That is extremely cool, Lisa! Do you know who the author is so I can look up on amazon.com? Thanks!!!

Just searched amazon.com and the Internet Book Store, based in the U.K., and came up with nada. Any further information on this paperback? Thx!

HC found the right place: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/estate/xda34/

Joan are you POed because the video set has "The Making of P&P included? Maybe this is why they haven't showed it.

I am excessively displeased that A&E did not say anywhere that the "Making of" VIDEO was included in their package! Humph!

Amy, the author is Janet Aylmer whom I would personally like to thank for giving me another reason to continue with my hopeless addiction of P&P. By the way, does anyone know how much 9 pounds (the price of the book)is in Canadian dollars?

This related commentary was posted earlier today on topic #23, and I see on Amy's old BB that the author herself posted the data on the old BB! Wow! Topic 23 of 115 [austen]: Has anyone noticed...? Response 26 of 28: France (alfresco) * Tue, Dec 31, 1996 (09:37) * 6 lines On Amy's old BB, there's mention of a new book, DARCY'S STORY, out in the UK since July '96, that has some good reviews, it seems. Check out these places for postings and book itself. http://www.bluemarble.net/~amyloo/wwwboard/ppbb.html and http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/estate/xda34/

Myretta told me about $14.00 give or take a few cents.

Myretta told me about $14.00 give or take a few cents. That's US dollars.

I must say I am all amazement that A&E has included "The Making of P&P" in its video collection. I might break down and give myself another Christmas present.

I checked the A&E Store on their website and they don't indicate that the Making of P&P is included in the video collection. Is there more current information elsewhere or are we all indulging in wishful thinking?

I e-mailed A&E. and asked for detailed information.

Donna -- you are always resourceful. Please share any info re the "Making of . . . " video. I am very interested in obtaining this. Thanks.

]I e-mailed A&E. and asked for detailed information. Thanks, Donna.

Carolee, I want to get on your book list. Would accept another lunch invitation as a bribe?

Mary, I picked up quite a few of the "sequels" when I was in England in October. I have PEMBERLY and AN UNEQUAL MARRIAGE, both sequels to P&P; DARCY'S STORY; and JANE FAIRFAX, a companion story to EMMA and maybe one or two more. Right now a couple of them are on loan to a friend but I expect them back by the end of this month. The others are in a pile somewhere. I had to move all my books to put up Christmas decorations. Would be glad to share with you and anyone else on the BB who is interested.

I also have a few sequels: I have Pemberley and An Unequal Marriage by Emma Tennant and they are so bad, IMHO, that I never read the second one. I also have Presumption by Julia Barrett, which isn't great but better than Tennant's books, and I have The Third Sister also by Barrett, about Margaret in S&S. And I have a modern reworking of P&P, Lions and Liquorice by Kate Fenton. This twists the whole story around, with the Darcy/Bingley characters played by two women a d the two men are meant to be Bingley and Darcy. It's quite amusing. I really want to get Darcy's Story because it sounds like it is by far the best of all these sequals. Must get a letter off to that place, once I can get an International Money Order. Wonder if they'd accept a check in $??

]Wonder if they'd accept a check in $?? The web site requests an international money order for 9 pounds sterling (this includes postage and packing).

]Wonder if they'd accept a check in $?? I also doubt it, but you could email them. At the above mentioned web site they give their email address as darcy.book@dial.pipex.com.

Would you guys like to invite the author to a chat event?

]Would you guys like to invite the author to a chat event? Oh, yes.

] Oh, yes. likewise. Then can we please have Andrew Davies?

:] Oh, yes. :likewise. Then can we please have Andrew Davies? and Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle please ?

] and Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle please ? but not at the same time !

Pray do not forget Carl Davis!

Oh! Yes! Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. Please? It would be sooo much fun! Just as long as CF does NOT see the drooling site.

