| Title | : | Flirting with Pride and Prejudice: Fresh Perspectives on the Original Chick-Lit Masterpiece |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1932100725 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781932100723 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 230 |
| Publication | : | First published August 11, 2005 |
Flirting with Pride and Prejudice: Fresh Perspectives on the Original Chick-Lit Masterpiece Reviews
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Can we please stop calling Austen's work Chick-Lit? It's degrading to one of the world's greatest authors, as is the whole concept of taking stories about women and love and giving them pink covers with martini glasses, high heels and sparkling skyscrapers. Seriously. Please. Can we stop now?
That said, I had a fun time with most of the essays in this book. Some are swings and misses, but lots of them are good takes on P & P, and add new levels to the ideas floating around about our girl Jane. One in particular was really interesting -- it talks about the finances of the time. For example, you could get a housemaid for 10 pounds a year, but it could cost about 2 pounds to stay at an inn for a night (including meals, and board and care for your servants, carriage and horses, so that's pretty interesting, huh?). So, little tidbits like that made it fun.
(My feelings about "chick-lit" are unchanged.) -
This marks the first (and hopefully only) time I have used the words “Pride and Prejudice” and “disappointment” in the same sentence.
Everything started off well enough when I first opened Flirting with Pride and Prejudice. The first few essays are entertaining, if not elucidating; I learned a little about how P&P reflects modern relationships, and how self-professed chick-lit writers see their work in the grand scheme of things. It is perhaps telling (more about me than about the quality of the collection) that my favorite essay was rooted more in the actual history of the novel than about how P&P is some sort of dummies’ how-to guide about girlie books.
There’s too much cute, there’s too little thought. I know this is supposed to be a simple collection of “dishy” essays about the “original chick-lit masterpiece” (just that subtitle alone almost made me put it back on the library shelf, and I kind of wish I had) and granted, “Jane Austen and the Masturbating Critic” was entertaining (and not like that), and “The Gold-Diggers of 1813” was interesting, but the majority are throw-away little bits of fluff.
The essays are divided into sections, like “Jane and the Movies” and “Jane and Academe,” which are all pretty self-explanatory and occasionally have interesting ideas to posit. Like the idea that the lower gentry of Austen’s novels deal with “high class problems,” much like chick-lit heroines, which is an interesting perspective and not unfair to either Austen or chick-lit. But there’s just not enough of this.
Ok, now I’ve said that I’m pretty lukewarm on the first half or so of the book (at least, I hope that’s what I said), but then we get to “Jane’s Untold Stories.” Ick. I know there is a thriving market for Jane Austen sequels and rehashes, but I am not the target audience; I have never read one I liked, as no one can capture the ironic tone that Austen so clearly masters. So, I was less than thrilled when I realized there was a whole section devoted to telling the “untold stories” of minor characters. I read one or two and then skipped the rest of the section (maybe I missed some gem of literary genius, but I’m not interested enough to find out) For example: Mary Bennet as the passionate secret lover of an Irish footman?? You’ve got to be shitting me.
The concluding sections are about on par with the beginning, so no new discoveries there.
I don’t absolutely HATE this book, but it’s a lousy start to my 2012 reading (although I technically started it in 2011). I need to find something better to be the first “officially” read book of the year, and wash this disappointment away. -
This collection is basically exactly what it says it is: it's a sort of tongue-in-cheek engagement with Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in the early 21st century. I thought it was ok, but not great.
It comes from a pop culture perspective rather than an academic one, so it's not meant to be taken very seriously, and that's ok, but the quality varies a lot in the essays. Some of them seem a bit too silly to be taken seriously. I think maybe if there had been a more academic tone, the quality would have been better.
There are a lot of themes explored here. Among the variety of approaches to the subject, some authors write about movie adaptations, some focus on Mr Darcy, some explore what was happening during Austen's time as she was writing the novel, and some even write alternative stories for some of the characters. Some of these were quite interesting, but, again, I think if the tone had been more serious, these would have been better.
