Jane Austen Portrait

I just read an interesting article by ladaisi called I’m a Jane Austen, Jane Eyre kind of Girl talking about the female characters that she loved as a teenager. Jane Austen has definitely been one of my favourite authors for many years now.  I first read Emma when I was about 14, but perhaps was too young to fully appreciate the artistry of Jane’s writing and depth of the character Emma at the time.  It wasn’t until I was in my late teens when I watched the seminal BBC mini series adaptation of Pride & Prejudice that I came to love Jane’s work.  From the moment the end credits of the first of the six episodes were rolling I was digging out my old copy of Emma for a refresh. The very next day I had bought a copy of every book she had ever written and my second hand copy of Persuasion is probably my most prized book on the shelves!

As much as I loved the feminist sass and independence of Elizabeth Bennett in Pride & Prejudice it was the stoical resolve and unswerving devotion of Anne Elliot in Persuasion that spoke to the deeper recesses of my psyche.  Besieged by her tactless family, written off as a lost cause by friends and family alike, pursued by a roguish and unwanted admirer, persuaded by a friend to give up the man she loved and then shunned by the object of her affection, Captain Wentworth upon first being re-acquainted.  It is Anne’s poise and equanimity that speared right to my core as a young woman struggling to understand who she was and where she fitted into the world.  For so much of the book Anne suffers, never showing how much it hurts or burdening others with her pain.  A selfless character who puts the feelings of those she loves and cares for above her own, resigning herself to a cold and lonely existence.  Of course, Jane was too kind a writer to leave Anne’s selflessness unrewarded, but I shan’t spoil it too much for those who have not read the novel.

It is not an overstatement to say that Anne was a revelation to me, proof that I wasn’t all that strange, that someone like me – a self possessed, introverted and deeply passionate individual who kept her heart a closely guarded secret could exist, if only in fiction.  I found something in all of Austen’s characters though, the feminine determination and independence of spirit in Elizabeth Bennett and also in the youthful innocence of Marianne Dashwood in Sense & Sensibility and her sister Elinor Dashwood’s constancy and selflessness, so reminiscent of Anne Eliott and the sense of purpose, morality and conscience of Fanny Price in Mansfield Park.

I could go on and on, but rather than continue to wax lyrical about the characters and the books and how much they mean to me I want to share with you a poem.  The poem demonstrates how throughout my life I have not only been supported, comforted and befriended by Austen’s work, but also inspired.

So cinch in your corsets and put on your bonnets, watch out Wentworth and Darcy, it’s time to get Pinned by Jane Austen!

Wealie x

P.S. if I’ve inspired you to go out and read a bit or even watch a bit of Jane Austen then here’s a woo hoo! If you need inspiration or help with choosing click here to see all things Jane Austen that you can buy on Amazon!

PINNED BY JANE AUSTEN

I’m confused, this morning I was so sure, the look in your eyes, the lingering of our touch…God I want you too much.  And now the insipid doubt returns and I feel my heart, it burns.  My mind is reeling; I don’t know where to turn.  This morning my smile could not be swayed, yet now I sit alone a bundle of nerves each one broken, each one frayed.  How do you do this to me?  Why do I continue to let this be?  What the fuck happened to my wonder woman gene and who the hell let Jane Austen in?

My confidence escapes me and the mask of my dominance melts away.  Struggling with my inner demons, how do I get the courage to tell you how I feel?  My corseted emotions locked sickeningly deep, stood in the corner in my dunce’s cap, someone hand me a shovel, I need to dig my way out of all this emotional crap.

Give me back my tiara and cape, let me spin around and find the courage to do what must be done.  Give me back my wonder woman and someone please show Ms Austen the door.  Give me leave to pick my fractured dignity up off the floor.  I’m so confused; do you feel this way too, how do you feel when I’m with you?

Are you to be my Mr Darcy with your stoic resolve?  Are you struggling as much as I to articulate these emotions, or am I alone in my ardour for you?  Why can’t you be my superman, you look equally good in red or blue?  Why are you not entwined within my arms and legs, tucked up safe with me in my warm bed?

