Being Jane Austen

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice, Quirk Books sent me a copy of The Jane Austen Handbook by Margaret C. Sullivan, a quaint, illustrated book that advises readers on how to develop proper life skills (...if you were living in Regency England).

The book is fascinating from a historical standpoint, filled with cultural tidbits about the era. However, I decided to take some of the advise to heart (mainly because I'm a little crazy and I like a challenge). I figured if the life skills were good enough for Jane Austen, then they must be good enough for me. While I "modernized" some of the suggestions, I filled my weekend with "acceptable" leisure activities.

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How A Lady Might Spend Her Leisure Time

Suggestion #1: Music.

The book suggests actually playing an instrument. Since the closest I have to that sort of talent is a guitar in my living with three broken strings (they've been broken since I bought it from a pawn shop - when I was 16 years old), I decided to only listen. I put on my headphones, closed my eyes, and listened to an album all the way through (you know, the way they were originally meant to be listened to) without distraction. That's not something I get to do very often and it was magical.

Suggestion #2: Drawing.

The book hinted that pencil drawings filled in with watercolour paint were the most refined. I failed miserably. I am not an artist.

Suggestion #3: Reading.

"Serious" books only, of course. I'm not sure I followed that rule (what makes a book "serious" anyway?), but I finally set aside some time to finish the four books that I've been reading on and off for what feels like forever. Someone remind me to read one book at a time, please.

Suggestion #4: Fancy Needlework.

For this, I started some new embroidery projects that will (hopefully) be part of my up-and-coming online store. Not only was this a leisure activity, but it was also productive. Success!

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The book is filled with excellent (often humorous) advice, excerpts from Jane Austen novels, and quotations from the woman herself. There are also a few instructional activities: the book can teach you how to write a letter and how to play various card games from way back when.

Thanks to Quirk Books, I am giving away a copy of The Jane Austen Handbook to an I Believe In Story reader. See the Rafflecoptor below for all the ways you can enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway