The works of great authors span generations and are reproduced in many different formats. The books by Jane Austen, for example, have been read steadily for over 200 years and have been reproduced as plays, motion pictures, and dramatic readings—not just once but many times over.

One of Austen’s “classics” was recently re-worked as the modern book “Bridget Jones Diary” by Helen Fielding. In this book—spawn from “Pride and Prejudice”-- Elizabeth, Austen’s girl-in-search-of-love, becomes modern-day-girl-about-town, Bridget, whose diary records her love life as well as her caloric intake and the number of cigarettes she smokes each day. Austen’s character for the aloof-but-loyal Mr. Darcy reappears as Mark Darcy, the once-jilted-always-wary lover. Elizabeth’s mother, the gossipy and flighty Mrs. Bennet, gets remade as Bridget’s ditzy mother who is forever trying to find herself. This spin-off was also made into a popular movie several years back. The book and movie proved so lucrative that Helen Fielding wrote a sequel, “Bridget Jones, the Edge of Reason” which was recently produced as a movie that is currently showing in theatres across the nation. The Library owns copies of the two Fielding books, the “Bridget Jones Diary” video and the audio tapes of both books.

Sometimes the literary works create “spin-offs” hardly imagined by the author. As in the case of Jane Austen, there are biographies, mysteries, dolls, miniature cottages, clubs, and parodies—such as “Bridget Jones Diary”—all by-products of her writings.

Many of the new literary efforts are imaginative and well-done although they don’t substitute for reading the real Austen. There are three new Austen-related books at the Library.

“Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife; Pride and Prejudice Continues” by Linda Berdoll is a wild and bawdy story that picks up where Austen’s novel ends. Included in this enjoyable romp is an illegitimate young man who just might be Darcy's son and a vengeful serving man who threatens the Darcys. Also thrown into the mix are suspicions of infidelity.

A second novel “The Jane Austen Book Club” by Karen Joy Fowler has received positive reviews. The characters in this book are all members of a book club who read Jane Austen exclusively. The novel tells the story of each book club participant’s life--apart from the group--as well as their interaction when the ladies meet to discuss Austen’s books.

The third new book is a walking tour of Austen’s England. “In the Steps of Jane Austen” by Anne-Marie Edwards takes the reader on walks around Chawton and Bath where Austen lived and also visits the locations and homes that inspired Austen’s novels.

Other Austen-related books in the library’s collection include the Stephanie Barron’s mysteries, titles of which include “Jane and the Ghosts of Netley”, “Jane and the Prisoner of Wool House”, “Jane and the Stillroom Maid”, “Jane and the Genius of the Place”, “Jane and the Wandering Eye”, and “Jane and the Unpleasantness of Scargrave Manor”.

The videos of Jane Austen’s works held by the Library include “Emma”, “Mansfield Park”, “Northanger Abby”, and “Pride and Prejudice”. Audio tapes of her work include the titles of “Pride and Prejudice”, “Sense and Sensibility”, “Emma”, and “Northanger Abby”.