“Jane Austen” from Women Who Made History: Writers and Artists

“Jane Austen” from Women Who Made History: Writers and Artists by Julia Adams

I was shelving this series at the library and when I saw that it had a profile on Jane Austen, you know I had to read it.

Th series Women Who Made History is split into four books on influential women in different occupations: Activists and Leaders, Adventurers and Athletes, Inventors and Scientists, & Writers and Artists.

This book, Writers and Artists, is split into the following sections:

• Awesome Women
• Artists and Writers
• Making History
• Nina Simone
• Sonita Alizadeh
• Joan Armatrading
• Anne Frank
• Kiri Te Kanawa
• Angelina Jolie
• Nadezda Petrovic
• Melba Liston
• Miriam Mekeba
• Björk
• Virginia Woolf
• Frida Kahlo
• Simone de Beauvoir
• Joanne J.K.) Rowling
• Xian Zhang
• Arundhati Roy
• Maya Angelou
• Laverne Cox
• Maria Callas
• Millo Castro Zaldarriaga
• Grace Cossington Smith
• Coco Chanel
• Zaha Hadid
• Quiz
• Research Project
• Glossary
• Further Information

I thought there would be more on Jane Austen but there is only a half page located in the Making History section.

It is two paragraphs giving a basic and brief overview of Jane Austen’s writing life. I was a little disappointed as all the other writers in the book were all given a full page or two pages and much more description on their life and works.

It’s not bad little book and is a great resource if you want to have children read a snippet of influential women in order to find one that captures their interest; later supplementing it with a longer biography.

I also really enjoy the illustrations as they are adorable and very cute.

If you want a more in-depth biography of Jane Austen, this book isn’t for you; but if you are looking for something small or an “appetizer” this is one for you.

For more Jane Austen biographies, go to The Real Jane Austen Audiobook Narrated by Kate Reading

For more Jane Austen children’s books, go to Jane Austen Children’s Stories: Pride and Prejudice

For more based on Jane Austen, go to Austenland Audiobook Narrated by Katherine Kellgren

Emma Spanish Language Audiobook Translated by José María Valverde and Narrated by Nuria Mediavilla

My book club is reading Emma, my pick, and I was hoping to get a copy of the audiobook from the Libby app to listen to.

I enjoy listening to audiobooks and sometimes when I hear the book instead of reading it, I pick up on something that I hadn’t noticed before. Plus it is so easy to play it when cleaning, cooking, driving, etc.

However, when searching for audiobooks Libby only has two Emma copies. One has an extremely long waitlist while the other was currently available. The first I had been on the waitlist forever and a day and had no illusions of it getting to me before we had our book club meeting. I did think it was odd that one audiobook should have so many holds and a six month waitlist and the other none, but I reasoned it as I must have just been lucky to spot a new addition to the app before all the others. I borrowed it and downloaded it immediately.

Oh well…

However, when I began listening to it I realized that it was in Spanish, not English.

From Clueless

As I have mentioned before I am Mexican but I am not fluent in Spanish (although I wish I was!). When it comes to understanding Spanish and translating it to English I do a lot better with the written word than hearing it. I think another reason why I struggled with this audiobook is that Austen is using words that aren’t as commonly used today, translated into Spanish, and I’m trying to retranslate it back into English. Although some lines I had memorized I could still follow along with, for instance the opening line.

So while I decided to give the audiobook a try it was a struggle. That is no reflection to the actual piece as I did think it was a good adaption as felt Nuria Mediavilla did very well in narrating. The only thing I had an issue with so that some of the pronunciation of the words follow the “Spanish” Spanish dialect which means that some of the words have the “th” sound; for example diez, diez y ocho, etc. are pronounced dieth, dieth y ocho, etc.

I would recommend it to those who are fluent in Spanish and looking for a Jane Austen audiobook to give it a listen. Although the Spanish “th” might be hard to hear if that’s not the type of Spanish you are used to hearing.

For more on Emma, go to Clueless Party Game: Ugh As If! Edition

For more audiobooks, go to The Real Jane Austen Audiobook Narrated by Kate Reading

Clueless Party Game: Ugh As If! Edition

My friend had a birthday party as month and pulled out this totally awesome and fun game: Clueless Party Game: Ugh As If! Edition.

As Clueless is an adaption of Emma and a Jane Austen item you know I had to review it.

After all:

Or watch it!

So in the game you pick out a Jeep and are given a report card. Your goal for the game is to be like Cher and turn her less than stellar grades into all As!

You don’t have any specific order to “negotiate” your classes but can start anywhere on the board.

You have six mini games that need to be completed.

Game 1: Fashion/Mis-Match (All Play)

In fashion, the player deals out Mis-Match cards with each card featuring six items that might be found in Cher’s closet (and were in the movie). Everyone plays and has to find two that match to get their A. If the person who’s turn it is finds them first, they get the A. If someone who’s turn it isn’t spots it first then no one gets the A.