] just as long as CF does NOT see the drooling site. I fear that the drooling has now leaked out into so many topics that it would be impossible to hide! ;-)

Joan: "I fear that the drooling has now leaked out into so many topics that it would be impossible to hide! ;-)" Yes, drool does have a tendancy to get all over the place, does it not? ;-)

I have read the book and found it enjoyable. It has a drawing of Lyme House aka. Pemberley on the cover. It is available from the internet bookshop. Here is the link : http://www.bookshop.co.uk/ Darcy's Story costs �5.99 which is about $9.50 (US). If they are charging you �3.00 for p&p, then they are ripping you off. It doesn't cost that much believe me! Also I bet this isn't Air Mail prices.

] this isn't Air Mail prices. they say they will send it airmail

I did order from the Internet Bookshop. But they seem a little scary to me -- was just informed that my copy of a book about Tallulah Bankhead had been sent; a nice thought, but I never ordered it. . .

The �3.00 p&p is if you are in the UK. It's �7.00 if you're in the States and even more if you're in Australia. I checked. I've used then numerous times before and they are pretty efficient. The best way to order is by using a credit card. I think if you have an AMEX card then you don't get charged a conversion fee. I've certainly never been charged for a conversion from �'s to $'s and vice versa .

114:32 Amy2, Perhaps the Internet Bookshop has your best interest at heart, and once they find you they select what they think you SHOULD be reading , regardless of what you WANT to read... Or maybe they have a lot of Tallulah overstock, and actually get rid of some of it this way.

Yes, maybe there's someone in their stock room who's a major Tallulah fan, and wants to disseminate his love to me. Well, now I see they've charged me for yet another book (I have not received my first order yet), so maybe it will be the right one! Either that, or I can become an expert on Tallulah.

Reminds me of that movie, the Rapture. One of the only good things about it was in the beginning when the heroine is born again and decided to evangelize on the job. She is an information operator!

Rapture had one other charm--David Duchovny.

I read Pemberley recently - has anyone else? It was absolutely appalling. Lizzy had turned into a soppy stand-by-your-man type ... the style of the writing was moderately Austenish, without the wit. No plot to speak off. Can anyone comment on the other spin-offs? By the way, has the Making of P&P video mystery been solved yet?

Belinda, I've sort of read Pemberley and found it absolutely atrocious. I also have Tennant's second sequal which I can't even read - it's worse!! I also read "Presumption" by Julia Barrett. It's not great, but better than Tennant's books and definitely more readable. I didn't feel like throwing it against a wall as I did Pemberley!!;-)

Avoid all Tennant sequels at all costs; An Unequal marriage is said to be worse than Pemberly and in the one to Emma she makes Emma gay, I can't see the evidence for it myself. The best P&P sequel is said to be 'Pemberley Shades' by Dorothy Alicia Bonavia-Hunt, but that was published in the 1940s and I haven't been able to find a copy (it seems to be available in some US libraries from AustenL). I think some of our group do a better effort. I've ordered Darcy's story and will lend it to others interested in Aus if anyone wishes.

For alternate versions: There must be at least two plays of P&P. One by A.A. Milne (Miss Elizabeth Bennet) I've mentioned before, and the other I know next to nothing about, but came out about the same time as MEB and was produced in London sometime around 1936.

I have read Pemberley Shades -- got in from the UCLA Research Library. I bought PRESUMPTION and literally couldn't make it through 10 ppg. Appalling. But then, who in their right mind would attempt a sequel to Austen? To me, it's like making a sequel to WIZARD OF OZ or GWTW. You're dealing with an original that's such an incredible work of genius, you can't help but come up short. What's the point?

] What's the point? the point for me is having read P&P ~ 5 times in the last 12 months, watched P&P2 uncountable times, P&P1 thrice and read all the critics and background stuff I've been able to get my hands on I still want more. I also want to know what happened to the Darcys and Bingleys; so far no-one has got it right, but I keep hoping.

Um, Amy2, did you know that the original author L. Frank Baum came out with about 12 sequels to Wizard of Oz? I've added Darcy's Story to the Jane Austen sequels list page.

And after L. Frank bumped off, Ruth P. THompson took over and wrote at least a dozen more...

