Jane, Jane, Everywhere

Here we are in 2007, and doesn't it seem that all of a sudden Jane Austen is everywhere. Sure, this isn't the first time there's been a plethora of Jane Austen books, and Jane Austen movies, but suddenly it's like she's on every freaking corner, or every single bookstore shelf. Not to mention television and the movies. Not since 1995 when Pride and Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, Clueless, and Persuasion came out, have I seen such a bonanza.

Just head over to the Austen blog if you don't believe me. Not only do they have a listing of every single Jane Austen sequel, biography, paraliterature known to man that's coming out in the next few months, but they also list stage adaptations as well. New York alone is going to see 2 musical versions of Austen novels, Emma and Pride and Prejudice.

Just recently we've had Austenland, Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, and Me and Mr. Darcy. Last year, we had By a Lady, where in an actress from the 20th century goes back in time to 1801 Bath, and meets Jane Austen. There's even a Jane Austen mystery series which I've tried to read but couldn't get through.

Don't get me wrong, I adore Jane Austen but I sometimes wish that all this creativity could be put to, oh I don't know writing about something else? Maybe it's just because I think Jane's books are perfect on their own. I don't need to know what Darcy or Mr. Knightly were thinking if Jane didn't tell me, or what happened to them after they married Elizabeth and Emma. I'm going to assume they lived happily.

Now, this weekend, I saw a preview for 2 new movies that have connections to our Jane. One the Jane Austen Book Club based on the best selling novel (which I read and enjoyed) and Becoming Jane starring Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen.

Just from the previews, I can state unequivacably that I prefer the Jane Austen Book Club. If you're read the book, you know that Jane Austen is just the jumping off point. It's what they learn during their year of reading Jane, and how that reading impacts their lives. How reading Jane has made them a better person if you will.

Meanwhile, Becoming Jane Austen, looks like some weird romantic comedy. In fact from the preview, it kind of looks like Pride and Prejudice. Whoopsie, do you think that was the plan? Seriously, if this movie weren't about Jane Austen, I might even enjoy it. But the fact that they're taking Jane's meeting Tom Lefroy and turning into some sort of strange love story kind of bugs me. It's not like Shakespeare in Love, where since we know so little about Shakespeare's life in London away from his family, you could buy into the idea that he fell in love with a noblewoman who inspired him (i.e. Dark Lady of the Sonnets), who he couldn't be with due to differences in station, and oh the fact, that he was already married.

I just find it sad, that the only way that Jane could have written her beautiful books was if she had been disappointed in a love affair. Of course, I could be wrong, the movie could be wonderful. I'm just going by the preview. Of course, despite my misgivings, I totally plan to be there opening weekend.

I think the best comment on the recent spate of Austenmania comes from this piece entitled "Jane Austen Meets Jesus"

What do you think? Too much Jane or not enough?