This game is pretty easy and fun, you just need to be “quick eyed.”

Game 2: Friends/Life or Death (One Person Plays)

From Clueless

For friends, one player draws a Life or Death card, which offers two “would I rather” options and has to figure out which one the player’s who’s turn it is would pick.

This one was a lot of fun and easy if you know your friends.

Game 3: School/Debate Class (Two Play)

In debate class you pull out a card which has a prompt on it. You then pick one of the other players to be your opponent and flip the Clueless coin to see if you are for or against. You two then have to debate, with the other player going first and the player who’s turn it is going second. All remaining players vote on who they think debated better. If it is your turn and you win you get the A, if the other person wins no one gets the A.

This game was hard as you actually had to debate. Also if you have an even number of judges you may find yourself having to break the tie again and again. This was the most difficult part of the game and I had to do it so many times. It was exhausting.

Game 4: Driving/Driver’s Test (One Play)

This one asked real CA driving questions that you had to answer correctly to get an A.

This wasn’t too difficult if you have your license, but if you haven’t had to take the test in a while you might struggle on this one.

Game 5: Social/Party Questions (All Play)

For this one you pull a party card and read it aloud. All have to share a story and you vote on who has the best one. If it is the current player, they get the A. If another person has a better story then no one gets an A.

This one was a lot of fun as well, and we all always answered and learned even more about each other.

Game 6: Giving Back/Can I Donate This? (All Play)

For this game one player is the host and reads the card. The card will have three items and the other players have to try and figure out what their connection is. They can only guess items and the host will say yes or no if they match it. The first person to name three things in a row with the right connection win. If it is the current player they get the A, if not the current player no A.

Example: “I’m donating a crate, date, and plate” Connection: ends in ate. People will guess“blender“, no. Eventually someone will figure it out and guess words like “fate, late, rate” and win the game .

This one was interesting and I did really well at it; although a couple of times I guessed right but the connection I thought they had was wrong.

This game was a ton of fun and so cute. Each card had little quotes from the film on it as well. Perfect for fans of Clueless, Emma, and Jane Austen.

For more games, go to Marrying Mr. Darcy Card Game Undead Expansion Pack Review

For more board games, go to Pride and Prejudice: The Game

For more Jane Austen products review, go to Jane Austen Witty and Wise Coloring Book

For more Emma, go to The Emma Project

I Won the SaChasi Blends Giveaway

Back at the end of February a friend entered a SaChasi blends giveaway and I decided to as well. Part of the entry was to share what else have you used tea for and I replied that I have used it for my dry or irritated skin, made a hair rinse, and have baked quite a few tea-infused items: such as Crispy, Chewy, Matcha Green Tea Cookies; The Picture of Earl Grey Tea Cookies; Lavender Earl Grey Tea Shortbread Cookies; Cranberry-Spice Scones; Lavender and Earl Grey Scones; Cranberry Chai Scones; and Brown Butter Matcha Brownies.

Unfortunately, after I won I realized I hadn’t paid attention to the giveaway rules and that it was actually only open to UK residents. I apologized and said I would understand if they would need to choose another winner, as it was clearly my fault for not reading the rules correctly. However, they decided to send me my giveaway prize in exchange for a review. You know me and free, I just can’t resist.

I ended up winning a sample bag of Maple Pecan Pie Tea.

A slice of heaven. Famous for serving a sweet, buttery crunch with every glazed, nutty bite – our Sri Lankan black tea and wholesome rooibos perfectly recaptures this delicious North American dessert. All intricately enhanced with a sprinkling of indulgent, yet bountiful, carob and creamy lucuma.

SaChasi Maple Pecan Pie Tea

Ingredients: Ceylon black tea (Orange Pekoe), rooibos, dried apple, dates (rice flour), organic cacao husks, organic carob powder & lucuma powder, pau d’arco, vanilla powder, orange blossom and natural flavouring

I tried the tea and I really enjoyed it. I thought it was delicious, comforting, sweet, and a little nutty. I have to say this tasted much better than a lot of other pie flavored teas I’ve had before. A lot of pie flavored teas are either extremely weak and need multiple teaspoons or tablespoons like the Pinky Up brand. SaChasi gave you a full flavored tea that didn’t require adding extra amounts of loose leaf to your tea cup/infuser.

Prices range from $4 for a sample size (20g) to $8 for 50g and $16 for 100g.

As Wednesdays we have tea (one of my book clubs meets on Wednesdays) I decided to share the tea with the other members.

Two of us members loved the tea while the other two thought it was a great Pecan Pie Tea, but could use extra maple pieces or maple sweetener to really make it pop for them.

I still thoroughly enjoyed it and drank most of the pot all by myself! (Sorry book club members, once I start drinking tea it can be hard to stop).

