Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature’s Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart
Edited by Laurel Ann Nattress
Ballantine, Oct 11 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780345524966
The key to the twenty-two short stories collection is how the various contributors pay homage to Jane Austen in diverse ways; the authors stayed true to their prime genre but did it while honoring the great writer. A woman spends “A Night at Northanger” (by Lauren Willig) where she meets a famous ghost. Sara receives a gift of a locket with Austen’s hair inside as her boyfriend ends their relationship; when she wakes up she finds Austen;s spirit at her side to guide her as “The Ghostwriter” (by Elizabeth Ashton). In 2010 Austen sends her “Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane” (by Adriana Trigiani) to her engaged niece while Jo Beverly brings humor in “Jane Austen and the Mistletoe Kiss” and Janet Mullany’s “Jane Austen, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!” shows one degree of separation between Jane and the Beatles. With hooks to the novels like Jane Odiwe’s “Waiting” for Persuasion” and Laurie Viera Rigler’s law suits against Pride and Prejudice rip-offs (see “Intolerable Stupidity”), this is a fun anthology; sub title aside.
Harriet Klausner