But L. Frank Baum was the original author of WIZARD OF OZ. When he wrote his own sequels, he didn't have to try to appropriate his own style. My point is: Austen is possibly the greatest novelist in the English language. So anyone who attempts a sequel to her work is doomed to failure before they begin. Even if they come up with an intriguing plotline, they can never possess her style, her genius, her particular morality. That's what I'm trying to say.

The main problem with sequels is that they generally try to forward the plot, but make no attempt to forward the point behind the plot. If sequel writers would begin by asking themselves: "what do I want this story to say and mean", and then write in a manner to bring that out, sequels would in general be much better.

Even if the plot is great, I think we can all agree that most of the sequels to P&P are quite dreadful. And the main reason why this is so is because nobody else can write like Jane Austen. I believe that Sir Walter Scott put her on the same level as Shakespeare, and I do agree. So however wonderful the plot is, we will never get that incredible Austen style/wit/epigrammatic dialogue. That's why great writers are so precious. When they go, they take their talent with them.

I got home from work today and was delighted to find that my copy of Darcy's Story arrived. It only took two weeks, which is pretty good service. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else bought the book and has begun reading it because I would like to discuss it with others. I hope it meets my expectations!

Yes, Lisa, I finally got my copy from the Internet Book Shop (as opposed to Talulah's bio, if some of you were following my travails with this service). I confess, I read it from cover to cover Monday nite, and thoroughly enjoyed it! What I like: it's incredibly faithful to Austen; it quotes much of her dialogue verbatim, and incorporates the new material very seamlessly. Definitely the best "during-quel" of P&P I've read, and so much better than the dreadful sequels!

AUTHOR ALERT! Does anyone know how I might get hold of JANET AYLMER, authoress of "Darcy's Story"? I'd really like to let her know how much I enjoyed the book. Thanks.

Amy2, Lisa--does Darcy's Story incorporate the new bits in the series (Look, billiard room, pond) or does it just stick to Austen?

re; 51 Amy, you might be able to reach her via the email address on the web page advertising the book;

drat, it was there; I swear it. try again darcy.book@dial.pipex.com

It is on Amy's BB,also.

Anne3: No, Darcy's Story does not pull any new material from P&P2. It does incorporate new scenes which Aylmer has written, and they are very fine indeed!

I'm sure that by Sunday night(if not by tomorrow night) I'll have finished the book and will able to share my comments with you. I'm glad you've found it agreable and enjoyable I'm sure I will too. Besides, anything is better than the sequels by Emma Tennant. They were downright dreadful. I wish I had saved my money there!

LisaC: You got your copy on only TWO WEEKS!? Are you in the U.K.? I just ordered as instructed in the "Darcy's Story" page from Copperfield Books, but I an in the U.S. There was no phone or fax number provided so I could ask how long it would take. I eagerly wait for your comments on the book. Let us know if Darcy is portrayed as having as strong of feelings as JA allows you to imagine.

Sharon, I live in Canada. I sent a registered letter on January 4th and received my copy of Darcy's Story on the 15th. I'm halfway through the book and believe that it will be finished within a few hours. So far all I can say is that Janet Aylmer does not disappoint her reader. Darcy's feelings are so clear that he is becoming even more endearing to me.

Well I just finished Darcy's Story and all I can say is BRAVO Janet Aylmer! I was totally captivated by Darcy's feelings, pains and wishes. My heart cried for at times. I agree with Amy, the fact that the story remained so faithful to Jane Austen and that it quoted from P&P verbatim were added bonuses that made it comfortable and I believe more enjoyable. In addition, JA's (Janet Aylmer not Jane Austen --maybe Janet Aylmer is a reincarnated version of Jane Austen?)scenes were romantic and enchantin . I have to say that so far one of my favorites passages is when Mr. Bennet tells Darcy that he wants to repay him for his involvement in bringing about Lydia's marriage. Darcy's replies the following: "I have, as I believe you know, Sir, more than sufficient means, so that the expenditure is of little concern to me. But even if I had been in a different situation, I would have done everything just the same, for Elizabeth's peace of mind. In all that I had to do, to bring the marriage about, she was al ays in my thoughts. I did nothing without her being foremost in mind. And without her beside me, there can be no happiness for me in the future. So let there be no more talk of repayment, I beg of you. Your consent to our marriage is more than enough compensation for me." Thank you Janet Aylmer for giving Darcy, our hero, a romantic voice and for letting his side of the story be heard.

