LIONS AND LIQUORICE

Amy2, I bought this book in England last summer and read it right away. I loved it. Thought it was a very clever, modern, reversed, update of P&P and yes, very funny! I'm glad you've read it. Maybe some others will also read it and we can have a discussion. How did you like all the back and forth at the end - the equivalent of the Lydia/Wickham story? I thought it was a very funny, plausible, modernization of that situation.

I enjoyed this book very much. I loved matching the characters up with there P&P counterparts. I thought it was very funny.

I thought it was completely great! The 90's modernization of what happens to "Lydia/Chris" is a scream. I also liked the jumping back and forth from fiction to reality, not usually one of my favorite plot devices. But Fenton handled it so skillfully, I could just sit back and applaud. That woman is FUNNY! Does anyone know what else she's done? She seems familiar with the process of filming, from her description of same in the book. And Marcy Dance! What a hoot!!

Amy2: Kate Fenton is married to an actor - Ian Carmichael - who, if I remember correctly, was in a lot of English comedies some years ago - like "Doctor at Sea" and some other doctor films of that ilk. He must be in his 60s or older by now. Maybe she got her film experience through him, or maybe she worked in the film world herself. Don't know what else she has written.

I have just ordered it!! my first order by internet experience.

Inko, Ian Carmichael was the original "Bertie Wooster" (not the one on video) and also the original "Lord Peter Whimsey"- very funny in both parts.

I thought she must have SOME familiarity with movies/TV. That's something you can't really fake. Kate -- don't despair! I've ordered about 20 books from amazon.com, and they are really great -- fast, and they never mess up your order. I have to say that my favorite bit in the book is transposing Jane onto Nick's brother-in-law John. That whole love story between "Candia Bingham" and him is a lot of fun, due to the role reversal. I also think it's great that "Caroline" takes the form of Roderick (don t want to give too much away here). I just loved Fenton's style, wit, invention, etc. Really a tour de force!

Amy2, you sent me back to reading this book and all day I've been chuckling and had a broad grin on my face. I'd forgotten how truly funny it is - and I've only just started re-reading it! Here's the scoop on Kate Fenton, taken from the back of the jacket cover, under a nice photo of her: Kate Fenton was born in Oldham (near Manchester) and educated in Cheshire, Manchester and at St. Hilda's College, Oxford. As a BBC features and documentaries producer, she worked for Bookshelf and Woman's Hour on Radio 4, and also for Radio Wales and the World Service. She is the author of two previous acclaimed noves, The Colours of Snow and Dancing to the Pipers, and is currently working on her fourth. She lives on the North York Moors with her husband, actor Ian Carmichae . BTW - My book says it was first published in 1995 - so perhaps her next book will be out soon.

Ah ha! My book has absolutely no information about the author. So THAT'S why Fenton knows so much about filming, radio, Manchester College, Oxford, etc. I love the way she plays on her own work: Nick's thriller is called SNOW BLACK; hers was THE COLOURS OF SNOW. The whole novel is just so wildly inventive & imaginative -- Fenton was never reined in too much by P&P; she does whatever she pleases, but still manages to "cover" every major P&P character, even Col. Fitzwilliam! ("Miriam Weissman"). I love this book!! Better than DARCY'S STORY, if I may so speak. . .

AARGH!!! Amazon.com emailed me today to tell me this book would cost $69.65!!! Understandably I cancelled the order and said I couldn't believe that they had their info right. How much should it be?

I ordered mine from Walden books. It was about 20 dollars, because only the large print version is available.

I paid 15 pounds for the hardcover in England last summer (that's about $24.00 if I remember the exchange rate correctly) although inside it also says in Canada the price is $40.00 (Canadian, I assume). Anyway, $59 is wayyyyy tooo much!! Amy2, since starting to re-read it, I've been mentally casting the parts, trying to keep as close to the P&P2 cast as possible. So far I have: CF as Nick, CBC as John, Anna Chancellor as Mary Dance, perhaps JE as Candia (though I'm not sure about that), Alison Steadman as Sarah, Tim Wylton or Benjamin Whitrow as Bernie, and Adrian Lukis as Roderick. That's as far as I've got so far. I think it would be a hoot if they ever did this and if the cast agreed!

Ha! CF playing "Lizzy"! And I DO think JE would be the perfect Candia; or maybe Kate Winslet. And Anna Chancellor as Mary Dance! "Type casting" as we say. How bout Sigourney Weaver? Wouldn't that be a hoot? And Julian Sands or Cary Elwes as hunky John? KATE: Here's the key to ordering from amazon.com: ORDER THE LARGE PRINT VERSION! It's in stock, and a lot cheaper. I think I only paid about $25.00 U.S.

