I Love Austen Week ~ Tag

I haven't been on Blogger lately, so I completely forgot about this Austen Week hosted by the lovely Hamlette in person.  Anyway, here are my answers to the tag!

1.  Which did you experience first, a Jane Austen book or a movie based on one?

  The books.  My older sister read Persuasion out loud to us when I was around 10 (I think) and then Pride & Prejudice not long after.  I'm pretty sure I read all of the books before I saw any movie/TV adaptions.

2.  What is your favorite Austen book?   Oooooo.....I think Pride & Prejudice.

3.  Favorite heroine?  Why do you like her best?

  Well, I think I have to say Elizabeth Bennet.  She is smart, spunky, level headed, kind.  Yes she has her...well...issues, but she is also a very sweet girl.

4.  Favorite hero?  Why do you like him best?

  Fredrick Wentworth.  Who doesn't like a man in a naval uniform?  Just kidding!  It's actually Henry Tilney.  Well, he is very sensible, smart, has a great sense of humor, doesn't take nonsense from others, and all in all, he is the kind of man I would like to marry.

5.  Do you have a favorite film adaptation of Austen's work?

  Well, I like the 1995 P&P, the 2009 Emma and the 2008 S&S equally.

6.  Have your Austen tastes changed over the years?  (Did you start out liking one story best, but now like another better?  Did you think she was boring at first, then changed your mind?  Etc.)

  Actually, yes.  Northanger Abbey and Catherine Moreland used to be my favorites when I first read the books because I am the most like Catherine.  But as I have grown older, that has changed.  I'm still the most like Catherine, but I'm nowhere near as susceptible to the stories I read.  Well, when I read the book I still wasn't as susceptible as she was.

7.  Do you have any cool Austen-themed things (mugs, t-shirts, etc)?  (Feel free to share photos if you want.)

  Sadly I do not.  :(

8.  If you could ask Jane Austen one question, what would you ask her?

  Well I would wish to ask if her choice to write romance novels was born out of her failed engagement, but as that would hardly be polite, I would ask which of her heroines was her favorite.

9.  Imagine someone is making a new film of any Jane Austen story you choose, and you get to cast the leads.  What story do you want filmed, and who would you choose to act in it?

  Well I would like to see a new version of Persuasion.  And I think I would cast Lee Pace as Captain Wentworth.

  With Eleanor Tomlinson as Anne Elliot.

Dark and smoothed hair and int he beginning she would nee to be make-uped (I know that's not a word!) to look paler and thinner.

10.  Share up to five favorite Jane Austen quotations!

   I only have time to grab three right now.  Here they are.

"With three younger sisters grown up," replied Elizabeth smiling, "your Ladyship can hardly expect me to own it."

 “Very true,” said Henry, “and this is a very nice day, and we are taking a very nice walk, and you are two very nice young ladies. Oh! It is a very nice word indeed! It does for everything. Originally perhaps it was applied only to express neatness, propriety, delicacy, or refinement—people were nice in their dress, in their sentiments, or their choice. But now every commendation on every subject is comprised in that one word.” 

“By the bye—I have not wished you joy. Being pretty well aware of what sort of joy you must both be feeling, I have been in no hurry with my congratulations; but I hope it all went off tolerably well. How did you all behave? Who cried most?”  

  That's all folks!!  You can check out all the other posts HERE and be sure to check out the giveaways as well, HERE and HERE.  See you later!!

Books I Read In November 2016

Titles that have nothing before them are books that I read for the first time.

Titles with this ** before them, are books that I re-read.

 Titles with # before them, are books that I read out loud to my little siblings.

Titles in ( ), are books borrowed from the Library.

  And while November's list isn't being posted on the last day of December, it's close to the last day!

** Aunt Crete's Emancipation ~ Grace Livingston Hill

** Cloudy Jewel ~ Grace Livingston Hill

** They Loved To Laugh ~ Kathryn Worth

Sapphire Ice ~ Hallee Bridgeman

Greater Then Rubies ~ Hallee Bridgeman

Christmas Diamond ~ Hallee Bridgeman

 Christmas Star Sapphire ~ Hallee Bridgeman

# ** The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers ~ J.R.R. Tolkien *

An Infamous Army ~ Georgette Heyer

Eragon ~ Christopher Paolini *

** These Old Shades ~ Georgette Heyer

(The Hunger Games) ~ Suzanne Collins *

(The Ruins of Gorlan) ~ John Flanagan *

** In My Father's House ~ Ann Rinaldi

* So TTT, we were reading it to my little siblings and it is so much fun to see their reactions.

* Eragon was definitely interesting.  I plan to read the rest of the series, but it didn't captivate me like most fantasy dragon stories do.

* The Hunger Games.  I read it on Thanksgiving Day and boy! it sure is a good book for making you thankful!  She is an amazing author and..wow!  It was really just an amazing story.  And guess which team I am?

* I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the Ranger's Apprentice series.  Love Halt!  He is the best!

