Friday Bookblogging: Summer Reading Edition
Welcome to another edition of Friday Bookblogging, in which we round up news about books by, about, or inspired by Jane Austen and her work.
First we have something fun: a book trailer for Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler.
For those eagerly awaiting Darcy of the Undead, we received word today from Sourcebooks Landmark that Amanda Grange’s Mr. Darcy, Vampyre will be released on August 11. ETA: Sourcebooks has purchased world rights and are bringing it out in the U.S. only (at this point) in August. A UK release should follow but there’s no date at this time. There’s an excerpt on the Vampyre blog. What we want to know is–does Darcy sparkle?
A new book and companion CD, Jane Austen Sings the Blues, has been published in tribute to the late Bruce Stovel, a respected Austen scholar as well as a lifelong fan of the blues. (Most JASNA members have heard the story about blues guitarist B.B. King coming out as a Janeite at the L.A. AGM.)
Check out the beautiful hand-stitched book covers created by a talented Janeite stitcher. We can hear Cub Reporter Heather L. snapping to attention all the way across North America. 
Laurel Ann has reviewed A Body at Rest by Susan Petrone, which has echoes of Emma in it.
Maya Slater’s novel The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy, which was published in the UK as Mr. Darcy’s Diary, has been published in the U.S. She wrote to ask if readers prefer the UK or U.S. cover. (We think the U.S. cover looks sort of familiar…)
That’s it for this week’s Bookblogging, Gentle Readers, so until next time, always remember…Books Are Nice!
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I noticed the similarities of the Darcy covers as well. It left me puzzled as to why publishers have a collective image of Darcy in their minds. Must be a popular painting.
Not all that popular. The original is in the National Gallery of Scotland, and the good-looking young man in it would probably be seriously displeased if he knew nobody can remember who he was. He may not even be English – the artist was French. He is certainly well eclipsed in popularity by the National Gallery’s star portrait, Sir Henry Raeburn’s Reverend Robert Walker Skating On Duddingston Loch, which most likely many of you be familiar with, without knowing its exact origins, since it often appears on Christmas cards. The Rev. Mr Walker actually has his own range of gifts – if you don’t believe me look at this link. http://www.nationalgalleries.org/buy/shop/8:398/theme/621
As the “Darcy” portrait is certainly old enough to be in the public domain and cannot be claimed for exclusive use by Amanda Grange or Robert Hale, one can’t but suspect the US publisher’s of Slater’s book publishers of being influenced by the other Diary. Actually Darcy now has so many Diaries and memoirs out that he must be supposed capable of writing different versions with both hands and both feet at the same time, while dictating a fifth version to a secretary.
As far as I’m concerned, that portrait looks more like Dominic Cooper’s Willoughby than my Darcy! But I hate the really ugly cartoonish drawings of Darcy on so many P&P covers than this fellow’s portrait. He’s just not my Darcy.
(Just put CF on all the covers and I’m good to go!) Hee Hee! Only kidding!
I’ve also been amused at the abundance of Darcy’s diaries. Surely the others must be impostors. The real Mr. Darcy will have quite a few libel suits on his hands
I think the man in the portrait is too young for my taste. Pity none of these sequels or what if can feature painting of Colin Firth. The hand stitching cover looks good but I wonder if it can withstand the travelling…
Steamy Darcy