This is a great mishmash, as I have been a tad out of the loop these past two weeks ( I think I am still in 19th-century mode after 4 glorious days in Chicago…), so please excuse the the lack of any order (and perhaps sense) in this selection…

*As always, I direct you first to Austenprose’s Go Gothic study of Northanger Abbey. You will need a quiet day at your computer to catch up, but well worth the effort!

*Ms. Place at Jane Austen’s World has several posts on Bath (on bathing and dancing, in that order…), to accompany Laurel Ann’s NA journey.

*A review of Colleen McCullough’s new book about Mary Bennet:  at The Australian online

*Another Cassandra and Jane (by Jill Pitkeathley) review at the always insightful Ripple Effects.  Blog author Arti also has posted a poll on “Which Austen heroine do you think Jane was most like?”   A good question and one I think has not one answer, i.e. I think that Austen was a little bit like each of her characters…   Arti also continues his Jane Austen reading with reviews of two of the Austen biographies:  by Claire Tomalin and Carol Shields.

*Some fashion thoughts at Pride & Sensibility on an evening dress circa 1823.

*See this interesting blog at Publisher’s Weekly  where the question  is posed:  “which book would you rescue if your house was on fire?”  I did not see a single Austen [or Shakespeare for that matter] in the comments, but they are worth looking at nonetheless (“I capture the Castle” had TWO saves…. I mean I LOVE this book, but really, this over Shakespeare??, though I do understand some of the comments focus on the monetary value of the book they wish to save]  So it is a great question…which of YOUR books would you grab on the way out the door (i.e after you first saved Fido… and just maybe your husband’s golf clubs?)

 *And this from alert Janeite Arthur L. about Elizabeth Jane Howard’s new book:  Love All ~ the name of the protagonist is Mary Musgrove.  See this review of the book at Telegraph.co.uk and another at Timesonline.

*Here is a blog I just discovered:  Books Please, Ramblings of a Bookworm that reviews book just read as well as lists of those endless TBR piles!  Like I need another list….

*The Jane Austen Centre Online Newsletter is always a welcome addition to my inbox, and this month’s issue is filled with goodies (including fruit-cake recipes!) [ you can sign up for the newsletter here ]  …in the meantime a few items of interest:

A new book by Maggie Lane The Immortal Jane Austen is available at the Jane Austen Centre shop

-A blog post by Anne Stott on Mr. Bennet in P&P

-Auden’s poem A Letter to Lord Byron on Austen

-The aforementioned Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe (with our best wishes for something edible…)

*Jane Odiwe at her Jane Austen Sequels blog posts about Traveling in Regency England, inspired by a Hugh Thomson illustration, and sites a poem by Jonathan Swift who shares the joys of such travel!

*Regency Reader blogs about Jackson’s, a boxing club in Regency England.

*See the Literature Page for searchable full-text of Lady Susan, P&P, S&S, MP, Emma, NA, and Persuasion.

*For those of you in the vicinity of Riverdale Park, Maryland, there is a Ladies’ Regency Day planned for  Saturday, November 15 at the Riversdale House Museum.  Ladies will participate in cooking workshops, make a period fashion book, Regency readings courtesy of docent and published author, Janet Mullany,and more! The afternoon will end on a high note as participants enjoy tea accompanied by Regency music and harp demonstrations. This is a perfect (and unique!) gift or treat for any Regency or Jane Austen enthusiast you might know of! Registration is $50 for Prince George’s & Montgomery Counties and $60 for everyone else.
[For any questions or to register,  call 301.864.0420.]

*If, on the other hand, you are headed to Brighton (!) for a weekend,  click here for MindFood for some travel tips.

*Bollywood returns with news of an Emma production…

*A review of an Emma production in St Louis’s Repertory Theatre in West End Word; the musical is ongoing through November 2.

*See this article at the Pennsylvania TimesLeader.com on the stage production of “Jane Austen & Friends” which ponders Austen’s love life.  The play will be at  the New American Vic, 411 Studio, Lackawanna Avenue, Olyphant [PA],  8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays,  through Oct. 26.

*And finally if you are having any thoughts of moving to Lyme Regis, here are some sobering real estate facts.

Tomorrow I promise Letter #3 (finally…) and a book review….

Best,  Janeite Deb