Longbourn is the below stairs story of the servants working in the Bennet household made famous in Jane Austen's Regency Period classic Pride and Prejudice. While Austen's novels have entertained readers for over two centuries and inspired countless prequels, sequels and imitations by other writers, they never acknowledged the existence of those who endured the backbreaking work required to keep estates like Longbourn and Pemberley running. Now, with Longbourn, author Jo Baker gives those largely unseen characters a voice, fleshing out their stories with care and great heart, while also raising issues of class, gender, sexuality and race that still resonate today.
Santa Monica READS is a community reading program that encourages people who live, work in, or visit Santa Monica to read and discuss the same book at the same time in discussion groups and special events held throughout the city. Please plan on attending one or all of the many free, public events we have planned between February 14 and March 21, 2015.
Click here for our Longbourn resource guide (PDF).
All programs below are free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first served.
Please note locations for each discussion or event, as several take place in non-library venues. For a list of book discussion dates and times, scroll to the bottom.
Santa Monica READS Movie Series: Gosford Park (2001)Thursday, February 19, 2015 at 6:00 pmOcean Park Branch Library, 2601 Main Street *Robert Altman's classic drama explores the lives of the upstairs guests and downstairs servants at a 1932 party in an English country house as they investigate a murder involving one of them. (137 min)
Santa Monica READS Movie Series: Austenland (2013)Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at 6:30 pmMontana Branch Library, 1704 Montana Avenue *Obsessed with all things Pride & Prejudice, a woman (Keri Russell) travels to a Jane Austen theme park in England in search of the perfect gentleman. Based on the novel by Shannon Hale. (97 min)
Santa Monica READS Movie Series: Pride & Prejudice (2005)Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 6:30 pmFairview Branch Library, 2101 Ocean Park Boulevard *Sparks fly when spirited Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) meets single, rich and proud Mr. Darcy (Matthew Mcfadyen). Can each overcome their own pride and prejudice to make the perfect match? (129 min)
A Jane Austen Education with William DeresiewiczThursday, March 12, 2015 at 7:00 pmMain Library, Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Boulevard *William Deresiewicz, a former English professor at Yale and author of the current best seller Excellent Sheep, discusses his 2012 book which answers the question of how Jane Austen and her literary work taught Deresiewicz to be a man.
Santa Monica READS Movie Series: Sense & Sensibility (1995)Thursday, March 19, 2015 at 6:30 pmFairview Branch Library, 2101 Ocean Park Boulevard *When the wealthy Mr. Dashwood dies, he leaves the daughters from his second marriage, including wise Elinor (Emma Thompson) and romantic Marianne (Kate Winselt), with financial difficulties. Will the young women find sensible husbands to help them prevail? (136 min.)
Trained volunteer facilitators lead these free public book discussions. No registration required. Discussions are open to readers of all ages, but the Teen Discussion will be led by and focused on younger readers.
* Note: City of Santa Monica facilities are wheelchair accessible. To request a disability-related accommodation, call Library Administration at 310-458-8606 (TDD 395-8499) at least one week prior to event.