Blog - JASNA North Carolina

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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The JASNA-NC Virtual Book Club – Pride and Prejudice

Meetings· Virtual Book Club

24 Aug

By Linda Darden The North Carolina chapter of JASNA devotes one meeting per quarter to a book club, with the August meeting aligning with the theme for each year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). This year’s AGM will be in Denver, Colorado with the theme “A Rocky Romance” focusing on Pride and Prejudice. Accordingly, an energized group from across the country (welcome all…
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Book Review: By the Book by Julia Sonneborn

21 Aug

By Carolyn Brown In the “Acknowledgments” section of her novel By the Book, Julia Sonneborn describes her first foray into fiction as “a love letter to books” (Sonneborn 361). It truly is, as it closely resembles Jane Austen’s Persuasion in plot and character, but offers more knowledgeable readers a plethora of other literary allusions from the Regency period and beyond…
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JASNA North Carolina

2 weeks ago

Jane Austen Wrecked My Life – Movie Meetups ... See MoreSee Less

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JASNA North Carolina

4 weeks ago

Our member Carolyn Brown is hosting an online event with JASNA-Mississippi, and we're all invited to attend! Join the Mississippi Region for a Zoom presentation by Laura Jones, a painter from Laurel, Mississippi, whose most recent paintings, titled "Filmscapes," were inspired by the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice. Jones will share her art and the story behind it. Her work has been featured in Season 8 of Home Town on HGTV and, in addition to her art, she serves as an executive assistant at Erin and Ben Co.Jones says the collection focuses on the background of the film. She says: "Often overlooked, the setting is not just a location; it becomes a vital, living part of the narrative. It supports the characters, enhances the drama, and sets the stage for their journeys. In this collection, I aim to spotlight these scenes, drawing attention to the environments that shape and influence the story, bringing them into their own moment of focus. These paintings transform the setting from a passive backdrop into a main character, and once they are hung in the homes of their new owners, they will become the background of a new story."Join Zoom Meeting on Wednesday, May 14th at 7 p.m. Central Time (8 p.m. Eastern):us02web.zoom.us/j/83517582795?pwd=PDndsbqMsUCHOmozNWceB52BC6X52V.1Meeting ID: 835 1758 2795Passcode: 745917 ... See MoreSee Less

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JASNA North Carolina

1 month ago

What: Virtual Book Club: What Jane Austen’s Characters Read (and Why) by Susan Allen FordWhen: May 4, 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/may-4-2025-virtual-book-club-susan-allen-fords-what-jane-austens-ch...Accessibility: We have auto-captions available in the Zoom meeting for our conversation and the author Q&A discussion, and accompanying slides with text and images that will be as clear and as high-contrast as possible. If you have accessibility needs we have not addressed here, please let us know.About the BookThe first detailed account of Austen’s characters’ reading experience to date, this book explores both what her characters read and what their literary choices would have meant to Austen’s own readership, both during her life and today.Jane Austen was a voracious and extensive reader, so it’s perhaps no surprise that many of her characters are also readers-from Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice to Fanny Price in Mansfield Park. Beginning by looking at Austen’s own reading as well as her interest in readers’ responses to her work, the book then focuses on each of her novels, looking at the particulars of her characters’ reading and unpacking the multiple (and often surprising) ways in which what they read informs our reading. What Jane Austen’s Characters Read (and Why) uses Austen’s own love of reading to invite us to rethink the ways in which she imagined her characters and their lives beyond the novels.About the AuthorSusan Allen FordSusan Allen Ford is Professor of English Emerita, Delta State University, USA. and has been editor of Persuasions: The Jane Austen Journal and Persuasions On-Line since 2006.She has spoken at many AGMs and to many JASNA Regions and has published essays on Austen and her contemporaries, gothic and detective fiction, and Shakespeare. She was a plenary speaker at the 2016 AGM in Washington, D.C., and has served as a JASNA Traveling Lecturer. ... See MoreSee Less

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