Julian Sands or Cary Elwes as hunky John? __ They are rather interchangable.

Amy, I'll take either of them or both! Once rode the same elevator with Julian. . .(drool; drool). Back to the book: Some of my favorite lines are (I'm paraphrasing) about how the Yorkshire newspaper dealt with the Battle of Alamein in WWII : "Local Man Lost in Desert." Also Roderick's line to Nick: "That odd little man with a camera wants to speak to you." Fenton is REALLY funny. Her humour just crackles off the page. Was this book very successful in England, does anyone know? I hope it did well - it certainly deserves to.

I just loved this book, ordered it through a bookstore here in Sweden for 110 Skr, about 10 pounds, it's a paperback and on it it says "as read on Women's Hour" so the book must have been quite a success... a pity I missed the radio reading... It's truely great fun :) Also managed to get hold of "Dancing to the Pipers" (unfortunately in Swedish but also great!) and even if it's not exactly as much fun as Lions... it kept me awake all through the night (was I tired at the lecture next day or what?) :) It's more of a mystery novel but it does contain some adorable caracters AND, as I have a great love for Oxford, the scenery is just great.. Finally I just have to agree about Julian Sands as John .. drool indeed! ... but IS he tall enough? I don't think that I'm really aware of his height.. anyone? ..and ok just one more thing.. what about the female author acting as Colonel Fitzwilliam? She's just soo great! (name escapes me at the moment, veryy sorry)

Well you've all convinced me to buy it. This Jane Auten fascination I have is becoming quite expensive. First I bought all of her six novels, then I purchsed the P&P2 video set, The Making of P&P book, Darcy's Story, Sense & Sensibility Video and CD and now I've just put in my order for P&P CD, Lions & Liquorice, and Jane Austen's Little Advice Book. I'm sure that when the Emma video is released in April I'll buy it too. I'm afraid to make the total calculation of what I've spent. But what the hell! If it brings me pleasure than why not?

Lisa: I'm afraid to make the total calculation of what I've spent. But what the hell! If it brings me pleasure than why not? Why not, indeed! I have a canvas book bag (from Waldenbooks bookstore) with a quote from Erasmus: "When I get a little money, I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes." [I would just add videos to books, and be in complete agreement.]

I have bought P&P CD,S&S cd+ cass.& video, 2 (books) versions of Persusaion + video, 2 (Books)versions of P&P + cliff notes,remaining novels,Illustrated Letters,What Jane Austen Ate ect.The English Patient(book),HHGTTG,Nostromo (on audio tapes),Making of P&P Book and (2books) Darcy's Story,Plus "Biography"(A&E monthly) subcribition.Plus Mozart on Cd, Cass, and sheet music.Joined the Walenbooks membership Club 10% discount. I would like to get JA Little Advice Book. Sorry, L&L will have to wait,but there i always "Mothers Day".

My God Donna! I thought I spent money but you win hands down!

Lisa this has been since August 1996 until Feb 1997. A few things were Christmas gifts.

I think Julian Sands is probably tall enough to play John. He seemed pretty darned tall in that elevator! The woman author who acts as Col. Fitzwilliam is called Miriam Weissman. I'd love to see Kathy Bates or Sylvia Miles playing here -- that would be a scream! And who to play Sasha/Wickham? Julia Roberts? Courtney Cox? (trying to think of someone .REALLY THIN here)

Amy2 I believe you!! :) Would have loved to have the elevator experience to judge from :) Kathy Bates sounds like a great choice for Miriam... I thought about Courtney Love as Sasha.. has the experice anyhow for that part.. or Kate Moss? (just for looks.. not sure about her acting capabilities?? ) The more I think about it the more I want to see this film!!...

after following this thread I am determined; I must read 'Lions and Liquorice' ! I will be in LA for 10 days later this month; any idea whether I'd be able to pick up a copy, or should I go straight to Amazon now...

Oh boy, Amy2 has everybody all hopped up again.

Well, I shall not be sent on a fool's errand again. (kidding, kind of)

Amy, to quote C3PO, "It's my lot in life!" You know, I think you would LOVE Lions and Liquorice -- it's really a well-written blast, if you can get past the language and (fairly explicit) sex. Anna, I haven't seen the book in L.A., sorry to say, and though we have wonderful movie memorabilia places, our book stores are only so-so. So you might want to do the amazon.com thing.

Amy2; I am convinced. I shall hie myself to the amazon site to procure mine own copy.

Amy2, what's the matter with the language in L&L? And, I must admit, I love the night of the roll in the surf and the hotel! I thought it was beautifully written - and I could just see CF having a ball acting the part! The language is no worse than what they use in Fever Pitch by what I hear!

