Blog - JASNA North Carolina

Celebrating Jane Austen’s Birthday with ‘Everything a Janeite Needs to Know’

29 Dec

By Elizabeth Jewell The JASNA meeting for the holidays and, especially, Jane’s birthday celebration was a hybrid online/in person meeting, with the members who could gather in person braving the rain and meeting at Gisele’s lovely home in Cary (fully and delightfully decorated for the holidays). Much delicious food was in evidence (scones with jam and whipped cream, anyone?). The…
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AGM Reflections

29 Nov

By Linda Darden JASNA NC region members who attended the Annual General Meeting shared and compared their experiences in the November 12 meeting. First time attendees, virtual attendees and others who participated on location in Denver, Colorado provided a summary of highlights and perspectives. Judy opened the presentation with a description of the virtual AGM option. This option emerged with the…
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A Lively Discussion of Claudia Gray’s The Murder of Mr. Wickham

Meetings· Virtual Book Club

24 Oct

By Elizabeth Jewell The JASNA meeting of October 15, 2023, began with breakout rooms in which we discussed the questions “Did you figure out who the killer was before the end of the book?” and “Which was your favorite part of the book?” The group then came back together to discuss The Murder of Mr. Wickham, by Claudia Gray, in a…
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Book Review: A Life of Her Own by Wendy Zomparelli

26 Sep

By Dan Read When I took this book out of its package, my wife looked at the title and said, “Another Jane Austen sequel!?” (to her credit she did not roll her eyes). I admit it, I’m a sucker for these books. And, this one was a lot of fun to read. It is not as meticulously crafted and carefully…
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The Shades of Bridgerton: A Conversation on Colorism in the Regency with Damianne Scott

26 Sep

By Laine A. Wood The September meeting for JASNA North Carolina proved to be an interesting one. The event was advertised on the main Jane Austen Society of North America Facebook page and quickly picked up traction and attention resulting in record attendance at the meeting on Sunday, as well as some thoughtful conversation. Damianne Scott, or Dami as she…
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JASNA North Carolina

3 weeks ago

February 16, 2025 – Virtual Book Club: Phillis Wheatley’s WritingsJoin JASNA-NC for a discussion of our Austen contemporary selection, Phillis Wheatley’s writings. Wheatley is a transatlantic contemporary of Austen’s, and her experience as a black enslaved person ties in with Jane Austen and her family’s interest and participation in abolition. We’ll explore Wheatley’s poetry and contemplate connections between Austen’s writing and Wheatley’s. It’s sure to be a fascinating discussion!What to read -We will focus on these five poems for discussion:“On being brought from Africa to America““An Hymn to the Morning““To the Right Honourable William, Earl of Dartmouth, His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for North-America, &c.““To S.M., a young African Painter, on seeing his Works““A Farewell to America. To Mrs. S.W.“The DetailsWhat: Virtual Book Club: Phillis Wheatley’s WritingsWhen: February 16, 2025 from 2:00-3:30 p.m.Where: In the comfort of your home via ZoomRSVP: This event is open to members and interested guests; it is FREE but registration is required. Register for Zoom at jasnanorthcarolina.org/events/february-16-2025-virtual-book-club-phyllis-wheatleys-writings/About the BookIn 1761, a young girl arrived in Boston on a ship of enslaved people, was sold to the Wheatley family, and given the name Phillis Wheatley. After studying English and classical literature, geography, the Bible, and Latin, Phillis published her first poem in 1767 at the age of 14, winning much public attention and considerable fame. When Boston publishers who doubted its authenticity rejected an initial collection of her poetry, Wheatley sailed to London in 1773 and found a publisher there for Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.This volume collects both Wheatley’s letters and her poetry: hymns, elegies, translations, philosophical poems, tales, and epyllions–including a poignant plea to the Earl of Dartmouth urging freedom for America and comparing the country’s condition to her own. With her contemplative elegies and her use of the poetic imagination to escape an unsatisfactory world, Wheatley anticipated the Romantic Movement of the following century. The appendices to this edition include poems of Wheatley’s contemporary African-American poets: Lucy Terry, Jupiter Harmon, and Francis Williams.About The Virtual Book ClubThe Virtual Book Club takes place quarterly with the typical following rotation: a contemporary of Austen, nonfiction work, an Austen selection, and a fanfiction work. Our members Mary Jane Curry, Nancy Martin Young, and Sara Tavela serve as our primary book club facilitators and help coordinate our book selections. ... See MoreSee Less

February 16, 2025 - Virtual Book Club: Phillis Wheatley's Writings - JASNA North Carolina

jasnanorthcarolina.org

Join JASNA-NC for a discussion of our Austen contemporary selection, Phillis Wheatley’s writings. Wheatley is a transatlantic contemporary of Austen’s, and her experience as a black enslaved perso...

