I was reviewing a delightful modern remake of Jane Austen's Persuasion by Rebecca Jamison, and in order to compare the modern version to the original, I pulled up a web site to refresh my memory about the characters and timeframe of the original book. The date of its publication in 1817-1818 grabbed my attention immediately and sent me leaping off to conclusions as to which war Mr. Wentworth served in. Having not read the book since I stuffed my brain with War of 1812 trivia, I immediately thought of the War of 1812 and the British fight in America. But a reader drew me back to the original Persuasion, pointing out that the book clearly identifies the Napoleonic conflict as the war Miss Austen's characters were engaged in.My apologies.
That's very enlightening. I never saw that connection, but as I already told you I'm pretty bad at history.
ReplyDeleteMansfield Park is another one that's interesting to know about the historical background (slavery in Antigua I think.)
I love Jane Austin. Thanks for pointing out some wonderful points.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love your books. I learned a great deal about our nation's history and the War of 1812 reading them.
Thanks, Kathi. It's always fascinating when history conencts to something familiar and beloved. Too often it seems like a series of static events, and then something like Ms. Austen's "Persuasion" reminds us how inter-related everything is. Thanks for the comment. See you in person in May! Can't wait!
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