Overview

What if we've been reading Jane Austen and romantic classics all wrong? A funny, brainy, eye-opening take on how our contemporary love stories are actually pretty terrifying. Covering cultural touchstones ranging from Twilight to Taylor Swift and from Lord Byron to The Bachelor, The Darcy Myth is a book for anyone who loves thinking deeply about literature and culture--whether they love Jane Austen or not. You already know Mr. Darcy--at least you think you do! The brooding, rude, standoffish romantic hero of Pride and Prejudice, Darcy initially insults and ignores the witty heroine but eventually succumbs to her charms. It's a classic enemies-to-lovers plot and one that has profoundly influenced our cultural ideas about courtship. But what if this classic isn't just a grand romance but a horror novel about how scary love and marriage can be for women? In The Darcy Myth, literature scholar Rachel Feder unpacks Austen's Gothic influences and how they have led us to a romantic ideal that is halfway to being a monster story. Why is our culture so obsessed with cruel, indifferent romantic heroes, and sometimes heroines? How much of that is Darcy's fault? And, now that we know, what do we do about it?

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Reviews

"""Skillfully ties Austen's classic novel to contemporary popular culture and politics through more recent theatrical and TV productions, films, and music...A readable, entertaining contemporary analysis that is suitable for students new to Austen's work and for discussion groups looking for a fresh approach to many readers' favorite novel."" -- ""Library Journal (starred review)"""

"""Skillfully ties Austen's classic novel to contemporary popular culture and politics...A readable, entertaining contemporary analysis that is suitable for students new to Austen's work and for discussion groups looking for a fresh approach to many readers' favorite novel."" -- ""Library Journal (starred review)"""

Author Information

Rachel Feder is the author of The Darcy Myth: Jane Austen, Literary Heartthrobs, and the Monsters They Taught Us to Love; Harvester of Hearts: Motherhood under the Sign of Frankenstein; and Birth Chart, a poetry collection. She is co-author with McCormick Templeman of AstroLit: A Bibliophile's Guide to the Stars. She also edited the Norton Library's edition of Dracula. She holds a PhD in English from the University of Michigan and is an associate professor of English and literary arts at the University of Denver. Deanna Anthony, an original southern belle and former beauty queen, is an audiobook narrator, actress, singer, dancer, and voice-over artist who lives in Los Angeles, California. Touring by land and sea, both nationally and internationally, she has performed at more than over fifty regional theaters and concert halls. She has appeared in many plays, musicals, independent and industrial films, commercials, and live events. Whether nonfiction or fiction in genre, storytelling is at the essence of what she does every day. Bringing a broad range of skills and a vibrant confidence of delivery, Deanna uses her voice to bring life to art and enjoys the collaborative creative process. Her voice has been described as warm, vibrant, and conversational. Whether delivering inspirational, humorous, or dramatic tones, Deanna remains committed to the text. Her audiobook releases include nonfiction, children's, romance, cozy mystery, poetry, sci-fi genres, and erotica under a pseudonym. When not working in the booth, on camera or in the theater, Deanna teaches voice technique and performance to teens and adults from her home in Los Angeles, and enjoys cooking baking, quilting, reading, and writing with family and friends.

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