I think this collection is really dated as well. There's too much swooning over Darcy and too much cattiness about the female characters. I mean, Lydia gets called a slut. Can we please just not? In the era of #MeToo, I'd like to think this book would be written completely differently, with a lot more empathy to characters like Lydia.
So, sadly, a disappointment for me. I think it's of its time, but I think writing about Austen and her characters has moved on. I like to hope it has anyway. -
An interesting object lesson in what happens when you don't really put any restrictions on an anthology. Variations in quality and relevance were so wild, there was almost a whole separate level of experience there: WHAT will happen NEXT?
Highlights:
*the conversation between the critic and the reader (especially recommended for those who want to know why I bailed out of grad school but don't want to get me riled up by asking me about it)
*the surprisingly insightful analysis of Mary
*a well-developed explanation of the potency of the Firth-Darcy intersection
*Karen Joy Fowler's essay just talking about Jane Austen
Lowlights:
*the P&P reality show (this is the only entry that I actually quit on)
*the silly slash fiction that came AFTER the surprisingly insightful analysis of Mary
*how various parts of the narrative would have been different if the characters had, um, cell phones
Baffling?
*Mercedes' Lackey's fanfic involving a friend of Elizabeth's who is an Elemental Master?
*a point-by-point comparison of P&P and Fiddler on the Roof (both involve 5 daughters, marriage, and the rise of the individual)?
*a bizarre vegetable-based categorizing of all literature (Austen writes onions, FYI)? -
As any book compiled from varying authors, you love some essays, hate some and the rest you don't really care about one way or the other. Sometimes it is fun to see another person's perspective on a well-loved subject, and sometimes their viewpoint is seemingly incomprehensible to you.
My favorite essay is Any Way You Slice It by Elisabeth Fairchild. It focuses on the theme of the novel.
The Original Chick-Lit Masterpiece by Shanna Swendson has interesting insights into the similarities between my favorite piece of Regency Period writing and the modern genre of "Chick-Lit," most of which I cannot stand.
Erin Daily's quiz was fun;)
And Jane and Me by Karen Joy Fowler and My Firth Love by Lani Rich both had good parts.
So, I would say if you love the book and/or the movies, take a look and you might really enjoy one these essays. -
I'm having the same problem reading this as I am with the Buffy book from the Smart Pop series: writers who try too hard to be clever. I'm more than willing to read what you have to say about a book (or T.V. show) that we both love, but just write an essay and trust that I'll be interested. I don't want to read your thoughts as a song, or an imagined conversation between 2 different imaginary people. I ended up skipping or skimming through more than half of the pieces.
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I was pretty disappointed by the collection. Crusie's intro is the best part. Most of the articles were superficial and unoriginal. I couldn't believe how many of the authors actually stated that they hadn't previously read Austen and didn't review any previous scholarship on her book. Maybe the idea was that this would lead to fresher perspectives, but insead it resulted in feebler versions of ideas that had already been expressed at greater length.
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Decided to read this anthology again for what I think was the third time. I just had it lying around by the armchair, so if I had a spare few minutes, I could pick it up and read an essay or two. I've been so busy that it's taken a month to get through it, but I didn't mind at all.
I do thoroughly enjoy all the different opinions and thoughtful wonderings about what is undoubtedly Austen's most famous novel. The few fanfiction-type stories included are also quite enjoyable - I especially like Jane Espenson's piece about Georgiana, but then, I like so much of what Jane has written for TV too, it's really not surprising.
Whilst I will admit to skipping over a couple of entries towards the end (not even an Austenesque take on it could induce me to read a reality TV based story!) on the whole, I'm glad I re-read this interesting collection of essays and fiction. It has encouraged me to both revisit Pride & Prejudice again and to take another look at the other books I have in this series of 'Smart Pop' anthologies. -
This was an interesting, if uneven, read.
Some of the essays were quite thoughtful and clever; others I questioned why they even bothered. My favorite section was Jane and History, which included "A War at War" that examines the impact of the Napoleonic Wars on Pride and Prejudice, and "Gold Diggers of 1813," regarding the financial burdens that the Bennets faced.
