Tag: Boston Austen Book Club

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Notebook Witchery

Fall 2024 BABC

The Murder of Mr. Wickham

On Sunday, October 20 at 2pm ET, we will meet via WebEx for our Fall 2024 Boston Austen Book Club Meeting, to discuss Claudia Gray’s novel “The Murder of Mr. Wickham.”

Webex Info

Meeting link
https://massbay.webex.com/meet/bmadden2

Meeting number
797 422 901

Video address
bmadden2@massbay.webex.com

Audio connection
United States Toll +1-415-655-0003

Access code
797 422 901

About this Fall’s title:

A perfect whodunit for Halloween Season!

The children of the Darcys and the Tilneys are at a house party thrown by Emma and Mr Knightley. Wickham is an unwanted guest who gets himself offed. Young Darcy and Young Miss Tilney help solve the crime.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/671897/the-murder-of-mr-wickham-by-claudia-gray

Facebook event page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1107068774175289/

RSVP

On the Facebook event page or by email to thenotebookwitch@gmail.com

See you on Sun, Oct 20 at 2pm ET via Webex!

Categories
Sabbats, etc.

Mabon 2024

Happy Fall to Everyone in the Northern Hemisphere and Happy Spring to Everyone in the Southern Hemisphere!

Happy Mabon to all who celebrate! Happy Autumnal Equinox to people of the Northern Hemisphere! (Happy Spring to the Southern Hemisphere people!)

We read fall poems and sang fall songs at Bell Street Chapel to mark the occasion. I have joined the choir, plus I suggested a couple of the poems to read, so I ended up getting up 6 times during the service. Busy, but very fun!

Then MumBetty & I got crepes and tea from Schasteâ. I tried a new-to-me delicious Pu-erh Tuo Cha Tea, and the Eggs and Tapenade Savory Crepe. Delicious!

Next the Boston Austen Book Club had our Summer meeting (one day after summer). As noted, it was an “easy one,” where we just discussed screen adaptations of Austen. I still haven’t watched Fire Island. I have to get on that! Next month for the Fall 2024 meeting, we’re discussing a murder mystery, just in time for spooky season, with Halloween and Samhain coming up. The titled is “The Murder of Mr. Wickham” by Claudia Gray. I’ll have an event page up soon!

And finally Betty and I watched football, and I helped her with her chores. I bribed Baby with a bunch of Greenies and peanut butter, and was able to do a dry shampoo, tail hair clipping, dingleberry removal (gag), and a thorough eye gunk wiping (also gag but not as bad).

Additionally I made a seasonal playlist of fall-ish feeling Tori Amos songs. You can find the playlist on my YouTube Channel, and the playlist is called “A mos, Tori for Fall.”

(YouTube Music only sorts alphabetically or by recently saved and you can’t choose the letter you want to go to from the list, you just have to scroll. Since I listen to Tori so much, I manipulated the listing for her so it would appear at the top by using her last name with a space after it. Silly but it works!)

And I mixed some of my body oils to create two new, lush scents for Fall: Vetiver, lavender, and patchouli for one; and rose, patchouli, and amber for the other.

And you bet I am well stocked on Pumpkin Spice flavored things for my coffee, because I am a Pumpkin Spice kinda witch. Heh heh heh.

I also made these graphics on time-ish, for a change!

Including this one to use as a YouTube banner…

A very busy sabbat!

Have a Happy Fall, Y’all!

Categories
Notebook Witchery

Austen Adaptations for the Screen

Summer 2024 Boston Austen Book Club Meeting

Sun, Sep 22 at 2pm ET via Webex

Join us for the Summer 2024 Boston Austen Book Club Meeting! We will meet to discuss Austen Screen Adaptations, on Sunday, September 22 at 2pm ET via Webex.

This one’s easy-peasy! We’re just going to discuss the screen adaptations of Austen. What do you love? Loathe? What do you recommend? Come discuss the pantheon of Austen screen adaptations with the club! Old, new, in-between, modern takes, YouTube serials, movies, mini-series — everything is fair game for this open-ended discussion.

The Webex address will be shared shortly before the meeting begins here in the event description, in the Facebook event page info, and on the event webpage at . (Please RSVP at the Facebook Event page or by emailing me, so that I can match your Webex name to the RSVP.)

