The July/August 2013 (No 64) edition of Jane Austen’s Regency World magazine is now out – watch out for it in your mailbox over the next few weeks. In the new issue you can read about:
Austenland: we speak to Jerusha Hess about her new film depicting one woman’s amazing hunt for her Mr Darcy
Read our exclusive preview of this year’s Jane Austen Festival in Bath
The Countess of Jersey, serial adulteress and debauchee is this issue’s Regency Rogue
Letters from Jane: a look at Austen’s correspondence
Plump cheeks and thick ankles: Jane Austen used appearance to size up her characters
A social reformer and a place called Harmony: the tale of Robert Owen
Subscribe today to Jane Austen’s Regency World, the full-colour, must-read, glossy magazine for fans of the world’s favourite author – delivered to your doorstep every two months direct from Bath, England. Plus reports from Austen societies in the UK, US and Australia; news, letters, book reviews, quiz and much, much more!
There are Jane Austen events all over the place this summer, as a number of previous posts have shown, and thankfully I can post on a few that are right here in Vermont! – so mark your calendars!
Enjoy the company of like-minded enthusiasts on Saturday July 20 for a Garden Party at Inn Victoria’s Secret Garden:
If you wish you may dress in period costume
Enjoy book readings
High Tea in an elegant & peaceful garden setting
Evening movie [a Jane Austen of course!] on the 8′ x 12′ screen
You can reserve for the day [events begin about 1pm and go through the evening movie and will cost $35. / person], or you can call to Reserve for the day and a room to spend the night….802-875-4288
Inn Victoria Chester Vermont
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The Governor’s House in Hyde Park Vermont continues its series of Jane Austen weekends with two events this August:
Governor’s House – The English Room
Pride and PrejudiceWeekend on August 2 – 4, 2013 [and if you cannot make this weekend, you can also try September 13 – 15, 2013 or January 10 – 12, 2014!]:
A leisurely weekend of literary-inspired diversions has something for every Jane Austen devoteé. Imagine a literary retreat that will slip you quietly back into Regency England in a beautiful old mansion where Jane herself would feel at home. Take afternoon tea. Listen to Mozart. Bring your needlework. Share your thoughts at a book discussion of Pride and Prejudice and how the movies stand up to the books. Attend the talk about the time of Jane Austen. Test your knowledge of Jane Austen, her books, and the Regency period and possibly take home a prize. Take a carriage ride. For the gentleman there are riding and fly fishing as well as lots of more modern diversions if a whole weekend of Jane is not his cup of tea. Join every activity or simply indulge yourself quietly all weekend watching the movies. Dress in whichever century suits you. Just imagine the interesting conversation with a whole houseful of Jane’s readers under one roof. Weekend guests have commented that they wish there had been a tape recorder under the dinner table so they could replay the evening again and again. It won’t just be good company; it will be the “company of clever well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation”. It will be the best! It’snot Bath, but it is Hyde Park and you’ll love Vermont circa 1800.
And also this: Special Jane Austen Weekend in Character, August 9 – 11, 2013
Another Jane Austen “in character” weekend is scheduled for August 2013. Each guest will choose to be a character from any one of Austen’s novels. Period dress is optional, but guests will interact in character throughout the weekend. The activities will depend somewhat on the weather and participant interest, but may include a Regency dinner party, an evening of games, letter writing, fencing, English Country dancing, crewel embroidery, tatting, rolled paper decoration, a game of croquet, a very long walk, riding, carriage driving, archery, shooting, and a picnic with or without Colonel Brandon. Rates are the same as regular Jane Austen weekends, but there is an additional charge to participate in some activities. Now’s your chance to be Elizabeth Bennet, Anne Elliot or Lady Catherine, but only one of each character may sign up so make haste to confirm your reservation. Bring your own Darcy or maybe meet him on the croquet lawn. Perhaps the door to the romance of Jane’s world isn’t in Hammersmith after all.