Too Cool!

]so I could ask how long it would take. Sharon, if y ou have email access you could ask them that way. I recieved an email last week from them confirming receipt of my order and saying that they had posted it airmail. ( I live in daily expectation) darcy.book@dial.pipex.com

Thank you, Anna!

I must confess I read Darcy's Story again, and enjoyed it even more the second time. It really is a very masterly piece of work. Bravo to the new JA for bringing us a continuation of P&P we do not have to blush for!

I think I will follow your example Amy and reread Darcy's Story. I want to become as familiar with it as I am with P&P.

Oh, MAN! Knock it off with the "I'll think I'll read it again"! I still have at least two weeks before I can even get my hands on it!

Sharon: Who did you order from? I have to say that the Internet Book Store online came through for me in a pretty short period of time (about 10 days) despite their secret agenda to turn me into a Tallulah Bankhead fan!

Amy2: despite their secret agenda to turn me into a Tallulah Bankhead fan! Did they succeed, Amy? ;-)

re67; Sharon. I ordered it from the web page 12 days ago, and received it yesterday; I'm in provincial Australia. You may not have to wait another 2 weeks! I too enjoyed it; when most have received and read their copy, would anyone be interested in a discussion? If so, informal or should we ask our calendar-mistress, Cheryl, to advertise it?

Amy: I airmailed an international money order to Copperfield Books in Bath, just as instructed on the webpage for Darcy's Story. (http://dspace.dial. pipex.com/town/estate/xda34/fourth.htm, I think) On this page, they say that they are not able to take book orders by email or to accept payment using credit cards. Saturday, I took Anna's suggestion and emailed darcy.book@dial.pipes.com and requested a confirmation upon receipt of the order (if this is the place where it ends up). I hope I didn't screw up!

Anna, I would definitely be in agreement for a discussion. I think the book definitely warrants one. Sharon, my intention was not to make you or anyone feel envious,I just wanted to relay the fact that the book is so good that it deserves at least a second reading. Perhaps the reason why Anna and I got our books so fast is because we're from Commonwealth countries. Have a little patience, before you know it the book will be in your mailbox.

Cheryl: Alas, I was never a particular fan of Tallulah, and I'm kind of glad they didnt' cast her as Scarlett. Anyway -- Sharon, you did just the right thing, according the instructions on that page. My scary ordering experience came not from Copperfield Books but from the Internet Bookstore online. All ended well, though, and I received, read, & enjoyed the book thoroughly. I'd love to discuss too!

I've ordered the book from the Internet Bookshop about a week ago, and am waiting for it with bated breath. Would love to discuss it once I've got it and read it.

Good grief! I'm gonna have to order this book, aren't I? ;-)

]Good grief! I'm gonna have to order this book, aren't I? ;-) Was there ever any doubt?

Go Cheryl! Do not hesitate!

Cheryl---I tend to agree with you. Rather than drooling over CF, we are now drooling over Darcy again. Hooray!!! I must get this book. Maybe if Janet Alymer is so good at toying with JA, she should be the one to write a sequel??????? Once I order, receive, and read the book, I'll let all of you know what I thought.

I agree with you Paula, I prefer drooling over Darcy and this book lets me do just that. Since I'm away from my vcr most of the day, I can bring along Darcy's Story and read it on the bus to and from work. Since receiving it, I am no longer sufffering from withdrawal symptoms and am getting the daily dose of Darcy which is needed for me to be in good health!

Aw, MAN!

