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July Book of the Month

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Bette (U2222559) on Thursday, 21st July 2011

  ‘Lady Susan’, ‘The Watsons’ and ‘Sanditon’ by Jane Austen
  
  I must have read these three works some 35 years ago, when this compilation of an early novel, and two fragments of unfinished novels, was published. At the time, I marvelled at the precocious writing of Jane Austen aged 18-20, loved the character of Emma Watson (who seems to be a mixture of some of JA’s other heroines), and above all I was thrilled to read ‘Sanditon’, which seemed to have such huge potential for another great novel. I found it very poignant indeed to read the work that JA was writing during the final six months of her life.
  
  By curious coincidence, the manuscript for ‘The Watsons’ was auctioned for almost £1m just one week ago !
  
  I was extremely happy to re-read these three works for this Book of the Month Club and look forward to your comments on any one or them, or all three.
  
  *
  Lady Susan
  
  With the possible exception of the conclusion, ‘Lady Susan’ was written in 1973-4, when JA was approaching, and just past, her eighteenth birthday and in the flush of confidence and youth. She transcribed it, with very few corrections, in 1805. It was first published in 1871 by her nephew James Edward Austen-Leigh in his ‘Memoir of Jane Austen’ (and he also provided the title). The novel is written in epistolary form and is the one work by JA that comes close to Regency style. This was the same period that JA started work on her first version of ‘Sense and Sensibility’, and which was initially, like ‘Lady Susan’, written in letter form. This short novel comprises 41 letters, and a very short conclusion where everything is suddenly wrapped up. One can’t help thinking that JA had become bored with the letter-writing format !
  
  The eponymous heroine (or villain?) is the beautiful and scheming widow Lady Susan Vernon. Fresh from an affair with the host of the family where she had been staying, she is now engaged on seeking suitable husbands for herself and her young daughter, Frederica. Her machinations are finally exposed. The brother-in-law (Reginald) that she had in her sights marries her daughter instead, and Lady Susan herself is obliged to marry the wealthy simpleton (Sir James) whom she had intended for Frederica.
  
  *
  The Watsons
  
  JA started writing this unfinished novel in circa 1803-4, when she was in Bath and probably abandoned it after her father’s death in January 1805. It is believed to be her only work belonging to that period. It has five chapters, and is less than 18,000 words long. It was first published in 1871, also by her nephew in his ‘Memoir’ (and again, it was he who chose the title).
  
  Mr Watson is a widowed clergyman, with two sons and four daughters. The youngest daughter, Emma, has been brought up by a wealthy aunt and is consequently better educated and more refined than her sisters. On the re-marriage of this aunt, Emma has been obliged to return to her father’s house.
  
  Living near the Watsons are the Osbornes, a great titled family, who take an interest in Emma. At the beginning of the novel, Mr Watson is seriously ill, and JA confided in her sister Cassandra that he was to die, that Emma was to decline a marriage proposal from Lord Osborne and would eventually to marry Orborne’s virtuous former tutor, Mr. Howard.
  
  Several writers have made attempts to finish the novel.
  
  ****
  
  Sanditon (also known as ‘Sand’ or ‘Sand and Sanditon’)
  
  On 27th January 1817, JA began work on her last novel. On 18th March, having written some 22,000 words, she put down her pen. On 18th July, after suffering from Addison’t disease for over a year, she died.
  
  Set in an emerging seaside village of Sanditon on the Sussex coast, we are introduced to a large cast of characters dominated by Mr Parker (a local landowner who is intent of turning the fishing village into a fashionable watering place) and his partner Lady Denham (the local great lady, who cares little about the community, but a great deal about her money).
  
  The story is told from the perspective of Charlotte Heywood, who is on her first trip away from her family, as a guest of Mr and Mrs Parker. The many comic characters include three of Mr Parker’s siblings, who are all hypochondriacs.
  
  The spirit of the age appeared to be pulling JA on towards subjects such as commercial speculation and changes. It seems to be quite a different world from that portrayed in her previous novels.

