Feel free to steal any of our ideas. Over at Kansas City Public Library, we’re starting the New Year by celebrating Jane-uary. Those good folks at PBS, whom MEQ mentions below, provided the germ of an idea and our local JASNA chapter sent me polite notes on monogrammed stationary and paid enough calls until I cried, “Pemberly!” and scheduled plenty of Jane programming, book discussions, films, and author visits to float High Tea. We have suggested related reading and a Jane-iac blog for all the book group attendees as well.
This idea was too good not to pursue and it wasn’t even mine. Kudos to PBS and the Jane Austen Society of North America for always believing in the perennial appeal of Jane Austen for readers and viewers everywhere.
One good idea to swipe regarding a Jane Austen book group is contact your local JASNA chapter and invite a member to either lead discussion on one of the novels or provide a brief program on Jane’s life and works. If there’s no JASNA chapter nearby, persuade your local Jane Austen expert (yes, you have one) to visit the group.
Ahhhh. I am so looking forward to relinquishing book group facilitator duties in Jane-uary…..
January 9th, 2008 at 4:08 am
Esteemed colleague:
“High Tea” is not fancy–it is a workingman’s supper equivalent.
The fancy tea with little cakes and sandwiches is Afternoon Tea.
Regards,
Marilee
January 17th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
I found three or four Jane Austen experts in my area. One of them posited that he would prefer to come and do something on his own and didn’t want to do a panel discussion.