NOW THE BASIS OF AN ACCLAIMED FILM Jane Austen’s early works, Love & Friendship and Lady Susan are very funny, in fact, they are a real hoot. They were produced by a teenage Austen and the exuberance shines through. Both of the titles are epistolary books (written as letters) and were probably designed to be read out loud to Jane’s family. Can you imagine that? Sat in the parlour, perhaps with a nice glass of port, as the young Jane Austen declaimed her early writings. Both Love & Friendship and Lady Susan are merciless lampoons on the romantic melodramas of the day and there’s very much of a modern sensibility. These could be the escapades of Valley Girls and their consorts. The Regency period has never looked quite so 21st Century as in these two works It’s little surprise that Whit Stillman has made a fine film (2016) with his adaptation of Lady Susan – although the film is nevertheless titled Love & Friendship. The wit sparkles throughout the books and translates brilliantly to the screen. This is a specially designed and typeset ebook edition aimed at ensuring a Great Reader Experience and this edition also features a full and clickable Table of Contents, a new Introduction and a new Note on 18th Century Spelling & Punctuation.
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