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  Posted by Bette (U2222559) on Thursday, 21st July 2011

  For general information on the Book of the Month Club, and links to all previous discussions, please go to this thread:
  
  

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  Posted by oldbloke2 (U2285767) on Thursday, 21st July 2011

  Thanks for that very interesting introduction, Bette. I feel very tempted to read Sanditon, or what there is of it. It sounds fascinating, especially as sand is often used as a material for measuring time. I like the title Sand and Sanditon. And the theme, asyou say, doesn't sound typical of what we associate with JA, but such an accomplished writer was capable of handing any material, I'm sure.
  
  I don't know much about JA's biography. I wonder about the context - personal and local / social - in which she started this novel?

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  Posted by Bette (U2222559) on Thursday, 21st July 2011

  Hi oldbloke. The texts of all three works are available free on-line (various sites). Here is one for 'Sanditon', for example:
  
  
  What I like about reading these three works is that they are from three very different periods of JA's writing, so fascinating to compare how she evolved.

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  Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Thursday, 21st July 2011

  I'm so glad you chose these three works, Bette. If I had read them before, I don't remember it, though I do remember wondering whether to get 'Sanditon' by Jane Austen and Another Lady, and deciding against. I've invariably been disappointed by this kind of thing (for instance there was an Allingham which was awful irrc).
  
  Anyway, back to Austen.
  
  It was surprising to me that JA had written 'Lady Susan' when so young. I wondered if she had based the character on anyone she'd met or heard gossip about, because the malicious and manipulative Susan rang horribly true. I can't think of any other female character in any of Austen's other works that I disliked quite so much. There was a lot of ascerbic humour in some of the letters, too.
  
  I loved 'Sanditon' and willed it to go on a bit longer before I reached the last page. I think it might have become my favourite Austen it she'd finished it. The only minor fault I found with it (my fault, no doubt) was that I didn't get a very clear picture of Charlotte herself, who seemed more of an observer - and what a clear-sighted one she was.
  
  One thing I paticularly liked in 'Sanditon' was the relationshpi between Mr and Mrs Parker - both sweet people and obviously fond of each other, but with absolutely no real understanding of each other.
  
  'The Watsons' was a little ponderous, I thought, and my least favourite of the three. I can see it had potential, and might have got into its stride. There was no character, except perhaps Emma Watson, but she wasn't a developed enough personality when the book ended to get my interest.
  
  There were a few other Austen "scraps" and notes in my edition of the book, but I really couldnt' get into them.
  
  Rusty
  
  
  
  

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  Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Thursday, 21st July 2011

  P.S. Bette, would you recommend reading any of the 'Sanditon' or 'The Watsons' versions finished by others?
  
  

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  Posted by oldbloke2 (U2285767) on Thursday, 21st July 2011

  Thanks Bette. 30 chapters, a pleasant surprise. I just printed off the first chapter and read it. You could film it or put it on TV just the way it is, couldn't you? So visual and bursting with character. Great opening chapter. Noticeably Mrs Parker doesn't say a single word but is very present nonetheless.
  
  I will read it over the next day or so, though I am involved in something to do with Schschsch ... you know who!
  
  PS Only Lady Susanne in my JA edition which claims to be the Complete Novels. Perhaps they mean The Complet (complete) Novels.

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  Posted by Bette (U2222559) on Thursday, 21st July 2011

  I agree, the opening chapter of 'Sanditon' is full of energy!
  I just loved this 'new' Jane Austen. I am amazed that she managed to write (satirically) about /three/ hypochondriacs when she herself was ailing fast, and had spent the previous year going from doctor to doctor.

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  Posted by plum the depths (U5587356) on Friday, 22nd July 2011

  I have read Lady Susan and I agree with you that it does all end very suddenly. Yes, I think she did get tired of writing in the letter style. Mind you I got fed up with reading it in that style. Not my favourite way of reading a novel. I always forget who is writing to whom and end up thinking, no that can't be right why would that person say that.
  Anyway Lady Susan herself was a good bad character so that made it fun.
  