 

Jane Austen: Would You Rather

This game by Cordy has been floating around and I decided to do it.


Who would you rather have act as your matchmaker, Lady Russell (from Persuasion) or Mrs. Jennings?
  Mrs. Jennings by all means!  Although she can be rather annoying at times, I would much prefer her exuberant method to Lady Russell possibly tearing away from me someone who I deeply cared for because she thought he 'wasn't good enough.'

Who would you like as a pen pal from Jane Austen's works?
  I would love to have Georgiana Darcy for a pen-pal.

Who would you rather go on a walk with, Colonel Fitzwilliam or Captain Benwick?
  Colonel Fitzwilliam!  He is tons of fun!!

Who would you rather have to befriend, Mrs. Elton or Lucy Steele?
  Well I think probably Mrs. Elton although I would find her insufferable and only politeness and good manners would make me do it.  I just don't find her as revolting as Lucy.

Who would you rather have as a sibling, John Knightley or Mary (from Persuasion, not Mary Bennet)?
  John Knightley.  Read THIS.

Who would you rather dance with? (Very open book!)
  Well I would like to dance with Henry Tilney, although due to his snarkiness, I would probably be laughing so hard that I couldn't dance.  Dancing with Frank Churchill would also be fun.

Who would you rather refuse, Mr. Collins or Mr. Elton?
  I think Mr. Collins!  Mr. Collins would only annoy me, but Mr. Elton would make me want to punch his nose.  He is just so arrogant!  Mr. Collins is merely slow on the uptake.

Who would you rather match-make for, Miss Bates or Mary Bennet?
  Probably Mary Bennet.

Who would you rather have as a best friend?
  I think having Georgiana Darcy, Kitty Bennet and Maria Lucas for best friends would be a lot of fun.

Who would you rather argue with? (Mrs. Bennet, Lady Catherine, Emma Woodhouse, Mr. Woodhouse, Mr. Palmer, Mrs. Jennings, Fanny Dashwood, Captain Wentworth, Mr. Darcy, ect.)
  Arguing with Lady Catherine or Mrs. Bennet would be immensely amusing!!

Would you rather wander the grounds of Pemberley and risk being 'discovered' or wander over the downs surrounding Barton Cottage in the rain and twist an ankle?
  Pemberley and risk being discovered!!  From what I know, the kind of men that might find you in the rain and "romantically carry you home", are likely to be scumbags!

Where would you live in Austen's works?
  I would love to live at Pemberley.  I know, who doesn't want to live there!!
 

"It seems to me, that if there is a bad taste in your mouth...."

"...you spit it out. You don't constantly swallow it back"

  So this is me spitting it out.  Last night I watched a movie that is commonly known as the 2005 Pride & Prejudice.  There is only one other movie that I have seen that made me think "What a complete waste of my time!"  Incidentally, that movie also starred Jena Malone.

  The historical inaccuracies!!!  I mean they were so numerous and historical inaccuracies drive me crazy!  And the screen writing!!  All of the actors were very good......but the screen writing was (to talk like the Trolls from The Hobbit) 'WUBBISH'!!!  I mean like seriously!!!  They tried to fit Pride & Prejudice into 2 hours!!!!  I knew before I watched it that it was going to be awful, but ugh!!  Blah, blah, pluh!!  Yuck!   As my mom said, it felt more like 1790's American Frontier, then 1810's Regency England.

  And the second proposal?!?!?!?  I know that some people think it far more romantic then the 1995 second proposal, but OH MY GOODNESS!!!!  THEY ARE WALKING AROUND HALF DRESSED!!!!  And the cheesy lines!!!  I thought that it couldn't get worse then the second proposal scene........and then we reached the very end.  Guys, I love mushy, gushy, melt-me-into-a-puddle-of-goo, romantic kissing, love scenes, but THAT?!?!??!?!?!   It was seriously vomit inducing!!!!  Pluh!!!  It was soooooo sick!!!!  Afterwards, I pulled up the Second Proposal and the Meeting at Pemberley from the REAL P&P to wash out the bad taste!!  Oh! it was glorious!  I was rather ridiculously rapturous over Colin and Jennifer, but it was 11:45 PM, so I had legit reason for being a nut!

  I did laugh through a lot of it though because of how dumb I found it.  And I realized the Mr. Collins is too be Tabaqui the Jackal in the upcoming  The Jungle Book: Origins movie that I am very much looking forward to.  Also Rupert Friend resembled Orlando Bloom so much that I couldn't quite hate him, not that there was really anything of Wickham in it.  Mary was prettier then she should have been.  And the costumes?!?!?!  Caroline Bingley is wearing a NIGHTGOWN at the Netherfield Ball!!!  

  To those of you who are reading this and very much like.....well, what I watched last night, I apologize if this offends you and I am coming across as a snob.

  To those of you who agrees with me.......COME COMMISERATE WITH ME!!!!!!!