You can view the video of last year’s character weekend here:
You can also participate in the Inn’s periodic Afternoon Teas: [see website for costs]
Afternoon Tea and Tea Etiquette Talk – June 30, 2013 3:00 pm
Jane Austen Tea – August 3, 2013 3:00 pm
Jane Austen Tea – September 14, 2013 3:00 pm
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And a small digression here: Innkeeper Suzanne began her series of Downton Abbey discussion dinners this past winter and these will continue once the new season is broadcast, so watch the website for dates and times. And if this isn’t enough to fill up your schedule, Suzanne is also embarking on a new literary adventure called the Vermont Apple Pie Literary and Travel Society:
The fictional Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Peel Society began as a spur-of-the-moment inspiration to make it possible for the people of Guernsey to get together and enliven their existence during the time of the World War II German occupation of the islands. Although this is Vermont and our pie will be apple, we too want to enliven our evenings with stimulating conversation. Guernsey during the occupation and how that impacted the daily lives of its citizens will be the topic for our first series of dinners and talks. We will organize a travel adventure to Guernsey and other Channel Islands in May.
It’s not your ordinary book club, more like a salon where discerning minds can share their intellectual curiosity, although books will be part of the backdrop of our discussions and we will suggest a list of possible titles to consider reading for each topic. The dinners will be held on Saturday evenings and for those who spend the weekend, there may be other activities to expand the general topic. We invite your thoughts and participation. So if you enjoy the society of people who read and think, want to learn something new, enjoy talking about ideas, yearn to visit new places and expand your circle of interesting friends, then please join us because we want to hear what you have to add to the conversation.
The dinners will be held at the Governor’s House in Hyde Park, 100 Main Street, Hyde Park, Vermont. Cost is $45.00 plus tax per person and, of course, includes home-made apple pie. See the website for reservation information.
In my ongoing posts on the variety of summer events featuring Jane Austen, here are two upcoming events this June, both sponsored by JASNA regions in New York State.
Here are the details: please visit the websites for more information on how to register…
JASNA-Rochester’s Jane Austen Weekend
War of 1812 Bicentennial and Jane Austen Weekend
Mumford, New York – June 22 & 23, 2013 – Both war and civility of the early 19th century come alive at Genesee Country Village & Museum June 22 & 23, from 10am to 4pm. Details are here: http://www.gcv.org/EventCalendar/EventDetails.aspx?eid=15
A verity of period activities have been planned to celebrate both the 200 anniversary of the War of 1812 and the publishing of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice:
The 23rd US Regiment of Infantry will read the Declaration of War and recruit men and women to fight for our young nation against the tyranny of King George III. See target shooting, military uniform displays, and tactical demonstrations to better understand the way war was waged in upstate New York.
The Jane Austen Society of North America: Rochester Chapter will attempt a marathon reading of Miss Austen’s most famous work, Pride and Prejudice. There will also be lectures and demonstrations of Social Etiquette, the Secret Language of the Fan, and an 1812 Fashion show.
The Country Dancers of Rochester (CDR) will demonstrate English Country Dancing and encourage visitor to participate in a few easy dances on the village Square. On Saturday, June 22nd from 6pm to 9pm, CDR will also play host at a Netherfield Ball. Open to the public, this ball is a chance to be Miss Bennet or Mr. Darcy and dance an evening away as Miss Austen herself would have done. Enjoy live music, lively dancing, and light refreshments. Space is limited; purchase tickets by contacting events@gcv.org.
Walk through the village to see life in a small town on the brink of war. Visit the merchants; maybe buy a bonnet or take a carriage ride. Drop in on the Militia Camp, or try your hand at quill pen writing. There is so much to do for all ages. Find out more at www.gcv.org.
The Jane Austen Society of North America is dedicated to the enjoyment and appreciation of Jane Austen and her writing.
Country Dancers of Rochester sponsors traditional New England Contra Dances and English country dances.
The 23rd US Regiment of Infantry is dedicated to learning about history by recreating it.
The Genesee Country Village & Museum was founded with the goal of preserving prime examples of architecture from upstate New York to provide historical context for the telling of the history of New York State and America in the 19th century.
Contact: Lisa Brown
Co-Coordinator of the Rochester Region
Jane Austen Society of North America Jasnaroc [at ] mail [dot] com
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JASNA-NY Capital Region’s 2nd Annual Retreat
Next up is the Jane Austen Society of North America-New York Capital Region’s 2nd Annual Retreat, this year on Jane Austen’s Persuasion
When: June 30-July 1, 2013
Where: Wiawaka Holiday House in Lake George, New York
Wiawaka Holiday House on Lake George
Join the Jane Austen Society North America-New York Capital Region for the 2nd Annual Jane Austen Retreat at Wiawaka on Lake George. Participants of the weekend will join scholars and enthusiasts in exploring Austen’s world through facilitated discussions of Persuasion, viewing and discussion of filmed adaptations of the novel, display of period dress, and presentations from well-known Austen speaker Lisa Brown and local author Marilyn Rothstein. The retreat will conclude with a picnic tea on the grounds. (Bring a lawn chair!)
