Jane Austen is one of the
most celebrated British authors of all time, known for her witty and insightful
novels about love, relationships, and society in the context of early
19th-century England. Although her novels did not receive much recognition
during her lifetime, she now has millions of fans world-wide. Her six completed
novels have all been made into popular TV series and Pride and Prejudice is
often voted the nation’s favourite book.
But if the idea of wading through the rich language of 18th/early
19th century literature doesn’t quite do it for you then never fear!
Each of Jane Austen’s novels are about to receive a 21st century
makeover as part of ‘The Austen Project’, an initiative by publisher Harper
Collins. As part of the project, six bestselling authors will write their own
take on Austen’s classic novels. Joanna Trollope is the first to take on the
challenge, bringing Facebook, iPods and premarital sex to Barton Cottage. Here
are the novel/author pairings that have been decided so far:
‘Sense & Sensibility’ - Joanna Trollope
Joanna Trollope has been
writing for over thirty years she is the author of seventeen highly acclaimed
contemporary bestselling novels including, most recently, The Other Family,
Daughters In Law and The Soldier’s Wife. She has also written a study of women
in the British Empire, Britannia’s Daughters, and ten historical novels
published under the pseudonym Caroline Harvey.
‘Northanger Abbey’ - Val McDermid
Val McDermid is a Scottish
crime writer, best known for a series of suspense novels starring her most
famous creation, Dr. Tony Hill.
‘Emma’ - Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander McCall Smith is a
Rhodesian-born British writer and Emeritus Professor of Medical Law at the
University of Edinburgh. He is most widely known as the creator of the The No.
1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.
‘Pride & Prejudice’ - Curtis Sittenfeld
Curtis Sittenfeld is an
American writer and is the author of four novels: Prep, the tale of a
Massachusetts prep school; The Man of My Dreams, a coming-of-age novel and an
examination of romantic love; American Wife, a fictional story loosely based on
the life of First Lady Laura Bush, and Sisterland, which tells the story of
identical twins with psychic powers, as well as a number of short stories.
‘Persuasion’ and ‘Mansfield Park’ are still up for grabs!
Joanna Trollope’s Sense and
Sensibility is now available to buy but unfortunately you will have to wait until 2014
for the other 5. Click here to go to the Austen Project website.