Inkling Explorations Link Up // March 2016

I am joining up with Heidi Peterson's Inkling Explorations this month.  It is my first time and I also read the subject wrong.  I thought that it said, 'A scene involving a post office in a film', but it really says, 'A scene involving a letter, package or post office in film'.  So, because of my mistake, I have been wracking my brains out trying to think of a 'post office' scene.  I finally thought of the scene from Emma 2009 when John Knightley and his boys met Jane Fairfax going to the Post Office in the rain.  Since I re-read the post, I have dozens of other options, but I think that I am still going to do that scene.

Emma 2009: Jane Fairfax in the Rain

So the three things I love the most about this scene.

 3. Henry and James Knightley.  They aren't very important, but I think that they are adorable and I very much enjoy the few scenes that they are in.  Sadly I wasn't able to find a picture of them from this particular scene. 

Aren't they adorable?

I'm afraid I don't know which is which.

 2. John Knightley and his attitude towards Jane.  I find the portrayal of John Knightley in this version very intriguing.  John doesn't come into the story very much and in the more central moments of him in here he seem rather grumbly.  But when you get him alone with Emma or Knightley he is different.  I really like the John/Emma moments and I think that he purposely went in the other carriage to give Elton a chance to propose to Emma because he soooo could tell that Elton adored Emma.

 3. Jane Fairfax's devotion to Frank Churchill, although we all know he doesn't deserve it.  She daily goes to the post office rain or shine to send him a letter.  It is so sweet.  

See!  And her bonnet is really pretty.  Oh and you can see a wee bit of the boys in the corner.

Thank you all for reading my blog.

My Favorite Jane Austen Dresses

Here are a few of my favorite dresses from the movie adaptions of Jane Austen's novels.

1995 Pride & Prejudice

Jane's dress.

A full length picture of Jane's dress.

 

 

There is a dress of Jane's that I can't find a picture of that I really, really like.  It is white sheer, with white polka dots.

2009 Emma

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I just had to throw in this face of Emma's because it is so funny!!

 

Jane Austen Mounts

I love horses and I am always ogling over the horses in the Period Dramas that I watch.  So I thought that I would share a few of my favorite horses with you all.

1995 Sense & Sensibility ~ Colonel Brandon's horse.

This was the best picture I could find.  I love black horses.

1995 Sense & Sensibility ~ Elinor's horse.

It is dazzlingly beautiful.

1996 Emma ~ Frank Churchill's horse

This is a gorgeous horse.  But I don't really like this Frank.....

This is my Frank.

Rupert Evans

I first saw Rupert Evans as Frederick Hale in the 2004 North & South and I love Fred so when I saw him (Rupert) as Frank, I couldn't dislike him quite as much as I do in the book.

1995 Pride & Prejudice ~ Mr. Darcy's horse

A perfectly amazing black horse.

Jane Austen Week ~ Tag

I am joining Naomi's Jane Austen Week.  Here is the first post which is a Tag.

Some of the best Knightley quotes.

I love this scene.

And the Tag:

1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much of a Jane Austen fan do you consider yourself?

  6.

 

2. If "they" would make a new Jane Austen Movie, and you would be able to be cast in it, which Jane Austen character would you most like to play?

   Probably Catherine Moreland.

 

3. Is there any felicity in the world superior to a walk?

  Yes.  A good book.

4. Who's your favourite Jane Austen 'villain'? (As in 'villain' meaning 'the bad guy.')

  As in, the one that I hate the most?  Probably George Wickham.  ( I know, I know, that isn't a very original answer!)

5. What/Who introduced you to Jane Austen?

  My older sister.

6. Did you love/enjoy Jane Austen immediately, or has there been a time when you hated (um, prejudged) it?

  I loved it immediately.

7. Who, in your opinion, is the funniest Jane Austen character?

  The funniest?  Well I think the one who makes me laugh the most is either Mrs. Jennings, from S&S, or Mr. Collins, from P&P.

8. Do you quote Jane Austen randomly in public?

  Not usually.

9. Are children allowed to eat cake on weddings?

  YES!!!  Whats the use of taking them if they can't eat cake?

10. What is your reaction when you hear that an acquaintance (e.g. A lady at Church) of yours loves Jane Austen?

  Ummmmmm.....I grin!!

11. Who writes better letters, Mr Darcy or Captain Wentworth? (If you forgot what the letters were, shame on you, instead tell me if you prefer Strawberries to Chocolate or not.)

  Captain Wentworth.

12. Which Jane Austen heroine do you relate the least to?

  Marianne Dashwood I think.

13. What's your favourite Jane Austen house (from one of the movies)?

  Hartford, from the 2009 Emma.

14. What's your favourite Jane Austen dress (from one of the movies)?

  One of Jane Bennet's from the 1995 P&P.

I can't find a full length picture, but this one of Jane's.

 

15. Can you turn off lit candles with your fingers?

  I haven't actually ever tried it.

Lovely tag Naomi!!  I am having a lot of fun!