But in the corner I still stand, pinned down by Jane Austen’s hand and yet still I wish to say:

“I like you,
Like you more than I should,
I like you
Like you more than friends,
Like you like no other
And I would like for nothing more than you to like me too.”

Oh God I hope you do!

Ruth Weal
02 September 2005, 3.30 pm
Copyright R.Weal 2005 ©

As a child I always had my head in a book, escaping into different worlds.  Some of the great literary characters were also my good friends, I was right there with them throughout all their adventures, sharing in their triumphs and worrying over their setbacks. I blame my less than perfect eye sight on my propensity to sneakily continue reading well after being told to turn out my light.  Using a little torch under the covers that seemed to eat AA batteries like they were going out of fashion was not ideal.

Here’s ten of my favourite children’s books/series, old and new, in no particular order.

Happy reading!

Wealie x

1. Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling

JK Rowling created a fantastic hero in Harry, with a great set of supporting characters in Ron, Hermione, Professor Dumbledore and Snape, Dobby the house elf and of course Hagrid.  She wove her stories around a world rooted in our own, but a little bit more magical.  What I liked most about these books was how she matured the writing and the subject matter of what the characters were dealing with in each successive book.  I can imagine children growing up alongside Harry, almost as if they too were at school with them and I find myself feeling just a little envious of them. I read each book cover to cover with as little down time as possible and I never tire of listening to the audio book recordings by Stephen Fry which are a lovely way to wile away the time on long car journeys.  Truly this series is the Narnia of the noughties!

Click here to buy the Harry Potter Boxed Set (Harry Potter Signature Edition)
Click here to buy the Harry Potter – The Complete Story: Collected Audio Edition

2. The Faraway Tree Series by Enid Blyton

As a young girl I was a bit of a Tom boy and loved climbing trees and making up adventures with my two younger sisters.  The stories of the Faraway Tree, where three young children discover a giant and mystical tree whose uppermost branches reach into the very clouds and the fact that it is so large that magical beings were able to live in it, resonated deeply with me and I was instantly captivated.  Whatever you may think of Enid’s novels in light of modern political, cultural and social sensibilities you cannot deny that at the heart of her writing is a rip roaring yarn and good story telling.  Enid had a way of making the unbelievable seem totally possible.  This had the side effect of ensuring that my sisters and I often went off on what were sadly numerous fruitless quests in search of the Faraway Tree.

Click here to buy Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree Collection

3. The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis

I remember my Nan bought me the whole set of the Chronicles of Narnia for Christmas when I was about 9 years old. I remember being fascinated by the magical world of mystical creatures and the divide between good and evil, summer and winter. The fact that children became kings and queens and were responsible for the fate of this world was an amazing idea. I have very vivid memories of being tucked up in bed with the books lined up on my shelf, all except the one I was reading. Every now and then I’d glance up at the shelf excited at the prospect of reading the next one.  As an adult I now see the blatant Christian references throughout the books, the nuances of which were mostly lost on me as a young child so wrapped up was I in the fairytale.  Though I don’t necessarily agree with the heavy religious overtones I still feel that the stories are a worthwhile read today.

Click here to buy The Chronicles of Narnia Box Set

4. The Nancy Drew Files by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym)

Another series that my Nan introduced me to.  On school holidays my sisters and I would go and spend the day with my Nan whilst Mum was at work.  One of my Nan’s favourite things to do with us was to pop into Westbury town centre for a cream tea and a visit to the Library and sweet shop.  Well I won’t lie, the cream tea was probably the highlight, but the visit to the library was great.  I remember when Nan got me my first library card and told me I could take out whatever book I wanted, well suffice it to say I was hooked.  At 10 years old I was beginning to feel a bit too old for Enid Blyton and so Nan gave me my first Nancy Drew File.  It had everything; crime, real baddies, mystery, a self reliant, skilled and exciting female central character and a dependable and lovable romantic interest.  The Nancy Drew Files were a spin off from the original Nancy Drew Mysteries originally written in the 1930s.  The characters were updated to reflect the modern America they now lived in and 124 books were written in 11 years from 1986 to 1997.  Nancy was a sassy, savvy young teenage sleuth ably assisted by her pals and boyfriend Ned Nickerson as she rooted out the truth in the mysteries that came her way. These were great stories for a burgeoning young woman to get her teeth into.