Inko, it doesn't bother me in the least -- I work in Hollywood. But I know there are others who post to the Board who are more sensitive to these issues, so I thought I'd mention it. Well-written sex scenes to me, even when they're graphic, don't make me blink an eye. That's why I love John Updike so much!

Hello all-- This is only my second posting to this group, and the first in the Spring conference, so bear with me. Going to Amazon.com is indeed delightful, but may I suggest checking out local library sources for Lions and Liquorice? I just this moment placed my electronic request through Ohiolink ( a consortium of university and college libaries). I am using an academic system but public libaries may also have a copy. PS. to Ohio residents: There are two copies in the Ohiolink system - one is still available! PPS. Although strong language and explicit situations do not bother me (too much) it is good to know this ahead of time. Thank you to the original poster. Andrea in southwest Ohio (who is not yet six and thirty)

Amy2, I just finished with the letter and a weird thought crossed my mind! I wonder if Kate Fenton knows or talked to Andrew Davies since the letter is in the same order as his! Either that or she wrote it after seeing P&P2! But the publication date in my copy is 1995, so there wouldn't have been time.

Hi Andrea, nice to meet you!

After reading your reviews and comments, I decided to try and get a copy for myself. No one in the Boston area has it, so I must special order it. Now, I need to wait a month!! and that's the quickest any bookstore thinks it will arrive. At least this time the book can be found. When I tried to order Darcy's Story, each person looked at me like I was crazy!

Amy2, do you have the "End Credits" in your copy. They are hilarious!! Especially, Best Boy = Ian Carmichael; Grip = What on earth's a Grip anyhow!!;-)

What on earth's a Grip anyhow!!;-) A grip is a stage hand - they move the scenery around - set it up, take it down...

Yeah, and the Key Grip is the lead grip. Inko, I didn't notice that Mary Hamilton's letter to Nick ALSO reverses the order, jut like P&P2! You know, I have to wonder if Fenton _was_ influenced by the filming of P&P2 -- she just seems so wickedly clued into what goes on on a film set. As far as inter-library loan: in the state of California, forget it. The UC system won't let you borrow books from another campus unless you're a student; and I don't think there's any intra-branch x-fers from the L.A. s stem. That's why I went the amazon.com route.

Alums always have access, Amy...aren't you a member of CAA?

Yup! But when I went to UCLA with my extra-special card, they told me to forget about intra-campus transfers unless I was _currently_ a student. There's been a lot of cost-cutting in the UC system, so there you go! The better to pay for the Regent's yachts, right?

Has anyone read any other books by Kate Fenton? Are they as well-written and as much fun as L&L?

Amy2, funny you should ask. Yesterday I was at our public library and looked up Kate Fenton - was sent to another branch where they had a big-print copy of L&L and also Colors of Snow, so asked them to hold the latter. In the meantime, went to a bookstore to use up a Christmas gift certificate and found "Colors of Snow" in paperback, so bought it! Haven't started it yet, and probably won't for a while, but I'll let you know when I get around to it.

I just ordered this book from Bookserve (http://www.bookserve.com ) and it was only $20.95 (US). They really go out of their way for us Austen fans over there. When we were trying to track down the EMMA book on tape read by Jeremy Northam, they were the only ones that were able to find it for us.

I have a general question about places like bookserve and amazon books on the web: how do they do the billing?

I have a general question about places like bookserve and amazon books on the web: how do they do the billing? I haven't ordered from Bookserve, but Amazon has a secure server through which you can enter your Credit Card number. This is done once and thereafter it is on file. Alternatively, you can place the order and call them with Credit Card or send them a check or money order number.

I've used amazon.com and the U.K. Internet Bookstore on the Web, and they're both great! It's a wonderful way to be able to pull from a catalog of millions of books. They're both fast services - usually deliver within 1-2 weeks.

I've heard about this book, and I already feel like I missing something. I will have to order it ASAP!!! Then, I'll get back to you on it...

Sorry,it's me again. I just caught a major typo on my previous message!

Typos, typos, who's got the typos! Just "Doing That Bingley Thing again. :-)

Just got an e-mail from Amazon books - my L&L is on the way, about 8 days after I placed the order on the Web.

Amy:: Regarding other books by Kate Fenton, Dancing with the Pipers is really great, same humour and engaging personalities, highly recommend it :) I stayed up all night just to finish it..

Thanks Gabriella. I definitely want to read Fenton's other books -- she's a lot of fun. Anyone know if she's popular in England? Or is she as obscure there as she is in the States?