Following in austens footsteps is no small feat, but it is one baker accomplishes with aplomb. Jan 15, 2014 who were the ghostly figures that kept both the storyline and the bennet household going behind the scenes. Pride and prejudice was only half the story if elizabeth bennet had the washing of her own petticoats, sarah often thought, shed most likely be a sight more. Jo bakers thoroughly researched description of the servants toil expands the tiny piece of ivory that jane austen worked on by showing. O, the oprah magazine original and charming, even gripping, in its own right. Hill, the endlessly patient cookhousekeeper, nearly collapses on her mistresss couch when mrs. If longbourn is received as a delicious concoction of pride and prejudice meets downton abbey, then, for commercial reasons, no one will feel sorry for jo baker, but for artistic ones, she will have been treated unfairly. That is the premise of jo bakers engrossing novel longbourn, which takes jane austens famous work, turns it upside down, and shakes out a fully realized and utterly convincing tale of life and romance among the servants.
In longbourn, the housemaid sarahs frustration with the laundry would have been shared by anyone who cleaned clothes during the early 19th century. Baker is a real and very fine writer, and longbourn stands on its own as an engrossing, intelligent historical novel. Jo baker s delightful novel gives us a look at jane austens society from the point of view of the servants. Any page references refer to a usa edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other. Longbourn is the house in which jane austen set pride and prejudice. This makes the book highly suspenseful, with us knowing rather much more. Oct 10, 20 questions for jo baker, author of longbourn jo bakers longbourn retells the events of pride and prejudice from the point of view of the servants.
Editions of longbourn by jo baker goodreads share book. Oct 16, 20 our celebration of longbourn continues from the october 8th, launch party. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Reading guide for longbourn by jo baker discussion guide for book clubs. Which character as performed by emma fielding was your favorite. The undertow is her first publication in the united states. A gentleman with an annual allowance, such as mr bennett from pride and prejudice, could afford more than one servant.
The sunday times bestseller kindle edition by baker, jo. Housemaid sarah often dreams of a life outside of servitude or of some kind of interesting change until mysterious new footman james smith arrives. An austenite reads a reimagining of jane austens pride and prejudice from the servants perspective. Longbourn by jo baker, 9780552779517, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The classic novel pride and prejudice by jane austen has been the starting point for many novelists, and in longbourn alfred a. Sorry about the label, but it would have torn the cover.
It gives an alternative view of the events in jane austens pride and prejudice, telling the story from the perspective of the servants at longbourn, the bennet family home. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading longbourn. Read free book excerpt from longbourn by jo baker, page 2 of 2. Mentioned only fleetingly in jane austens classic, here jo baker dares to take us beyond the drawing rooms of regency england and, in doing so, uncovers the. Jo baker dares to take us beyond the drawing rooms of jane austens classicinto the often overlooked domain of the stern housekeeper and the starryeyed kitchen maid, into the gritty daily particulars faced by the lower classes in regency england during the napoleonic warsand, in doing so, creates a vivid, fascinating, fully realized world. The room was dull now, and meaningless, with the young ladies gone from it. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. Jo baker is the author of the acclaimed and bestselling longbourn which is due for release as a feature film in 2020 and a country road, a tree. Aug 15, 20 longbourn is the house in which jane austen set pride and prejudice. Both austen devotees and readers unfamiliar with the original will find that longbourn is a robust, compelling novel that easily stands on its own. Oct, 20 it should be said at once that jo bakers longbourn is an exception. Discover book depository s huge selection of jo baker books online. Jo baker gives us the story from the servants perspectives and pulls off the seemingly. Double your chances to win one of six 6 copies of jo bakers new novel by leaving a comment stating what intrigues you about the premise or characters in his novel in both posts.
Would you try another book from jo baker andor emma fielding. And sarah was, she knew, as she slipped along the servants corridor, and then up the stairs to the attic to hang her her new dress on the rail, just one of the many shadows that ebbed and tugged at the edges of the light. She wrote books such as the picture book and offcomer. This book tells the story of the men and women of fighter command who worked tirelessly in air bases scattered throughout britain to thwart the nazis. It is published by doubleday in the uk, and in the usa by knopf in june 2019. She is the author of the bestselling longbourn, which is due to be made into a film. Jo baker was born in lancashire, england, and educated at oxford university and queens university belfast.
She lives in lancaster with her husband and their two children. Pride and prejudice has been read and reread by enchanted readers since its publication in 18. Bennet shares the good news in jo baker s excellent fourth novel, longbourn. Jo baker s novel is the story of the servants who washed the bennet girls linen, soothed mrs bennet when she was distressed, indulged mr bennet when they were obliged to indulge him and all the time carried on with their own unregarded lives. She is the author of three previous novels published in the united kingdom. She is the author of six novels, including the bestselling longbourn, a new york times notable book, in development as a feature film with random house films and studio canal. She lives in lancaster, england, with her husband, the playwright and screenwriter daragh carville, and their two children. Our modern process of sorting, dumping into a machine, pouring in soap, and pressing a button is an embarrasingly wonderful diminution of this once complicated and timeintensive process.
Neither a sequel nor a disappointment, its an affecting look at the world of pride and prejudice, but from. Jo bakers delightful novel gives us a look at jane austens society from the point of view of the servants. Jo baker was educated at oxford and queens university, belfast. Apr 30, 2014 this was the first book of jo bakers that i have read and i will definitely read something else of hers as the writing was good. Longbourn by jo baker and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available. Bakers seventh novel is described as literary suspense with multiple voices and testimonies that looks at male violence in fiction and in life. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read longbourn. Housemaid sarah often dreams of a life outside of servitude or of some kind of interesting change until. It has been translated into twentyone languages, was shortlisted for the ibw book award and is due be made into a film, directed by sharon maguire. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a gentlewoman in need of a husband is also in need of a good servant. Her new novel, the body lies, is both a rivetting catandmouse game and a disarming exploration of sexual politics. If you are a jane austen fan with a pronounced predilection for pride and prejudice, you will devour jo baker s ingenious longbourn as the ambrosia from the austen gods it is. Jan 02, 2014 longbourn is the house in which jane austen set pride and prejudice.
Usually when i see a book that is in some way based on jane austens novels, i shy away from it. She has also written for bbc radio 4, and her short stories have been included in a number of anthologies. Longbourn, by jo baker, is the tale of servants of longbourn house, the home of the bennet family from jane austens pride and predjudice. Her latest novel is inspired by the life of samuel beckett. A dark, thrilling new novel from the bestselling author of longbourn.
Its an idea that could have felt derivative or sycophantic in its execution, and yet the novel is rich, engrossing, and filled with fascinating observation. Jo baker is a novelist with a gift for intimate and atmospheric storytelling. If jane austen had written longbourn, she might have begun with a variation of pride and prejudices famous first sentence. Jo baker was born in lancashire and educated in oxford and belfast. Jo baker is the author of six novels, most recently longbourn and a country road, a tree. This was the first book of jo baker s that i have read and i will definitely read something else of hers as the writing was good. Large print by jo baker, 9780804121149, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Longbourn is a profound exploration of injustice, of poverty and dependence, of loyalty. Carmela ciuraru in usa today warns readers of longbourn who are looking for a.
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