I wasn't particularly thrilled by the fanfic, either. You can read much better elsewhere.
So, definitely not a keeper (thank you public library!), but it was good to read some different perspectives on Austen and Pride and Prejudice. -
Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge: Lucky To Have You - A Book Picked Up At A Library Sale or Thrift Store.
I'm giving this 3 Stars rather than 2 because it's a anthology. As per usual, some are great and some are just not my style. Of course I loved the 'Bennets and Bingleys and Bitches' Quiz. I love Jane Austen quizzes.
Lani Diane Rich's 'My Firth Love' is hilarious. Which brings me to IMHO book's problem. It's dated. Copyright 2005 - Pre Matthew/Kiera Pride & Prejudice. No comparing versions or #whoseyourdarcy Colin/Matthew discussion. While cellphones are talked of, Social Media is so much more now. -
This book is interesting...
It is a collection of essays about Pride and Prejudice. Some are humorous, others quite serious - all are fascinating. ☺
I especially loved the one by Lani about Darcy! I giggled like a loon while reading it. Anyone who has ever seen the 6 hour BBC version of P&P would totally understand it! 😉😄😉
All in all it is a very interesting book and unusual, which can be hard to find when the topic is Austen. LOL! 😉 -
Uneven and dated feeling anthology of "chick lit" authors riffing on Pride and Prejudice. Some were fun, Jennifer Coburn's "Elizabeth . . . On the Roof", comparing Pride and Prejudice to Fiddler on the Roof. Many I skipped.
This collection made me wonder - does "chick lit" even exist any more past 2005 when this was written. Goodreads, for example, in their recommendations for "chick lit" only have romances. Surely the category was bigger than that. -
Literary criticism doesn't have to be academic or highly intellectual (A Fine Brush on Ivory is a great book to read!) but this was pretty bad. It got worse as the book went on and felt demeaning to Austen as a writer. Not worth bothering with.
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Immediately turned off by the first essay using “hari kari” when they mean “harakiri.” Grow some cultural competency. DNF.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of essays. The variety of subject matter and light sense of fun makes this a great read. I'd say a must for Janeites.
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An interesting mixture of essays, fanfiction. Some serious, some comical. What Pride & Prejudice means, how it is relevant. Views on how the Bride& Prejudice did justice to the story.
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I remember feeling shocked the first time I heard someone refer to Jane Austen as "chick lit." Here, several different authors proudly take-on the label and run with it in a variety of ways: essays, commentary, fan fiction, etc. An entertaining look at the many ways Austen still resonates with modern audiences.
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This really is probably closer to a 3.5 star review, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and spot it a half star this time, because I only really hated two of the essays, and mildly disliked a handful of others-- and even most of those had their interesting or thought-provoking qualities.
The worst of the essays focus on Darcy-- or rather, focus on drooling all over Darcy (or worse, his incarnations in one or other of the film adaptations) without ever actually analyzing his character much at all. I admit, it's a little bit harder to get a line on him because Austen's (at least, ostensibly) omniscient narrator focuses on Lizzy's surroundings, and Lizzy, of course, avoids him as much as is politely possible for much of the book.
It's not scholarly for the most part, but they do offer a surprising array of different perspectives on the book, and it did succeed in provoking thought and challenging my conceptions of the book, did not just elicit constant head-nodding.
The P&P-inspired fanfic was also pretty silly, often outrageously out-of-character (The Secret Life of Mary) or almost totally irrelevant (like Mercedes Lackey's "Not Precisely Pride"). Jane Espenson's "Georgiana" was the best-crafted, by far-- not terribly surprising. She wrote the "Shindig" episode of Firefly; not to mention various episodes of Dollhouse, Buffy, Battlestar Galactica, and Caprica.