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Notebook Witchery

Pride and Prejudice and Pride

Spring 2024 Boston Austen Book Club Meeting

Sunday, Jun 30, 2024 at 2pm via WebEx – Just As You Are by Camille Kellogg

Spring 2024 BABC Meeting Details

Join us for our special Pride Month Boston Austen Book Club Spring 2024 Meeting, which we’re calling “Pride & Prejudice …& PRIDE!”

We will meet via Webex at 2pm on Sunday, June 30 to discuss Camille Kellogg’s book Just As You Are.

As always, new members are welcome. All you have to do to join is read the book and come to the meeting to discuss it.

RSVP

About Just As You Are

From Goodreads:

Equal parts witty and steamy, this debut rom-com brings a healthy dose of queerness and a whole lot of heart to a Pride and Prejudice -inspired enemies to lovers romance.

The only thing worse than hating your boss? Being attracted to her.

Liz Baker and her three roommates work at the Nether Fields, a queer magazine in New York that’s on the verge of shutting down—until it’s bought at the last minute by two wealthy lesbians. Liz knows she’s lucky to still have a paycheck but it’s hard to feel grateful with minority investor Daria Fitzgerald slashing budgets, cancelling bagel Fridays, and password protecting the color printer to prevent “frivolous use.” When Liz overhears Daria scoffing at her listicles, she knows that it’s only a matter of time before her impulsive mouth gets herself fired.

But as Liz and Daria wind up having to spend more and more time together, Liz starts to see a softer side to Daria—she’s funny, thoughtful, and likes the way Liz’s gender presentation varies between butch and femme. Despite the evidence that Liz can’t trust her, it’s hard to keep hating Daria—and even harder to resist the chemistry between them.

This page-turning, sexy, and delightfully funny rom-com celebrates queer culture, chosen family, and falling in love against your better judgment.

We are so excited to have our first ever Pride-inpired title, and look forward to making this a tradition each June!

Upcoming Boston Austen Book Club events for 2024

Here’s the (still somewhat tentative) plans…more details to come!

  • CONFIRMED: Spring 2024 – Sun, Jun 30 at 2pm – “Pride & Prejudice & Pride” Event: Just As You Are by Camille Kellogg, via Webex
  • High Tea Special In-Person Event (Make up for Summer 2023) – Sun, Aug 18 at 1pm – 19th Amendment Celebration; “A Vindication for the Rights of Women” by Mary Wollstonecraft, at Jolie Tea Room in Salem ($36 per person plus tax and tip)
  • Summer 2024 – Sun, Sep 15 at 2pm – Discussion: Screen Adaptations, via Webex
  • Fall 2024 – Oct 20 at 2pm – Murder in Highbury by Vanessa Kelly, via Webex
  • Winter 2024 – Sun, Dec 15 at 2pm – Jane Austen 249th Birthday Bash; Devoney Looser, “The Making of Jane Austen” via Webex

Looking forward to seeing those of you who can make these meetings!

Follow Bridget Eileen Madden and Boston Austen Book Club

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Notebook Witchery

BABC 2024 Tentative Schedule

Save the Dates: Boston Austen Book Club Meetings and Events, 2024

Hello everyone! It’s been a very busy 2024 up ’til now (the end of the academic year). I finally have time to plan for the upcoming Boston Austen Book Club Events for 2024.

Here’s the TENTATIVE plans…more details to come!

  • Spring 2024 – Sun, Jun 30 at 2pm – “Pride & Prejudice & Pride” Event: Just As You Are by Camille Kellogg, via Webex
  • High Tea Special In-Person Event (Make up for Summer 2023) – Sun, Aug 18 at 1pm – 19th Amendment Celebration; “A Vindication for the Rights of Women” by Mary Wollstonecraft, at Jolie Tea Room in Salem ($36 per person plus tax and tip)
  • Summer 2024 – Sun, Sep 15 at 2pm – Discussion: Screen Adaptations, via Webex
  • Fall 2024 – Oct 20 at 2pm – Murder in Highbury by Vanessa Kelly, via Webex
  • Winter 2024 – Sun, Dec 15 at 2pm – Jane Austen 249th Birthday Bash; Devoney Looser, “The Making of Jane Austen” via Webex

Looking forward to seeing those of you who can make these (TENATIVE) dates.

And Happy Bridgerton Week! I’m all caught up on the first half. What do you think so far???

