As many of you know, the AGM in 2010 will be held in Portland Oregon and much work has been carried out to get the ball (not just the Regency Ball!) rolling. The novel to be explored is Northanger Abbey, and the theme, Jane Austen and the Abbey: Mystery, Mayhem and Muslin, promises to provide fun and illumination, not just on the novel but also fabrics.... More details will be posted after the Chicago AGM in early October when Frank McClanahan and Pauline Beard will be presenting the ideas to the Board. Susan Schwartz our fearless AGM leader will be in Tuscany...but I am sure will have some fun there too...! If you would like to join one of our 12 planning committees and/or volunteer to help out in any capacity at the Portland AGM, please contact Frank, Pauline or SusaN.

The next Reading Group Meeting is a light-hearted discussion of Masterpiece Theatre’s 2008 Program of Jane Austen’s Films on SUNDAY 14th.September from 1-3pm at Pauline Beard’s house: 15132 NW Aberdeen Drive, Portland Oregon 97229. Please bring something for the tea table and rsvp to Pauline either by phone: (503) 645 3096 or email: beardp1@pacificu.edu (a one after the p please note). Please be prepared to have fun! See below:

Melissa Schumacher, whose degree was in film and literature, will lead the discussion on adaptation of novels to film. She and Pauline have selfishly chosen two wonderful clips of film to critique…the infamous Chariots of Fire running piece from Persuasion (see UTube if you missed this) and the purely romantic “The Look” between Darcy and Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice, the BBC version. We would then like you to choose a clip from one of the Masterpiece films for its appeal, its dedication to the text, or for its nonsense and travesty! Either cue the clip and bring with you if you have the recordings, or simply tell Melissa (who has all the films) which film, which section, and with her expertise in video she will locate it on the disc or video. Come with some critique in mind to open the discussion to everyone. The Beards bought a new large flat screen TV specially for the occasion.

Looking forward to seeing you!