In addition to planned events, the retreat will allow time for you to enjoy the splendors of the beautiful Lake George setting by exploring the cottages and grounds, the gardens, the docks and the lakes.
Schedule of Retreat Events
Sunday, June 30
Morning Registration
Afternoon Lunch
Introductions and opening discussion
Presentation: Introduction to the Regency Era (Marilyn Rothstein)
Presentation: Period Navy uniforms and regalia (Lisa Brown)
Evening Dinner
View Persuasion film and discuss
Monday, July 1
Morning Breakfast and discussion of novel
Presentation: “How Captain Wentworth Made His Fortune” (Lisa Brown)
Afternoon Picnic Tea
Registration and Costs
Members of JASNA: $15
Non-members: $25* [If you join JASNA before the Retreat, you will pay the member price]
Hurray, this one is not so very far from me and I am planning on going – who can resist 2 days of learning, viewing, and discussing Persuasion! Anyone want to join me?
Just a reblog here of a piece written by one of the attendees at our JASNA-Vermont Sunday event with JASNA News editor Sheryl Craig on the economics in Pride and Prejudice – Joe Trenn of The Book Shed in Benson, VT wrote the following for the blog of the Vermont Antiquarian Booksellers Association:
One of the more satisfying regular events on the calendar for northeastern literary seekers is the quarterly meeting of JASNA-Vermont, the Vermont region of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Organized and chaired by self-titled “Janeite” Deb the alter ego of Bygone Books owner Deborah Barnum and the Regional Coordinator of JASNA-Vermont, the meetings feature a talk on some aspect of Austen by an expert from academia or the wide, passionate world of Austen fandom. Before and after the talk there is a social gathering fueled by delicious scones and other delights prepared by Janeite Marcia Merrill and her volunteer bakers.
In need of a summer Regency Ball or a quiet Tea or how about a whole weekend listening to various talks about Jane Austen and her Times? – well the summer of 2012 has much on offer! A previous post outlined the summer program at the University of North Carolina.
Today I write about theJane Austen Summer Camp offered by the JASNA-Connecticut Region, July 26-28, 2013 (and see below for options to participate in some of the events if you cannot give up a whole weekend to Jane):
The historic Inn at Middletown, in Middletown, CT—built in 1810—is the setting for a weekend of learning about and practicing the activities that made up Jane Austen’s daily routine, and that of her contemporaries. During the weekend of July 26 – 28, 2013, you’ll experience balls, parties, and promenades in Regency style, and write letters with a quill and ink, as Jane would have written her daily letters and her novels. Ladies and gentlemen will learn how to draw silhouettes of family and friends, to dress their hair in true Regency fashion, and to sew pretty and useful accessories. Plus, we’ll visit the Middlesex County Historical Society in its headquarters, the General Mansfield House. Period dress is encouraged and appreciated, but not required.
Inn at Middletown [image: Wikipedia]
Throughout the weekend, Jane Austen scholars and experts on Regency life will speak on various topics, and local dance expert Susan de Guardiola will teach an English contra dance workshop Saturday evening and will call the dances at the ball that night. Join fellow Austen fans for a weekend of fun and “Random Acts of Regency Naughtiness” (the retreat’s theme), whether it’s dancing more than two dances with the same partner, enjoying one of the beverages created in honor of Austen’s 6 heroes, or besting everyone else in Friday night’s “Who Wants to Be a Duchess?” game.
[from the flyer: http://www.jasnact.org/summercamp.pdf]
Can’t devote a whole weekend to Jane? – then beginning June 1, tickets will be available for Saturday’s events (rather than the complete weekend) until spaces are sold out. Ball-only tickets will be $30; tickets for the ball + dinner + afternoon dance lesson will be $70; and the Saturday-only tickets (breakfast not included) will be $165.
Saturday BALL PLUS pass 5:45 p.m. to midnight (includes valet parking, dance workshop, dinner, Regency food lecture, Regency ball): $70.
Saturday BALL ONLY pass 9 p.m. to midnight (includes valet parking, Regency ball, dessert) – Cash bar available. $30.
Sunday pass 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (includes visit to Middlesex County historical society, brunch, keynote lecture, Sunday ice cream social and Austen movie): $65.
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[from the JASNA-CT Summer Camp Blog]
For more information on the weekend and how to register:
Jane Austen in Vermont 