Categories
Notebook Witchery

Winter 2023 Boston Austen Book Club

Jane Austen 248th Birthday Bash!

Sense and Sensibility: An Annotated Edition from Harvard University Press, PLUS: The Making of the Harvard Annotated Editions of Austen’s Novels with HUP Editor Heather Hughes

The next meeting of the Boston Austen Book Club will be on Jane Austen’s 248th birthday, Saturday, December 16 at 2:30pm, and we will meet online.

We will be discussing the Harvard Annotated Edition of Sense and Sensibility, as well as the making of the all the Austen Annotated Editions from Harvard University Press.

My friend, poet and Harvard University Press editor Heather Hughes (https://birdmaddgirl.com/), will be joining us to talk about her work, as she was instrumental in the production of this series from HUP

Thank you so much to Heather for agreeing to join us. I cannot WAIT to book nerd out with Heather and my fellow BABC Janeites!

UPCOMING

We WILL meet in-person, on a weekend date in Jan or Feb 2024, to make up for not having a Summer 2023 meeting. We will be going to Salem’s “Jolie Tea Room” for High Tea.

We’ll meet to discuss Austen Adaptations for the Screen. (Please keep your “Pride & Prejudice: Keira Knightley vs Colin Firth Version” fighting civil, as we will be in a fancy place.)

If you are interested, I’ll be taking reservations closer to the event. It is $37/person. When I have a better idea of the date and time, I’ll follow up with you all to get you signed up.

Dress is medium fancy, like if you were going to a Kentucky Derby party or a slightly dressy NYE event or something like that.

More info on this Make-up Meeting after the holidays. It should be tons of fun!

Hope to see you on the 16th of December for Jane’s 248th birthday!

Categories
Notebook Witchery

Fall 2023 BABC

Fall 2023 Boston Austen Book Club: Sense & Sensibility and Ted

RESCHEDULED – Sunday, November 19 at 3:30pm via Webex

This season’s Boston Austen Book Club meeting will be on Sunday, November 19 at 3:30pm ET on Webex. Link:

https://massbay.webex.com/meet/bmadden2

You don’t need to read anything for this one! We’re just going to talk about the connections between the Emmy-winning television show, “Ted Lasso” and Sense and Sensibility, and the work of Jane Austen.

I had a GREAT time discussing Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen, and Ted Lasso for the latest episode of the podcast, Coach Bear’d Book Club. You can listen to the episode here: https://linktr.ee/cbbc

The women who run the podcast are so smart and had really interesting and thoughtful analysis to offer about the show and Austen and the connections and themes. It was a great book nerd bonanza.

I’m looking forward to more discussion on the links between the world of Ted Lasso and the world of Jane Austen tomorrow with those of you who can make it!

RSVP by emailing me or at the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1728358577638827/

Bonus content: check out the Ted Lasso Libguide and Sep-Oct Library Display I made for work https://massbay.libguides.com/ted-lasso

Categories
Notebook Witchery

Spring 2023 Boston Austen Book Club

Jane Austen’s Letters edited by Deirdre Le Faye, 3rd or 4th edition

Saturday, June 3 at 11am, online event

The next meeting of the Boston Austen Book Club will be Saturday, June 3 at 11am, and we will meet online. (We may try for a late Summer in-person meeting, and we can discuss that at the Spring meeting…)

About the Spring 2023 Book

We’ll be discussing Deirdre Le Faye’s collection of Jane Austen’s Letters. (I’m using the 3rd edition; there’s also a 4th edition but there isn’t much difference between those two.)

This will be too much to talk about the whole book, so just go through and read what compels you and when we meet, we’ll each discuss those bits with the group. Some of us may have overlapping interests in the same parts, or not, but together we’ll help each other get a good sense of this comprehensive work. 

If you don’t have a copy of Le Faye’s collection of Austen letters, you can read the free copy available online at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42078 and be sure to note the date of the letters you’ve read and want to discuss so we can refer to them during the discussion.

RSVP Information

You can RSVP at the event page on Facebook, or, if you’re not on Facebook, you can email your RSVP. Please make sure your Webex link matches your RSVP information.

All are welcome – new, returning, and regulars!

