Rational Creatures: Stirrings of Feminism in the Hearts of Jane Austen's Fine Ladies (The Quill Collective) - Softcover

Starnes, Joana; D'Orazio, Amy; Williams, Caitlin; Cox, Karen M; James, Jenetta; North, Beau; Morland, Christina; Clarkston, Nicole

Softcover

ISBN 10: 099865406X ISBN 13: 9780998654065

Publisher: Quill Ink, The, 2018

Synopsis

Each anthology in “The Quill Collective” series is a stand-alone book. “But I hate to hear you talking so, like a fine gentleman, and as if women were all fine ladies, instead of rational creatures. We none of us expect to be in smooth water all our days.” —PERSUASION Jane Austen: True romantic or rational creature? Her novels transport us back to the Regency, a time when well-mannered gentlemen and finely-bred ladies fell in love as they danced at balls and rode in carriages. Yet her heroines, such as Elizabeth Bennet, Anne Elliot, and Elinor Dashwood, were no swooning, fainthearted damsels in distress. Austen’s novels have become timeless classics because of their biting wit, honest social commentary, and because she wrote of strong women who were ahead of their day. True to their principles and beliefs, they fought through hypocrisy and broke social boundaries to find their happily-ever-after. In the third romance anthology of The Quill Collective series, sixteen celebrated Austenesque authors write the untold histories of Austen’s brave adventuresses, her shy maidens, her talkative spinsters, and her naughty matrons. Peek around the curtain and discover what made Lady Susan so wicked, Mary Crawford so capricious, and Hettie Bates so in need of Emma Woodhouse’s pity. RATIONAL CREATURES is a collection of humorous, poignant, and engaging love stories set in Georgian England that complement and pay homage to Austen’s great works and great ladies who were, perhaps, the first feminists in an era that was not quite ready for feminism. “Make women rational creatures, and free citizens, and they will become good wives; —that is, if men do not neglect the duties of husbands and fathers.” —Mary WollstonecraftStories by: Elizabeth Adams * Nicole Clarkston * Karen M Cox * J. Marie Croft * Amy D’Orazio * Jenetta James * Jessie Lewis * KaraLynne Mackrory * Lona Manning * Christina Morland * Beau North * Sophia Rose * Anngela Schroeder * Joana Starnes * Caitlin Williams * Edited by Christina Boyd * Foreword by Devoney Looser MATURE CONTENT RATING as per EDITOR ALL STORIES CONTAINED HEREIN HAVE A HEAT INDEX RATING OF 1-3.(1) None: affection and possible kissing (2) Mild: kissing(3) Moderate: some sexual references but not explicit(4) Mature: some nudity and some provocative sex(5) Erotic Romance: explicit, abundance of sex

About this title

From the Author

When asked about doing another anthology, readers frequently suggest another Darcy book or Elizabeth's stories... But for me, it seemed to make sense, during this time of forwarding feminist sensibilities and given the verve of the present equality movements that the female perspective might be embraced amongst the Austen fandom--possibly beyond our polite borders. After all, Austen wrote of strong women who were ahead of their day. The authors I asked to take part in this endeavor seemed keen to share their feminist bent on an Austen female character.
Jane Austen's novels evoke romantic imaginings of fastidious gentlemen and gently-bred ladies... Yet through her veiled wit, honest social commentary, and cleverly constructed prose in a style ahead of her day, Austen's heroines manage to thwart strict mores--and even the debauchery of Regency England--to reach their fairytale endings. Have you never wondered about her other colorful characters like Mary Crawford, Hetty Bates, Elinor Tilney, Louisa Musgrove, et al.--and how they came to be?
In Persuasion, Mrs. Croft says, "But I hate to hear you talking so, like a fine gentleman, and as if women were all fine ladies, instead of rational creatures. We none of us expect to be in smooth water all our days." Those words have always struck me as terribly modern and I have wondered what Mrs. Croft might have been thinking of when she said those very words to her brother Captain Frederick Wentworth. I believe several of Jane Austen's characters might have had feminist sensibilities, even if they yielded to the expectations of their sphere.
It is our intent that in this collection of backstories or parallel tales off-stage of canon to remain true to the ladies we recognize in Austen's great works--whilst stirring feminism in the hearts of some of these beloved characters. Thus, our title: Rational Creatures.

From the Inside Flap

I could think of no one more fitting to write the Foreword than Austen scholar, Guggenheim Fellow, editor, and author Devoney Looser. --Christina Boyd, editor

About this edition

• Publisher: Quill Ink, The
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 099865406X
• ISBN 13: 9780998654065
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 486
• Editor: Boyd Christina