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Thursday, September 19, 2013

'Longbourn' going to be a Movie!

I just read 'Longbourn' by Jo Baker. This is Pride and Prejudice from the Servants pov, particularly that of Sarah, the housemaid.

I think that many of us who read Austen think that if we were living back then, that we'd be the Gentry for sure - but they were a very privileged minority, just like the rich folks today! So we wouldn't be off to the Ball and catching Misters Darcy and Bingley, but rather trying to catch the eye of a footman in livery while dreading washday on the morrow.

If you were to cast P&P in an airline, they'd be in First Class while we'd be back in the Cabin, wedged into our proper place. (As I flew 6,000 miles Economy Class only yesterday, the word 'wedge' is lodged in my mind, rather painfully and with some resentment).

Jo Baker makes Downstairs so real, that in the end I didn't care much what happened the Bennet girls, (no, really!) as long as Hill, Sarah and little Polly were ok. Fascinating detail and it is going to be a movie, by Focus Features.


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