Spring BABC 2023 Details

  • Who: Boston Austen Book Club – anyone can join; all you have to do is read the book and come to the meeting (and for this season’s selection, you only have to read what you can of the book)
  • What: Deirdre Le Faye’s “Jane Austen’s Letters” -or- the back up free edition of Austen letters https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42078
  • When: Saturday, June 3 at 11am
  • Where: Webex Link posted here the day of the event. Check back then! Make sure you RSVP by email or Facebook event page and make sure your RSVP info matches your Webex info
  • How: Read what you like of the book and we’ll discuss our interesting observations together. You don’t need to read cover-to-cover for this one!
  • Why: because it is fun to be a Janeite nerd

Keep Up with Boston Austen Book Club News

Here are the two websites for Boston Austen Book Club news:

Hope to see you on the 3rd of June!

Categories
Notebook Witchery

Boston Austen Book Club – Winter 2022 Meeting

Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas by Stephanie Barron – Boston Austen Book Club – Winter 2022 Meeting

Jane Austen Birthday Bash! Come celebrate Jane’s 247th Birthday!

The Winter meeting of the Boston Austen Book Club takes place on Jane Austen’s birthday: Friday, Dec 16, at 7:30pm. We will be staying remote for this meeting. Bring your own cake to celebrate Jane’s birthday, and Regency costume attire is encouraged though not at all required. We’ll meet to discuss “Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas” by Stephanie Barron.

You can RSVP at the event page on Facebook, or, if you’re not on Facebook, you can email your RSVP. Please make sure your Webex link matches your RSVP information

About the Winter 2022 Book

Stephanie Barron (aka Franince Matthews), who is retired from the CIA, has written a series of “cozy” mysteries with Jane Austen as the protagonist. Jane solves a slew of crimes throughout her adult decades. Barron also weaves compelling fictionalized back stories for the little limited factual biographical information we do know about Austen and adds her own personal “spy” background into the characters and events in her Jane Austen mysteries.

You do not need to have read the previous titles in the series to get into the later ones. But if you like mysteries and Regency era stories, I recommend these books. I cannot put them down because they’re all my favorite types of fiction blended in one series.

Winter BABC 2022 Details

  • Who: Boston Austen Book Club – anyone can join; all you have to do is read the book and come to the meeting
  • What: Stephanie Barron’s “Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas“
  • When: Friday, December 16 at 7:30pm
  • Where: Webex Link: https://massbay.webex.com/meet/bmadden2 Make sure you RSVP by email or Facebook event page and that your RSVP info matches your Webex info
  • How: It’s Jane Austen’s birthday. She is THRIVING at age 247. Wear some Regency attire (optional) to celebrate and bring your own cake and beverage to toast to Jane.
  • Why: because it is fun to be a Regency lit nerd

All are welcome – new, returning, and regulars!

Keep Up with Boston Austen Book Club News

Here are the two websites for Boston Austen Book Club news:

Categories
Notebook Witchery

Lady Susan – Fall 2022 Boston Austen Book Club

Sat, Nov 19 at 1pm – Fall 2022 Boston Austen Book Club – “Lady Susan”

The Fall 2022 meeting of the Boston Austen Book Club will be Saturday, November 19 at 1pm via Webex. We will meet to discuss the novella, “Lady Susan” — no specific edition of the book.

Webex Info

The meeting will be held remotely via Webex. Make sure your RSVP information matches your Webex info.

If you cannot RSVP at the Facebook event page or have not RSVPed with Bridget already, send an email with the subject “Lady Susan RSVP” with your name in the email, and make sure that your name matches your Webex info.

Who Is Invited?

As always, the book club is open to new members. All you have to do is read the book and come to the meeting to discuss it.

Save the Date: Winter 2022 BABC, Fri, Dec 16

Also note that our Winter 2022 meeting will be held in the evening on Friday, December 16 in honor of Jane Austen’s birthday. We will meet to discuss the Stephanie Barron Jane Austen Mystery, “Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas.”

Hope to see you on Sat, 11/19 and Fri, 12/16!

Fall 2022 Boston Austen Book Club Details

  • Who: Boston Austen Book Club; always accepting new members!
  • What: Lady Susan
  • When: Saturday, November 19, 2022 at 1pm
  • Where: Via webex, see this page for webex info on the day of the event
  • How: any edition of the book is acceptable
  • Why: Because we love Jane Austen

Boston Austen Book Club Homepage

Learn more about the Boston Austen Book Club at our new homepage, here at Notebook Witch.

NotebookWitch.com/BostonAustenBookClub

Boston Austen Book Club