Despite these weak spots, it's actually a pretty good collection (certianly it exceeded my expectations). I think my favorite essays were "Jane and the Masturbating Critic" and "Elizabeth... On the Roof". The former has not just a great title, but also an interesting backstory and a compelling look at Austen's writing as well as a great argument (and resolution!) between two parties that often seem so at-odds, the average reader and the academic critic. The latter makes a good comparison (not just plot elements and character similarities, but thematic as well!) between P&P and Fiddler on the Roof that would never have occurred to me. The last essay, "Jane and Me", put forth more questions than conclusions or official opinions (which suits me just fine). The overarching theme seemed to be 'how people read Jane Austen: how our reading changes throughout our lifetimes and for different critics through the ages'. I thought it was a good essay to end on, but that could just be me. One of the big points it brought up was how men react to Austen. Some men really like her, really "get" her-- many just write her off as chick lit. Karen Joy Fowler asks how she would have reacted to reading the book if she'd been male, and actually draws out her explanation of how she originally read Jane Austen with fairy tale, comic book superheroes, and Seventeen magazine. I would have liked to see her expand on that a bit more, but still an interesting set of genera to see Austen through.
The only two essays I think I really despaired over were "My Darling Mr. Darcy", "Pride and Prejudice. With Cell Phones". I think they were both written by Lydia Bennet-- both rather silly and shallow.
Definitely worth reading, but be warned, it's not exclusive to just P&P-- many essays include references to her other completed books. -
G K Chesterton:
"Jane Austen was born before those bonds which (we are told) protected women from the truth were burst by the Brontes or elaborately untied by George Eliot .... Jane Austen may have been protected from truth: but it was precious little of truth that was protected from her."
It's a collection of essays and several short stories that explore various points and themes from P&P. The popular writers and academics who wrote these pieces all agree that Austen remains relevant; but, of course, with so many points of view and varying skills, some pieces are better than others. Some make their point, some miss the mark, others are downright silly.
I do agree that Austen is more than chick-lit as the title suggests; I guess I have a different understanding of what is considered chick-lit ...
In the spirit of this book, there are two works I can recommend:
1. Lost in Austen -- it's a BBC production (of course). The heroine is a contemporary young woman who is enthralled with P & P, esp. Mr. Darcy and holds him up as her ideal man against everyone including her ne'er-do-well, motorbike riding boyfriend. One night, she ends up inadvertently being sucked into life at Longbourne while Elizabeth Bennett crashes into the 20th century.
2. writing Austen by Elizabeth Aston -- it's the story of a young ultra-serious, critically acclaimed author who is approached by her former professor to write a "newly discovered" Austen manuscript. Desperately needing the money, she agrees to the deal; the only problem is that she has never read the incredibly fluffy, frivolous works of Miss Jane. -
This was a fun look at different perspectives for
Pride and Prejudice. From a stronger look at Georgiana or Mary to essays to rewriting scenes with cell phones added, this book has as many varieties of writing as different ways to look as this classic book. -
Despite the title reference to Pride and Prejudice as {shudder} chick-lit this collection of essays covers different aspects of the novel and its influences.
One of my favorite essays, by Lawrence Watt-Evans, tries to determine when the story was set by vague clues in the text and describes the world outside of Austen's carefully constructed universe. Another essay explains the historical importance of marriage and inheritance in reference to Regency society, a subject I thought I knew quite a bit about but turns out I did not. There's even an essay about my favorite Austen movie knock-off, Bride and Prejudice. There's mention of my least favorite, Bridget Jones' Diary, as well.
There's even an essay that dissects all the high-handed literary analysis of Austen and questions whether it explains or solves anything other than illustrating the critic's own personal prejudice. That Austen is considered unimportant and non-literary by most critics and just filler for the Womens Studies curriculum. I enjoyed this until the writer gave it a ridiculous conclusion that deflected some of her argument.
Some of the essays are light and gossip-y but there is more than just sighing over Darcy and calling Caroline Bingley a bee-yotch.
