Austentation?

One of the geat pleasures of going on a trip, especially one sans child (much as I dote on my one and only!) is the opportunity to enjoy some uninterrupted quality time with a book or two. I recently returned from a week of cruising the Western Caribbean with a good friend, and in between snorkeling, sightseeing, shopping, and (of course!) earing and drinking, I managed to make my way through several books and one carefully hoarded issue of Archaeology Magazine.

Magazine first: apparently I have well hidden from most of my acquantance my decades-old secret desire to be an archaeologist. I have of course devoured all of Elizabeth Peters Amelia Peabody novels, among others, but this is a desire for information that goes far beyoond the ability of novels to quench. I always save my newest issue of Archaeology for a time when I'm alone and have uninterrupted freedom to read and make notes of things I want to look up later. You can imagine the joy in not only having the magazine and the time, but the ability to read while soaking my feet in the beautiful turqoise waters of the Caribbean...while sipping a decadently delicious rum drink. And pondering: should we clone Neanderthals? What was revealed about Civil War tactics by digging the "burnt district" in Missouri? A touching love story from 16th century Korea...

One of my other interests, as I think many of my friends know (and share) is the writings of Jane Austen and the history of the time period in which she lived. I'm always willing to try the spin-offs, sequels, re-imaginings, and even embraced the entire genre of "Regency Romance" at its height...still look for them, truth be told. Anyway, my interest was piqued when Colleen McCullough took on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, fashioning an entire novel around Mary Bennet, the unfortunate middle sister, and in spite of some very lackluster reviews, I was determined to read it for myself.

Now, one person who read it, and who knows much more of Jane-related matters than I can ever hope to, said that she thought Ms. McCullough was putting us on. I'm willing to consider that possibility. I was even disposed to judge gently when she turned the plainest of the Bennet girls into a creature with "suporating spots" and a tooth that grew sideways. Heavens! And, of course, she had to have the requisite trials and tribulations, marked by heaving bosoms, torn clothing, evil kidnappers...I had hoped it might be great fun. Unfortunately, it left me flat. If she were trying to put on her readers, she could have done a better job of it.

Entering back into the world of light fiction, I read a cosy mystery that takes place in a bookstore, "Bookmarked for death" by Lorna Barrett. Set in a charming New England town--which is rapidly losing its charm thanks to the local Canada goose population, which is leaving messy droppings all over the main street--the sotry finds local bookstore owner Tricia Miles discovering a second corpse, much to the non-amusement of local law enforcment. Filled with charminly quicky character, it's just right for curling up on a deck chair with a lovely rum-laced drink. Or a cup of tea, I suppose...