I have just ordered the book domestically from Jane Austen Books in Chicago. Hopefully the wait will be shorter and no need to figure out how to secure an international money order! Hopefully she still has copies. The address is 860 N. Lake Shore Drive, Suite 21-J, Chicago, IL 60611-1751. E-mail to JA Books@aol.com. She quoted $12 per copy, plus $2 for shipping.

Linda: I have just ordered the book domestically from Jane Austen Books in Chicago oh what a good idea, Linda. The international money order thing was spooking me, but now I shall go ahead and order! :-)

If I had been smart about it, I would have ordered a couple of dozen and distibuted them from here. The international money order was only a pain for the fact that you can't get them issued in pounds and just any bank. You have to get if frim a bank that exchanged currency (ie, the downtown one). But I was so ready to get my hands on a copy, that I went right to it. (Oh my, another P&P saying for every day!) No price was too great. I think I check out the JABooks as well. I just know after I finish it I have friend that will want to, too. And if it is as good as Lisa says, I'm not going to let go of my copy. Cheryl, no matter where you order from, once you do the wait is SIMPLEY DREADFUL.

I can't believe I didn't think of JA Books myself! That would have been so much easier than messing around with the Internet Bookstore. Oh well, live & learn.

Well, the deed is done, the book is ordered. I don't feel any particular dread yet, Sharon, but that may develope as time goes on...:-) Will keep you informed! :-)

I will give you three days. If you don't start chomping at the bit, I will ever after address you Saint Cheryl, Patroness of Patience.

]Saint Cheryl, Patroness of Patience. Cheryl personified!

I'm so happy many others have ordered the book. The sooner it arrives, the sooner it can be read and the sooner we can all discuss our impressions. I will say a prayer tonight in the hopes that your copies will arrive quickly and put you all out of misery.

Sharon: Saint Cheryl, Patroness of Patience. Well, I am a piano teacher! LOL!

I will pray for safe delivery of the mails from the U.K.! I too am anxious for you all to read, so we can discuss.

I�ve discovered a new and phenomenally fast U.S. source for Darcy�s Story: Waterstone�s Books in Boston. I called yesterday (617-859-7300) and received the book today!!! I�m still in shock! (But happy!) It cost $12 plus shipping. Unlike JA Books, Waterstone�s takes credit cards. The clerk I spoke to told me that they have a few more copies in stock. Of course, if they get a lot of requests for it, they�ll probably reorder. Waterstone�s also has another Boston branch (617-589-0930) and one in Chicago.

Anne3, thanks for the info. I shall order directly especially since I just received an e-mail stating that my message to JA Books was undeliverable! :-( Does anyone know what's up? The address is JABooks@aol.com, is it not?

Anne3; Get OUTTA here!!!!!!!!!! Hell, I'm calling! By the way, I'll have an extra book soon.

Another disappointment. Waterstone is now out of copies and will not have any more in stock for another two to three weeks - but they only have 6 coming. But this is still a good place to put an order in.

Another disappointment. Waterstone is now out of copies and will not have any more in stock for another two to three weeks - but they only have 6 coming. But this is still a good place to put an order in.

Maybe they'll have it when I'm in Beantown on Feb 23rd. Will call. Thanks a million for the tip!

MY COPY HAS ARRIVED!! I ordered it from the Internet Bookshop on (I believe) the 13th (that's what my credit card charge said) and it was here today. When I got home, there it was; I opened it immediately and within one hour was 74 pages into it. My only problem now is that I may have to revise my name for old Mr. Darcy. Ann had mentioned also that he was George; I'll leave it for the moment but may change it later. Janet Aylmer's dates and mine don't mesh, but I think that's because I took mine from HC's Jane Austen chronology for P&P, so I'm sticking with mine. I hope all you waiting for your copies will be as lucky as I was -- ten days from England isn't bad!!

Congradulations, Inko! You have excited my anticipation!

So Inko, is it finished? What are your First Impressions?

I knew I should have ordered this book early. I just tried Bernie's address for the Internet bookshop and my Netscape can't read it. This is most vexing!!! As soon as I get it I want to discuss it especially after the rave reviews.