with Tiffany's Patreon! I love it so much. I'm a weirdo who loves Christmas all year long too! Much to my husband's chagrin. Glad to see you back.

The only Zane Grey I have read is Riders of the Purple Sage, but I think that has a strong female character.

So good to see you, Art. Please take it easy this summer with posting, etc. You've been through a lot these last few months. P.S. love the shirt!!! 😉

I'm really sorry to hear about your dad, Art.

I am so sorry about your dad’s passing. May he rest in peace. Also so glad you recovered from your illness.