Two events in May

- - - - -  May 17  Visit to Kennesaw State University   - - - - -  

We visited the Bentley Rare Books Gallery in the Sturgis Library to examine several 18th and 19th Century books.  Curator Adam Doskey had arranged a display of many books that Jane Austen is known to have read, including a 1754 edition copy of Sir Charles Grandison by Samuel Richardson.                                      

The library setting was perfect for us fans of the Regency.  From Wikipedia:  The gallery is designed to resemble a "domestic library in a middle-class household during the reign of King George III (1760-1820)." Other cited sources for the design were Agatha Christie's description of her ideal home in her autobiography, the Edwardian imagery of E. M. Forster, and Edith Wharton's "The Decoration of Houses."

After our meeting we had Kitty and Lydia's luncheon of cold meats.*  The weather was rainy, so we dined indoors instead of picnicing. (Mr. Knightley would have been pleased.)

*see P&P, chapter 39

- - - - -  Earlier in May  - - - - -  



Several of us saw the movie Belle at local theatres.  The movie was inspired by the real life Dido Elizabeth Belle, the bi-racial niece of Lord Mansfield.  The Mansfields lived next door to Jane Austen's brother Edward Knight in Chawton.  Jane Austen mentions visits to their family in her letters, so she was well aware of the story of Belle.  The writer/director adds dialog and back-story to the basic historical facts to make a lavish, entertaining, and thought-provoking movie.

Belle stars newcomer, British actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw, as well as veterans Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson and Miranda Richardson.

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