  The Watsons started off well and I'm sure I would have liked the completed book. Mind you Emma might have been a bit too goody goody for my tastes. I have a soft spot for THE Emma. Anyway I liked the Ball scene when she danced with the young boy. A beautifully drawn episode actually and could have fitted into modern life in a wedding or similar. The child gets over looked when bigger fish are near the bait.
  
  I have just started Sanditon and I'm enjoying the looked at life in the late 1700 early 1800s. This slice of life written by the author as she sees life going on around her is my most favourite reason for reading old books.
  I've just read the bit where Mr and Mrs Parker are taken in by the Heywoods and stay with them for two weeks! Complete strangers just taken in and offered every type of hospitality. I simply can not imagine that happening today, well not in Britain or the Us for that matter.
  
  

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  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by Bette (U2222559) on Friday, 22nd July 2011

  P.S. Bette, would you recommend reading any of the 'Sanditon' or 'The Watsons' versions finished by others? 
  
  Rusty, I haven't tried any of them, nor would I. I just /hate/ the idea of reading novels finished by others!!!!!
  
  That would be an interesting topic, btw.

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  Posted by Bette (U2222559) on Friday, 22nd July 2011

  I have a soft spot for THE Emma. 
  
  Oh, so do I! I even re-named myself Emma at school, after reading (and one friend still calls my by that name!). It is a tough call for me between that novel and P&P and Persuasion.
  
  Anyway I liked the Ball scene when she danced with the young boy. A beautifully drawn episode actually and could have fitted into modern life in a wedding or similar. The child gets over looked when bigger fish are near the bait. 
  
  Yes, that was beautifully portrayed.
  
  I look forward to hearing what you think of 'Sanditon', fiinally.

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  Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Sunday, 24th July 2011

  plum the depths, I have to admit that I am not keen on the epistolary form, for just the same reasons (and I feel the same way about page after page of italics, denoting flashbacks). 'Lady Susan' did finish rather abruptly but I often wonder how difficult it must be to pace a book (is pace the word I am looking for I wonder?).
  
  Apparently successful short story writing is a lot more tricky than a lot of people think, and the finished piece needs to be carefully paced. "Lady Susan" is quite short (would one call it a novella, I wonder), and it was an early Austen, so I suppose that might account for the quick wrap-up at the end.
  
  I must say, if I had read JA's books at the time, and was pesonally acquainted with her, I'd be rather nervous about her rrazor-sharp observations.
  
  
  
  Bette, Yes, haven't enoyed any of the (few!) books I've read that were finished by authors other than the original. I'm not usually keen on *other* authors writing prequels or sequels to novels, either ('The Wide Sargossa Sea" being a rare exception).
  
  Do you think there are enough novels finished by others to merit a thread? Have to say my mind has gone completely blank about such novels, except re JA and Allingham.
  
  Rusty
  

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  Posted by Hebe (U1477254) on Sunday, 24th July 2011

  there's the Dorothy Sayers book(s) completed by Jill Paton Walsh. There could be enough if we included prequels/sequals.
  
  I've got as far as getting my copy of Lady Susan/Watsons/Sanditon down from the top shelf (needed a chair to reach it!). I have fairly vague recollections of the first 2 but absolutely none of Sanditon so I'm wondering if I ever actually read it. Looking forward to it.

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  Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Sunday, 24th July 2011

  Ah, yes, Hebe. I haven't read those, but I've always liked Jill Paton Walsh since I read 'Knowledge of Angels' described as a medieval philosophical novel. Although a lot of people have read JPW, I'm always surprised at how few people have read that particular book.
  
  I'm sure you are right about there being enough to discuss if we included prequels and sequels (in fact, I have a vague collection the Book Club had such a discussion ages ago, or perhaps it just came up as a suggestion). At the moment I am trying very hard *not* to remember 'Scarlet', the sequel to 'Gone With The Wind' by Alexandra Ripley!
  
  Mind you, I wouldn't mind reading 'The Wind Done Gone', which is GWTW seen through the eyes of Butterfly Queen and the other slaves, I think.
  
  Rusty
  
  
  

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  Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Sunday, 24th July 2011

  Tcha, I meant Prissy,the house servant (the actress playing her was Butterly McQueen).
  
  

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