For more giveaway posts, go to I Won the Ellery Adams’ September 2020 Giveaway + My Review of the First Two Books in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society Series

For more tea posts, go to Magical Matcha Latte

A few years back I was given a collection of five teas, A World of Teas. As I was about to try them out, I started thinking: which books would best suit these teas? After all, nothing goes together better than a good book and a delicious cup of tea.

Thats me

Since then I try my best to repeat it whenever I review new teas. 🙂

Let’s spill the tea.

I was trying to think of which book best went with this tea. I needed something comforting (a comforting read), something that was relaxing but sweet and fun; along with having a few nutty characters thrown in there…and finally decided this tea paired perfectly with Emma.

For those of you who haven’t read it, Emma is the story of a girl who has been mistress of her house and doted on by her father. After her governess marries (a match she believes she put together) she becomes bored and intends on trying her hand at matchmaking. She pygmalions her new acquaintance, Harriet Smith, and plans to set her up with the new minister. Things do not go according to plan as her matches do not take hold and her “creation” takes a life of their own.

For me Emma is a fun comedy (although it does have its dramatic parts) with quite a few nutty characters and situations. We have Emma’s failed matchmaking, Miss Bates’ silly chatter, Mr. Woodhouse hypochondria, etc. Everyone in the book is guilty of being silly at one point or another.

For me it is a comforting read and even though Mr. Woodhouse wouldn’t approve of the sweetness of maple pecan pie; when I drank the tea it made me think of spending a chilly day by a fire (or heater), and the following quote popped in my head:

For more Emma, go to The Emma Project

The Real Jane Austen Audiobook Narrated by Kate Reading

The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things Audiobook by Paula Byrne, Narrated by Kate Reading

Back in 2013 I was adding different books to my endless to-read list on Goodreads.

When I saw this book and added it to my list and then forgot all about it.

Fast forward to 2023 and I was scrolling the audiobooks on the Libby app looking for something new to listen to when I spotted this book, The Real Jane Austen, and decided to give it a listen.

I really enjoyed this book a lot, my only regret is that I didn’t have the print version which would have been easier for me to take notes; as I really, really loved this biography. It was so good!

However, the audiobook was still extremely enjoyable and I strongly recommend this to any Jane Austen fan.

The Real Jane Austen is a biography in a completely different format. Most biographies start with Jane Austen’s life and follow a timeline from birth to death. In The Real Jane Austen each chapter starts with an object in Jane Austen’s world-vellum notebook, a barouche, a simple gold chain, a bathing machine, etc.; and discusses it significance to her and it’s role in her novels.

One of my favorite chapters was the one on The Barouhe. I always knew transportation was important, but I never really thought about how important it was, and how not having your own carriages, barouches, or other modes of transportation left you at the mercy of others schedules and plans. Bryne talks about how without your own vehicle, especially as a woman, one would have to wait for elder brothers to come and get them; sometimes having to leave earlier then they wished or stay much longer than they liked.

Also having your own barouche or other vehicle meant you “arrived in society”; and if you drove your own vehicle you were both glamorous and dangerous.

It also gave new meaning to me about John Thorpe’s bragging about his vehicle.

“What do you think of my gig, Miss Morland? A neat one, is not it? Well hung; town-built; I have not had it a month. It was built for a Christchurch man, a friend of mine, a very good sort of fellow…Curricle-hung, you see; seat, trunk, sword-case, splashing-board, lamps, silver moulding, all you see complete; the iron-work as good as new, or better. He asked fifty guineas; I closed with him directly, threw down the money, and the carriage was mine.”

John Thorpe in Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

He’s really trying to impress Catherine. I mean he is really trying to show her how glamorous, dangerous, and flourishing he is.

Another part I really enjoyed was hearing about how Jane Austen used to write on the back of the novels she owned (by other authors) what she thought happened to the characters. That made me think she would be happy to hear that her readers do the same with her characters.

Or at least most of them. 😆

But happy to see all the variations out there

Another point I found very interesting was how Bryne points out that Jane Austen heroines are never described really as attractive physically, typically being average, and it’s their internal qualities and intelligence that are more beautiful and draw people to them. Catherine is not a great beauty, Emma is handsome not beautiful, Elizabeth has fine eyes but the rest of her features are average, etc. I like that their brain, intelligence, and personality is what first strikes people’s attention; their beauty growing the more they spend time together.

These are just a few of the thoughts I had after reading this biography, I do have a few more percolating into becoming the possibility of a full blown post.

Again, I recommend this book to any Jane Austen fan. It was extremely interesting, and I really enjoyed every part. I do think that it would be best to read a traditional biography first to have a sense of Jane Austen’s life; but if you already have read one, or several, then definitely check this book out.

For more Jane Austen biographies, go to Jane Austen (Little People, BIG DREAMS)

For more Jane Austen nonfiction, go to The Making of Pride and Prejudice (1995)

For more audiobook reviews, go to Recipe for Persuasion Audiobook Narrated by Soneela Nankani