Podcast: An Interview with the author of "Jane Austen for Dummies"

Those new to Jane Austen via one of several recent films or series (or even you who are established Janeites) will find this podcast: The life and Times of Jane Austen, enlightening (podcast property of Wiley Publishing, Inc. and run with permission).

In this interview with Elizabeth Klingel Ray, PhD, author of book, "Jane Austen for Dummies," listeners will learn much about the life and times of Austen -- particularly how accurately (or inaccurately, as it may be) recent movies and mini-series (including Becoming Jane) portray Austen characters and the period.  Dr. Ray, an English professor at the University of Colorado, has written numerous magazine articles on Austen and has appeared in the A and E biography of Jane Austen.

In the podcast featuring Dr. Ray, you'll learn whether she thinks Darcy's love for Lizzy is portrayed accurately in the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley (I personally think not).  And, for those anticipating the upcoming release of Emma in the United States in 2010, Ray discusses this character (a favorite of hers) at length.

While I do not agree with all that Ray says, I believe that her lively discussion offers a solid representation of themes in Austen's novels involving relationships, romance, and especially marriage, class and the societal roles of women and men in the 19th Century.  It is a good introduction for Austen novices and will be interesting to Janeites also.

I especially liked Dr. Ray's blasting as ludicrous the "pigs running through the house" depiction of the Bennet household in the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice. She seems well versed in the class structure of the time and explains well how the Bennets, though certainly not wealthy, were part of the gentry and did not live in the squalor shown in the film. The same can be said of the horrible costumes in the movie.  I hope that the BBC's 2010 Emma gets this right...it looks like they do!

I loved the recent posting on Jane Austen Today on Persuasion: Fashion in the Age of Jane Austen, which discusses what seems to be a fascinating exhibit on period Jane Austen fashion at the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia. The exhibit runs through November 8th, I believe. The photos (see below for a sampling) are great (courtesy of the Jane Austen Today site). The photos certainly show that dress was far from shabby for the gentry, at least, in Austen's era.

Jane Austen for Dummies is available through the Dummies.com site or through Amazon at a considerably lower price.