Elizabeth Gaskell Reading Challenge


I first became interested in Elizabeth Gaskell when discussing Pride and Prejudice with other avid readers.  I was asking what else is there to read like Pride and Prejudice.  North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell kept coming up as a good read.  I loved it!  Prior to that, I had seen the BBC's Wives and Daughters based on Gaskell's book and enjoyed it.  Then I read Cranford and fell in love with those ladies and their "elegant economy."  I thought it would make a good Masterpiece Classic series at the time.

When I heard about the Elizabeth Gaskell Reading Challenge, I thought it would be a great way to get me to read more of her works.  I'm going to add Mary Barton as my next Gaskell book to read as well as participate in the group read of The Moorland Cottage.  I really want to get North and South in there too. It's one of my all time favorites.

Updated:  Unfortunately, my time schedule has shifted from when I first signed up for the challenges.  I will have to limit my reading now.  I do hope to get to My Lady Ludlow this year.  I'm just not sure I'll be able to do the group read for The Moorland Cottage.

Being a Jane Austen Mystery Reading Challenge 2011



It's January, or as I prefer to call it, Janeuary.  It's cold outside. It's the perfect time to read Austen. 

I've taken on another Jane Austen reading challenge - Jane Austen mystery books by Stephanie Barron. By the end of the year, there will be 11 books in the series published. It is my hope that I will take one book a month and write a review of the book. 

January - Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor (1996)

February -  Jane and the Man of the Cloth (1997)

March - Jane and the Wandering Eye (1998)

April -  Jane and the Genius of the Place (1999)

May - Jane and the Stillroom Maid (2000)

June - Jane and the Prisoner of the Wool House (2001)

July - Jane and the Ghosts of Netley (2003)

August - Jane and His Lordship’s Legacy (2005)

September - Jane and the Barque of Frailty (2006)

October - Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron (2010)

November - Jane and the Canterbury Tale (2011)

Updated:  Due to an unforseen schedule change in my time, I will not be able to do a review.  However, I do hope to read each of the books listed during this year.

The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011

With 2011 being the bicentennial year for Sense and Sensibility and the fact that my JASNA book club is reading this title now, participating in the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge just seemed natural. Below is a list of movies, spin offs and a sequel  to Sense and Sensibility that I plan on reading and watching.  Each month I'll write a review on the following titles:

January - The Sense and Sensibility Screenplay and Diaries : Bringing Jane Austen's Novel to Film by Emma Thompson

February - Elinor and Marianne : a Sequel to Sense and Sensibility by Emma Tennant

March - Colonel Brandon's Diary by Amanda Grange

April - Dashwood Sisters Tell All by Beth Pattilo

May - The Annotated Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen and David M. Shapard

June - Sense and Sensibility 2008

July -Sense and Sensibility 1995

August - Suspense and Sensibility, or First Impression Revisited : a Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery by Carrie Bebris

Updated:  Due to an unforseen schedule change in my time, I will not be able to do a review of each book.  I will try to read one book per month.

Dusting Off the Bookshelves Here

Oh my! The dust is thick here! This poor space has been neglected for far too long. I plan to do some more reading and sharing again. First, though, I must tidy things up a bit around here.