Click here to buy the Nancy Drew Files Books

5. The Witches by Roald Dahl

Probably my favourite children’s author when I was a child myself, Roald had a knack of knowing exactly how children thought and wrote his books to appeal very much to children.  The Witches is a great story, full of evil witches with fiendish plans and money making schemes.  Our hero does not get off lightly and there’s a fair amount of violence and wit in equal measure.  Roald’s books (including the witches) have often been the source of controversy as he did not sanitise his books and to be honest I find this most commendable.  Children are not as fragile as many would have us think and I firmly believe that by seemingly protecting them from the real world and its dangers we are only doing them a disservice.   The Witches was read to me by my junior school teacher Mr Milroy when I was 10 years old.  I remember clearly the passion with which he read the book that really brought it to life for me and I found myself eagerly awaiting each chapter he read.  A classic read and a must have for all kids, essential preparation for life.

Click here to buy The Witches

6. The Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer

A deliciously devious and morally challenged young anti hero, the genius and criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl, his supped up butler-come-bodyguard and sidekick named Butler.  A hardboiled LEP Commander and his charge an idealistic young female LEP Captain – Fairy police! And I haven’t even started on the expert burglar dwarf and techno-genius centaur!  How can you not be hooked, especially when the author himself describes the series as “Die Hard with Fairies!”.  In these times of sanitised fiction and television for children where we wrap them up in so much cotton wool and then when they are no longer children fling them out into the harsh realities of the world unprepared this book is a breath of fresh air.  Artemis is a true anti-hero, but through the series we’ve seen him begin to see the error of his ways, understand that his actions have consequences, understood his motivations better and perhaps felt a bit more sympathy for his earlier actions and watched as he steps up to the plate and takes responsibility.  If that’s not a story that every child should hear to help them learn the lessons of consequences and taking responsibility then I’m obviously out of touch with the world.  Added to that, these are rip roaring yarns, totally silly and lovable, with fantastic characters that you want to read again and again.

Click here to buy the Artemis Fowl Boxed Set

7. His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Trilogy is a fantastic tour-de-force weaving together the stories of two central child characters who exist in different universes, Lyra, who comes from an alternative Oxford, which has a slightly Victorian feel to it and Will who comes from our Oxford.  This is a coming of age story that explores betrayal, danger, adventure, war, religion, science, exploration, challenging ideas and norms, the establishment, love, redemption and sacrifice.  The books have been alternately praised and criticised for their controversial negative portrayal of religion in Lyra’s Oxford, which bears an uncanny resemblance to Catholicism.  These books are an intelligent and engaging read and well deserving of the many prizes that they have won.  Essential reading for the discerning young reader with an appetite to form their own ideas rather than just follow the crowd.

Click here to buy His Dark Materials Trilogy

8. The Worst Witch Collection by Jill Murphy

I loved these stories when I was at school and identified with poor Mildred Hubble, the well meaning student at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches who always managed to do things wrong and get into terrible trouble.  When I found out that Jill wrote the first novel when she was just 15 and based the stories on her own experiences of school in a Wimbeldon Convent I found them even more engaging.  The characters are suitably exaggerated and fun, and Mildred’s scrapes wildly improbable and infinitely predictable, but I think that’s what makes them so engaging.  Mildred is a young girl just trying to get by and you really want her to succeed.  A great light hearted and fun read.

