International Literacy Day
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S E E D E D C O N T E N T
International Literacy Day
Jane Austen, author of 'Pride and Prejudice,' is one of the best-known writers in English literature, so it's not a surprise that there are multiple festivals honoring her legacy. The largest is held here, in the English city of Bath, where Austen lived from 1801 to 1806. On September 8, International Literacy Day, the city begins its annual 10-day Jane Austen Festival with hundreds of Austen fans walking the streets dressed in costumes from Britain's Regency era, in the early 19th century.
International Literacy Day has been celebrated since 1967 and aims to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals and society. A global conference is held in Paris, France, including the awards ceremony of UNESCO's International Literacy Prizes.
International Literacy Day has been celebrated since 1967 and aims to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals and society. A global conference is held in Paris, France, including the awards ceremony of UNESCO's International Literacy Prizes.
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If I were in Bath during that festival I would have loved to obtain and wear the Regency period clothing and walk the streets there - to have had the experience of fantasizing being there with Lizzie and her family.
It's a bit of a shame that Austen herself didn't care much for Bath, as it looks like a lovely city. But her parents took her there to find a husband for her, which didn't happen, and living in Bath interfered with her writing.
Well, Jane was born and spent her younger years in the village of Steventon in Hampshire but lived in a number of other places. I found this image of her first home:
Pencil Drawing of Steventon Rectory drawn from side view by Ben Lefroy, dated 1820. ©Jane Austen’s House
If Bath wasn't a very happy place for her maybe that's the wrong place for such a festival. The article indicates that she is "one of the best known writers in English Literature" so since Shakespeare must be another, perhaps Stratford-upon-Avon would be a more likely venue where we could dress up to look like Sir Toby Belch (I was him in a high school play), or Lady Macbeth..
I still think it's a good place for the festival, as two of her novels were set there, at least partly. She seemed able to understand why others would appreciate Bath, even if she didn't care for it, herself.
Okay, Bath it shall be. I won't shower you with more suggestions.
I see what you did there.
Was once invited in to eat breakfast in Robert Heinlein's boyhood home.
The breakfast nook was so tiny we had to sit sideways. It was fun.
It was one of those National Registry homes so they couldn't change it.
They were fans so we spent breakfast talking about his books.
One of the best breakfasts I've ever had. A good morning in Butler.
Stranger in a Strange Land was one of the "bibles" of the hippies I knew back in the 1960s.
Starship Trooper saw me through many stressful times.
Grew up with many of Heinlein's spaceship books.
Would have no problem with reading them all again.
Many NASA scientists and astronauts grew up reading Heinlein.
I never read Starship Trooper, but did watch the movie. My brother, who is 4 years older than me was a devout Sci-Fi fan, bought all the Sci-Fi pulp fiction magazines that had the stories by many of the Sci-Fi greatest authors, and I read them too. The author I enjoyed reading the most, and I read all of his novels, was Edward E. (Doc) Smith - the Skylark series and the Lens series. My brother went to a Sci-Fi convention in Chicago and came back with a novel personally signed by Doc Smith. However, my favourite Sci-Fi novel of all time was and still is Dune, by Frank Herbert. There is a Sci-Fi group here on NT but I think it's been a long time unused.
That's quite understandable.
Over the years my tastes changed, and perhaps due to my profession I enjoyed reading every John Grisham novel and watching the movies adapted from them. Not everyone enjoys courtroom drama movies as much as I do.
Just finished watching the final lecture, 24 parts in total, in a series based on Jane Austen by Devoney Looser Phd.
The Great Courses lecture series can be 'expensive' if bought separately but at $10 per month via Paramount and over 300 courses to choose from it's cheaper than retiree daycare.
LOL. Clicked your link and got this reply.
Holy shit!!! This LITERARY article lasted ALMOST a whole day on NT. Miracles do happen.
And it got as many as 16 comments - a record for something that caters to educated people.
And three votes up.....a MIRACLE. And it wasn't even about politics or guns.