Our national organization reports, via the UK’s Telegraph newspaper, that Austen fans have lost another author and long-time advocate of Jane Austen. Marie Dobbs made an interesting life for herself and penned other works besides her 1975 completion of Sanditon, as her Telegraph obituary indicates:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11790472/Marie-Dobbs-author-obituary.html
Last month, the Telegraph also marked the passing of Austen scholar Irene Collins, perhaps best known for her book, Jane Austen and the Clergy (1994):
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11753737/Irene-Collins-historian-obituary.html
Some years ago, Jane Austen and the Clergy was the topic at one of our summer luncheon meetings, held that year at the Chatillon-DeMenil House.
Revisiting the A&E/BBC’s 1995 P&P
Finally, on a lighter note, if you need an excuse to skip over to England in the next few weeks, here is the perfect reason for making the trip, courtesy of the Basingstoke Gazette:
For more information about the the library’s Sept. 5 presentation, “BBC Pride and Prejudice 1995: Reflections Around a Much-Loved Production,” visit the Chawton House Library’s website,
www.chawtonhouse.org, or simply click on this link for a program agenda: www.chawtonhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ProgrammePP3.pdf
Among the presenters Sept. 5, our own Devoney Looser (a.k.a., Stone Cold Jane Austen, www.devoneylooser.com/roller-derby.html). Now with Arizona State University, Devoney’s topic will be “Playing Mr. Darcy, from Archery to Wet Shirts.”
Also, you may recall that Chawton House Library founder Sandy Lerner was our 2012 Birthday Luncheon guest.
And speaking of topics, this is a good time to remind everyone that our next JASNA Metropolitan St. Louis Region meeting is Sept. 26 at the University City Public Library. Dr. Toby Benis, of Saint Louis University’s College of Arts and Sciences and a fellow region member, will speak on “Jane Austen’s Portsmouth.” The 2 p.m. presentation is open to the public; so please invite your family and friends. The library is located at 6701 Delmar Blvd., University City, Mo. We’ll see you then.