Click here to buy The Worst Witch Books

9. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Taking you back to the river bank and a bygone age where Ratty, Mr Toad, Mr Badger and Mole play out their adventures in a countryside of a Britain gone by.  The Wind in the Willows is a charming tale of the adventures of these four central animal characters set against the changing seasons of the English riverbank.  The characters are well rounded and lovable and in the case of Mr Toad incorrigible.  You can’t help but get swept up in the beautiful story telling and the nostalgic picture it evokes in its readers.  A classic read for children and adults alike and lovely story for parents and their children to share.

Click here to buy The Wind in the Willows (Wordsworth Children’s Classics)

10. The Abhorsen (Old Kingdom) Series by Garth Nix

Strong, young feminine characters charged with saving a kingdom in a faraway land, magic and the evil spirits of the dead, steep learning curves, mysteries and untapped power.  The Abhorsen series follows firstly the life of Sabriel and then later that of Lirael.  These two young women are destined to become Abhorsen, a sacred and revered position of magical power to ensure evil spirits and the dead cannot come back to control the living.  There are evil demonic spirits out to get them and lots of personal journeys and obstacles that they need to overcome along the way.  These books were a bright spark, dealing with life and death, magic and mystery, good and evil in a mature way that was still engaging and interesting for children.  A very good read indeed!

Click here to buy The Abhorsen Trilogy 3 Volume Boxed Set

Further Reading

Another good article on the subject “Memories…. books I read as a child” by Jayne Fordham on her blog The Australian Bookshelf.

Atlantis Betrayed Book Cover

Now I know I can be a fussy individual when it comes to getting facts straight, but if there is one thing that does annoy me it’s when an author from a different country sets their novel in the United Kingdom and gets the very basic facts about the United Kingdom, UK, Great Britain, GB, Britain, The British Isles, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Southern Ireland, The Republic of Ireland and Éire wrong. I’m proud to call myself English, British and European, and I’m also a Southerner from the South West of England, a Wessex lass and a Wiltshire Lass, but lets not muddy the water further!  I’ll admit that the numerous names and ways the British Isles are divided up due to our murky history must be a bit confusing for people from other cultures and countries to understand if they are not given the correct facts.  If I’m honest there’s plenty of British people that are unaware of the complexities of our own social, political and cultural history! So, whilst Alyssa Day’s Atlantis Betrayed is a rip roaring yarn and a worthy addition to her Atlantis series which I thoroughly enjoyed, I can’t help but feel a bit let down by her lack of due care to the facts and attention to detail in ensuring the country of the novel’s setting was portrayed correctly. It pains me, because with just a small amount of research, information readily available on the internet from various sources could ensure the true facts were displayed.  I have to believe this to be well within the abilities of an ex-lawyer turned novelist and her team of publishers and editors.  It’s sad to think that a lack of foresight has led to thousands of loyal fans outside of the UK being mislead on some very basic British facts. Therefore I’ve decided today to set the record straight on the facts that were wrong in Atlantis Betrayed:

1. The currency of the United Kingdom (i.e.England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) is the British Pound (GBP) or Pound Sterling, it is not the Euro!  Southern Ireland, (The Republic of Ireland) which is a separate country not governed under the United Kingdom elected to join the Euro.
2. Though the United Kingdom is a member state of the European Union, the Euro is not an accepted currency, i.e. you will need to to a bank or foreign exchange desk to exchange your Euros for some Pounds to purchase goods and services in the UK.  All UK cash machines (automated tellers) will only provide you with Pounds.
3. England and English are not catch all terms for the United Kingdom!  If you call someone who is Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish English or being part of England you are likely to cause offence!  It would be like saying Canada is a state of the USA, because it is part of North America and calling everyone in the USA Texans, because they live in one of the other 49 states of the USA.  So a key character claiming to be Scottish would take umbrage to any reference to the UK as England.

I hope that in any future re-print of what is otherwise a great story these facts will be corrected.  If you do read the novel and I promise it is a fun read – please remember the three facts above when you come across the errors!

Happy reading

Wealie