Jane Austen and Co.: Remaking the Past in Contemporary Culture [Paperback]

Suzanne R. Pucci (Editor), James Thompson (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 2003

Examines recent Austen films as well as other "post-heritage" films and television shows to show how the past is remade for a contemporary market.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Jane Austen and Co. explores the ways in which classical novels-particularly, but not exclusively, those of Jane Austen-have been transformed into artifacts of contemporary popular culture. Examining recent films, television shows, Internet sites, and even historical tours, the book turns from the question of Austen's contemporary appeal to a broader consideration of other late-twentieth-century remakes, including Dangerous Liaisons, Dracula, Lolita, and even Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Taken together, the essays in Jane Austen and Co. offer a wide-ranging model for understanding how all of these texts-visual, literary, touristic, British, American, French-reshape the past in the new fashions, styles, media, and desires of the present." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Suzanne R. Pucci is Associate Professor of French at the University of Kentucky. James Thompson is Professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 284 pages
• Publisher: State University of New York Press (January 9, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0791456161
• ISBN-13: 978-0791456163
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,741,641 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Just for Janeites, November 30, 2004

By 

Austen reader (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jane Austen and Co.: Remaking the Past in Contemporary Culture (Paperback)

Jane Austen and Co. is an interesting and fairly thorough look at our current culture's obsession with recreating the past through film. The essays are scholarly without being overly dry, and could appeal to a more casual reader. Some are better than others, but they are all pretty perceptive and realize that history on screen says more about the present than the past. Austen adaptations get the lion's share of attention in the essays, but also discussed are loose interpretations of Austen like Clueless and Bridget Jones, as well as other films such as Dangerous Liaisons, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the Wings of the Dove. Sometimes the connections between the non-Austen essays with the others seems a little weak, but as a whole, Jane Austen and Co makes for some thought-provoking reading.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Okay--but not as title would suggest., March 24, 2005

By 

Jessica M. Harris (Brisbane, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jane Austen and Co.: Remaking the Past in Contemporary Culture (Paperback)

This is okay--there is a good snippet about pemberley.com that would appeal to janieties. For myself, I prefer "Jane Austen on Screen"

Perhaps better borrowed from the university library as there are no revelations in this book.