I continue to enjoy your news and informative articles. Thank you from the US and all the folks who have also survived this lockdown year in a bearable manner, with a cup of tea and the serial reading of Jane Austen!
❤️🎩, Susan

I read with interest the comment about the new movie version of Persuasion failing to create an impression. In a slightly different way but not going completely off-topic I can relate to the ‘yet another romcom’ comments of reviewer Cath Clarke, having just watched a TV programme discussing a classic novel. Ok, this concerned a different Jane – Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, nothing to do with the work of Jane Austen – but having sat through some pretty sweeping statements made in the programme (unsubstantiated by any research that I’m aware of), I must say I find the tendency of film makers and programme presenters to start off with a premise, and then manipulate the account to suit the premise, somewhat tiresome. What I’m saying is that they should have their own ideas/theories by all means, nothing remotely wrong with that, but please don’t present surmises as the truth. Was the Reverend Bronte a supporter of slavery simply because he was known to be a Tory voter? Well, I’ve studied the Brontes for many years and if so, it’s news to me and I’d really like to know where is the evidence? No evidence? Well, in that case documentary/film makers – please don’t make assumptions!