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What a fun book to read! It's a collection of essays and articles written by a variety of people who had been asked by the book's editor to write something - anything - about Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. So there were some semi-serious pieces that discussed the various characters, commented on the manners and conventions of the time, analyzed the theme and plot elements, etc. There were also some delightful pieces that looked at the similarities between the Bennet sisters and young women who are looking for husbands today. There a number of speculative pieces that took the point of view of one or the other of the main characters, spinning them off into little stories of their own. Then there were a variety of hilariously entertaining accounts of being addicted to Jane Austen's books, and several authors described being addicted to the movie versions as well - especially the way Colin Firth's Darcy looked in those skin tight white pants he wore at the ball. The one thing all the authors agreed upon was that Jane Austen was probably one of the first writers to introduce "chick-lit" to the world.
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On the complete opposite end of things like Jane Austen's Cults and Cultures, we have Flirting with Pride and Prejudice, a collection of essays about, well, Pride and Prejudice. It's very accessible, but the problem is that it's, um. Not particularly quality-controlled?
The essays are divided into rough sections along the line of Jane as Universal Social Commentator (these are all pretty thoughtful), Jane and History (also pretty good), Jane and Academe (contains one of my favorite essays, the dialogue between the critic and the reader), and so forth, but then we get kind of weird in Jane's Hero and get downright confusing in Jane's Untold Stories, and then we got to Pride and Prejudice and Cell Phones, which was literally just Pride and Prejudice if everyone somehow anachronistically had cell phones, which changed nothing, and I was just gone.
So. The quality varies wildly, but I feel like the good and thoughtful essays outweigh the shallow and just confusing ones. Maybe pick it up at the library if you're an Austen fan. -
I was disappointed with this book. This was my second book from the Smart Pop series, which contains various essays from a wide range of people who are offering smart criticism of a subject. (The subjects are mostly popular culture, such as TV shows or movies.)
I had also read a book discussing the Narnia series by Smart Pop, which I thought was better than this compilation.
I think that the quality of work was often slap-dash. Many essays focused on the "chick lit" angle, but without any real discerning analysis of it, just claiming that Austen was the originator of it. Throughout many of the essays, I could tell that the writers were intelligent, but it felt like they were not putting enough effort or thought into their essays. Many were very up-front about this, which I thought was a bit insulting.
In my opinion, most of the essays were just too frothy and light. Austen deserves better than this. -
I was disappointed in this collection - there seemed to be no middle ground between overly academic (and frankly, boring) essays, and the ones that didn't do much more than point out that every woman in the world thinks Colin Firth is hot. Yeah, I know. (Yeah, I'm the oddball who liked McFadyen better.)
Adam Robert's Jane Austen and the Masturbating Critic was the most frustrating (and simultaneously content-light), but Lani Diane Rich's squealing teenage girl-esque diary (My Firth Love) was the most unredeemable. The Original Chick Lit Masterpiece was interesting, and I enjoyed all of the essays in Jane's Untold Stories. I'll probably end up buying this at some point, but only because I can't help myself when it comes to Jane. And I refuse to pay full price for it. So there. -
Being a fan of Pride & Prejudice, I found this book to be highly entertaining. It kept me laughing and opened my mind to things I hadn't originally thought about. The essays included are such a fine assortment, rather like a box of chocolates in that you can find at least ONE essay to like.
Multiple times, I would be sitting in a class and begin laughing (which came with a return of blank stares directed at me). I really enjoyed this book and I believe it has enhanced my experience with Pride & Prejudice.
One of the things I love most about this book is the various authors and information provided about each at the end of every essay. It presents many opportunities to find other books and authors to keep my eye on.
Overall, I consider this book to be very enriching and recommend it to any Pride & Prejudice lover =) -
I enjoyed this book. While I am not usually a big fan of literary take-offs on this book, I enjoyed a few that were included in this book. I enjoyed the Elemental Masters story, as well as the story on Georgina, Darcy's younger sister. I never thought of Lizzie as mercenary. I always thought she changed her mind because of love - she finally realizes Darcy is a good man and she loves him. A few essays hinted that her turning point came when she visited Darcy's estate and realized how rich he was. A disappointment for me, personally, but food for thought. This certainly doesn't mean that she didn't marry for love, but I guess the "suggestion" that her ultimate actions were not just driven by love was new to me. Guess I am more of a romantic, than realist, than I thought.
