01/22/2018
In this lively debut, Scheinman expertly captures the most memorable moments from the year and a half that he spent “in the world of Jane Austen fandom.” The son of an Austen scholar, Scheinman “half willingly and half accidentally” found work at a four-day conference called Jane Austen Summer Camp, where he learned the rules of a worldwide “secret society” of Jane Austen fans—known simply as Janeites—whose enthusiasm for novels such Pride and Prejudice is “passionate to the point of obsession.” He describes meetings of the Jane Austen Society of North America, where “hundreds of superfans congregate to dispute interpretations, share recipes... and argue with the finest scholars in the world.” Constantly taking notes “like an embedded reporter,” Scheinman observed the “thrilling and disarming” fellowship shared by scholars and laypeople and realized that Austen is “the rare sort of author who makes possible this unaccustomed exchange between academics and civilians.” This is a loving and often humorous tribute to the Janeites of the world. (Mar.)
"The most delightful Jane Austen book of the season . . . Scheinman pleasingly never loses sight of the literature that's at the heart of all this over-eager fun . . . his depiction of “Austenworld” glows with affection and insight, and his asides about the Austen canon itself are uniformly thought-provoking. Camp Austen may not prompt most readers to don their best topcoats and taffeta, but it will certainly send them hurrying back to the novels, to savor again what Scheinman refers to as a world displaced in time." —Steve Donoghue, The Christian Science Monitor
"[Camp Austen] is about the fun of totally, shamelessly, and ridiculously indulging in one’s infatuation with literature. The constant weaving in of Austen’s lines or of the words of her critics is part of that indulgence; Scheinman just does it a whole lot better than many of the rest of us would. His deeply loving and mocking voice feels wonderfully relatable to this twenty-first-century Austen fan . . . " —Claire Benoit, The Paris Review
"Charming . . . Though Scheinman’s foray into Austenworld was both temporary and fortuitous, his observations of its residents (overwhelmingly women) are empathetic. There are no caricatures here, only portraits of adoring Janeites, sprinkled with a bit of memoir, history, and literary criticism, rendered with an observational wit that pays homage to Austen herself." —Stassa Edwards, Jezebel
"[Scheinman] charmingly narrates his dabblings among the “secret society” of Jane Austen fans in this lively debut that blurs the lines between literary criticism, memoir, ode to superfandom, and digestible biography of one of the most beloved authors in history . . . A candid and immensely pleasing romp . . . Whether discussing film and theatrical adaptations or dissecting the magic of Austen’s lasting appeal, Camp Austen is a vivid and absorbing book . . . The triumph of Camp Austen is that there is something here for all readers, whether devoted Janeites, curious neophytes, or those of us just showing up for the clotted cream and costumes." —Leah Angstman, Los Angeles Review of Books
"Funny and thoughtful, delving into Jane Austen superfan culture with a wink .... Scheinman, an outsider dipping into an insular and passionate fandom, serves as an entertaining tour guide, and throughout the book nudges at the question: what is the overlap between how academics and common readers love literature?" —Amy Shearn, The Rumpus
"A treat for any Jane Austen fan . . . While Scheinman is clearly an astute reader of Austen—he includes numerous analyses of Austen’s life and work that are insightful and often quite funny—this is also a fascinating window into a man’s experience in a largely female world. Scheinman is a wonderful guide to the world of Austen, and this honest and thoughtful discussion of the role Austen’s works have played in his family will delight any Janeite." —Booklist
"[A] lively debut . . . This is a loving and often humorous tribute to the Janeites of the world." —Publishers Weekly
"Sly, witty, and often humorous . . . A pleasing divertissement for Austen fans everywhere." —Kirkus
“Ted Scheinman plays a good Mr. Darcy in this funny and insightful look into the work of Jane Austen and the strange world of her most obsessive fans. Camp Austen explores how deeply meaningful and personal the oeuvre of an author can be, and how it stitches us together. Scheinman has delivered a heartfelt and entertaining glimpse into Austen's work and literary fandom that will resonate whether you spend your free time wearing Regency-era clothes and rereading Sense and Sensibility or not.” —Jason Diamond, author of Searching for John Hughes