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JASNA North Carolina

3 weeks ago

February 16, 2025 – Virtual Book Club: Phillis Wheatley’s WritingsJoin JASNA-NC for a discussion of our Austen contemporary selection, Phillis Wheatley’s writings. Wheatley is a transatlantic contemporary of Austen’s, and her experience as a black enslaved person ties in with Jane Austen and her family’s interest and participation in abolition. We’ll explore Wheatley’s poetry and contemplate connections between Austen’s writing and Wheatley’s. It’s sure to be a fascinating discussion!what to readWe will focus on these five poems for discussion:“On being brought from Africa to America““An Hymn to the Morning““To the Right Honourable William, Earl of Dartmouth, His Majesty’s Principal Secretary fo State for North-America, &c.““To S.M., a young African Painter, on seeing his Works““A Farewell to America. To Mrs. S.W.“The DetailsWhat: Virtual Book Club: Phillis Wheatley’s WritingsWhen: February 16, 2025 from 2:00-3:30 p.m.Where: In the comfort of your home via ZoomRSVP: This event is open to members and interested guests; it is FREE but registration is required. Register from our web page: jasnanorthcarolina.org/events/february-16-2025-virtual-book-club-phyllis-wheatleys-writings/About the BookIn 1761, a young girl arrived in Boston on a ship of enslaved people, was sold to the Wheatley family, and given the name Phillis Wheatley. After studying English and classical literature, geography, the Bible, and Latin, Phillis published her first poem in 1767 at the age of 14, winning much public attention and considerable fame. When Boston publishers who doubted its authenticity rejected an initial collection of her poetry, Wheatley sailed to London in 1773 and found a publisher there for Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.This volume collects both Wheatley’s letters and her poetry: hymns, elegies, translations, philosophical poems, tales, and epyllions–including a poignant plea to the Earl of Dartmouth urging freedom for America and comparing the country’s condition to her own. With her contemplative elegies and her use of the poetic imagination to escape an unsatisfactory world, Wheatley anticipated the Romantic Movement of the following century. The appendices to this edition include poems of Wheatley’s contemporary African-American poets: Lucy Terry, Jupiter Harmon, and Francis Williams.About The Virtual Book ClubThe Virtual Book Club takes place quarterly with the typical following rotation: a contemporary of Austen, nonfiction work, an Austen selection, and a fanfiction work. Our members Mary Jane Curry, Nancy Martin Young, and Sara Tavela serve as our primary book club facilitators and help coordinate our book selections. ... See MoreSee Less

February 16, 2025 - Virtual Book Club: Phillis Wheatley's Writings - JASNA North Carolina

jasnanorthcarolina.org

Join JASNA-NC for a discussion of our Austen contemporary selection, Phillis Wheatley’s writings. Wheatley is a transatlantic contemporary of Austen’s, and her experience as a black enslaved perso...

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JASNA North Carolina

2 months ago

Sunday, January 12, 2025 – Telling and Sharing Our Jane Austen StoriesTo kick off the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth year, we’re looking to share joyful conversation and storytelling at our January meeting! We’ll be telling and sharing our Jane Austen stories: how we first were introduced to or fell in love with Jane Austen’s writings. We’ll also be sharing some “show & tell” time: please have with you your favorite or most meaningful item from your Jane Austen collection. We’ll take time in small groups to have sufficient time to share, and please come ready with your favorite Austen-related item, as well as tea and nibbles should you so choose. Go here for more details and to register jasnanorthcarolina.org/events/january-12-2025-telling-and-sharing-our-jane-austen-stories/The DetailsWhat: Telling and Sharing Our Jane Austen StoriesWhen: January 12, 2025 from 2:00-3:30 p.m.Where: In the comfort of your home via Zoom.Bring: Your favorite item from your Jane Austen collection. ... See MoreSee Less

jasnanorthcarolina.org

jasnanorthcarolina.org

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