"It's so lovely to read a book about the delights, the perils, the peculiarities of fandom, and of the small, joyful enthusiasms therein, that treats its subject both critically and generously. Self-examining without being self-conscious, compact without feeling cramped, funny but never at a distant remove—I am not an academic, and I have never worn a cravat, but Camp Austen never made me feel like I needed either of those things in order to participate fully. It’s a delight and an invitation.” —Mallory Ortberg, author of Texts from Jane Eyre and The Merry Spinster
“I’ll admit it: I have never read a word of Austen. But that doesn’t matter! I still really enjoyed this book. Ted Scheinman is a dexterous guide through a world that I previously found inscrutable, deploying his scholarly chops along with a journalist’s eye for the absurd. I may not be an Austen fanboy, but I have felt an embarrassing level of devotion to an author. And I think a lot about the ways fiction percolates throughout the 'real world.' That’s what Ted documents here, with wit, and thoughtfulness, and memorable characters—all of which has lit a flame under my behind to finally get around to reading one of the most influential authors in the English language.” —Brian Reed, host of S-Town
2017-11-28
A light and frothy tour of Austenworld and its Janeites."I didn't last in Austenworld," writes Pacific Standard senior editor Scheinman, "but for a time it was ludicrous, intoxicating, and sometimes heartbreaking." If his mother hadn't been a noted Austen scholar, he "might never have found [his] way in." When young, he started with Austen's juvenile notebooks, Austen's own "record of fandom," filled with "perverse celebrations of her literary enthusiasms." In his witty, sly, and often humorous first book, Scheinman discusses his time as a graduate student when one of his graduate professors decided to hold the first-ever Jane Austen Summer Camp. "American enthusiasm for Austen is (as I would soon learn) passionate to the point of obsession," he writes. At first, it "sounded dreamlike, a little unreal." He notes that in the late 19th century, scholar and critic George Saintsbury coined the term "Janeite" for those devoted to her work, and the great novelist E.M. Forster was "one of the more conspicuous Janeites of his age." To Scheinman, the gathering reminded him of a "religious diaspora, a far-flung church, whose functionaries convene in heterodox worship." Let the tour begin. First, the costumes: "Dressing as Mr. Darcy at an Austen symposium is like playing Mickey Mouse at Disney World." Then the panels, where "representatives of the academy" would mingle with "their civilian counterparts." Followed by a little table talk at meal times: "they offer the most gossipy and delicious interactions." Next, the theatricals, plays about Austen and her characters written and performed (in costume) by participants as well as screenings of films about Austen's books. Last but not least, there's the Ball. After all, Henry, Austen's favorite brother, wrote that Jane "enjoyed dancing, and excelled at it." Scheinman picks and pokes a little here and there, but he admits it's "some of the best and cleanest fun available to an academic."A pleasing divertissement for Austen fans everywhere.
Humor and tenderness abound as author and narrator Ted Scheinman recollects how he became a Jane Austen superfan. An avid and eclectic reader and the son of a devoted Jane Austen academic, Scheinman was immersed in literature and the world of Jane Austen at an early age. In graduate school he founded a Jane Austen Summer Camp, which gave him a glimpse of the secret society of Janeites. As narrator, Scheinman’s range of English accents highlights the language of the Regency period and adds to the amusingly anachronistic elements of the interactions between the period actors and the visitors at various Austen events. Details about these conferences and reenactments are recounted with a fondness and delight that make Scheinman’s observations enticing to Austen and non-Austen fans alike. M.F. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Humor and tenderness abound as author and narrator Ted Scheinman recollects how he became a Jane Austen superfan. An avid and eclectic reader and the son of a devoted Jane Austen academic, Scheinman was immersed in literature and the world of Jane Austen at an early age. In graduate school he founded a Jane Austen Summer Camp, which gave him a glimpse of the secret society of Janeites. As narrator, Scheinman’s range of English accents highlights the language of the Regency period and adds to the amusingly anachronistic elements of the interactions between the period actors and the visitors at various Austen events. Details about these conferences and reenactments are recounted with a fondness and delight that make Scheinman’s observations enticing to Austen and non-Austen fans alike. M.F. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
