Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

This month we'll be reading Jane Austen, one of the most popular and widely read classical authors of all time.

"Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage in the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security. Her works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism. Her use of biting irony, along with her realism and social commentary, have earned her acclaim among critics and scholars."
This excerpt from Wikipedia beautifully sums up the essence of Jane Austen works.

The suggested read is Persuasion, but since it's an author month, you are free to read any Austen novel of your choice. I'll be rereading Persuasion.

Who will join me and what will you read?

I’ll be joining in. It will be a reread for me and I’m excited for it!

I'll be joining in, and reading Persuasion

Great to have you re-reading Kathy!

John is this your first time reading Persuasion?

Lesle wrote: "John is this your first time reading Persuasion?"

It's re-read Lesle, but I read it at school, and can remember nothing about it! So I'm greatly looking forward to this one.

Well if it was from school, I am sure you will have a different take on it anyways.

Happy to have you with us!

Great to have you both aboard, Kathy and John!

@Kathy - I assume you're reading Persuasion.

@John - I agree with Lesle. You most possibly will have quite a different take of it after this reading.

Great! I want to reread Pride and Prejudice.

Yes, Piyangie, I'll be reading Persuasion.

Karin wrote: "Great! I want to reread Pride and Prejudice."

Another favorite of mine Karin!

Kathy wrote: "Yes, Piyangie, I'll be reading Persuasion."

Great!

Karin wrote: "Great! I want to reread Pride and Prejudice."

My other favourite along with Persuasion. Great to have you joining in, Karin!

I'll be reading Emma. It coincides with a scheduled movie/bookclub read.

Blueberry wrote: "I'll be reading Emma. It coincides with a scheduled movie/bookclub read."

Great, Blueberry! I've read it twice and loved it the second time.

Jane Austen will always be my serotonin! I'll be rereading P&P, and Emma maybe if I have enough time!

Ellie wrote: "Jane Austen will always be my serotonin! I'll be rereading P&P, and Emma maybe if I have enough time!"

Glad to hear that, Ellie. :)

Piyangie wrote: "This month we'll be reading Jane Austen, one of the most popular and widely read classical authors of all time.

"Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist..."

Jane Austen is a bit of a difficult writer for me as sometimes I can't get into her books, but I am looking forward to reading at least one of her books this month.

I've had a lot of difficulty with a lot of Austen's contemporaries like Ann Radcliffe and Sir Walter Scott, but I am such a stubborn person and won't give up easily.

Would Persuasion be recommended for a beginner to Jane Austen? I've tried reading Emma a few years ago, but put it on the shelf and didn't pick it up again even though I should. I have Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, and the book I just mentioned earlier on my shelves. I am going to be ordering Persuasion from Amazon because it does seem to have such an interesting plot.

I really like Persuasion, but thought Emma was only okay until I read it the second time. It's not a favourite but I appreciated her writing skills more on second reading.

Northanger Abbey is a spoof on gothic novels and I found it a fun read. There are references to The Mystery of Udolpho(which I read in January) in Northanger Abbey(which I read a few years ago)- so now I understand what Austen was satirizing.

Tiffany- do you like audiobooks? That might be a better way to get into the writing if it's not your style.

I don't care for Emma, but the movie Clueless is based off it, so if you like that sort of story you might like it.

Yes, Northanger is a spoof and also called metafiction because it names novels in it. I like it.

Pride and Prejudice is my favourite, but I read it on the heels of watching a well done (but now very dated) miniseries of it for the 2nd and 3rd times (It was on PBS so I watched all but the first episode twice in a week) so I had voices, etc in my head. It is a gentle satire.

I can't remember Persuasion off the top of my head since I haven't read most of her novels more than once and that was before I had kids.

Karin wrote: "Tiffany- do you like audiobooks? That might be a better way to get into the writing if it's not your style.

I don't care for Emma, but the movie Clueless is based off it, so if you like that sort ..."

I do like listening to audiobooks, so I will give that a try with Austen as it might be easier to have somebody narrate the books. I had to listen to an audiobook of Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory in order to listen to the language before I took on reading the book on my own. So, I think I will try that with Austen's books.

Persuasion is one of her mature works, I would say. I loved it. I also disliked Emma the first time, but came to love it after the second reading. I agree with Karin about listening to audiobooks, Tiffany. They have helped me get through some books which I wouldn't have otherwise.

Tiffany wrote: "Karin wrote: "Tiffany- do you like audiobooks? That might be a better way to get into the writing if it's not your style.

I don't care for Emma, but the movie Clueless is based off it, so if you l..."

Great--a good audiobook will also help convey the humour in Pride and Prejudice so that if you aren't familiar early 19th century British English it could really help you :)

I've started rereading Persuasion, and loving it even more this time. I believe it'll be my most favourite of all Austen novels.

I read Persuasion. Definitely liked it less than Pride and Prejudice. There was less humor.

Book Nerd wrote: "I read Persuasion. Definitely liked it less than Pride and Prejudice. There was less humor."

Yes! The first time I read all the rest of her books I was disappointed because I love the humour of P & P. Later on I liked some of them better, mostly Northanger Abbey because I was more familiar with the idea of some of those other novels she was spoofing even though I can't bring myself to read them.

I'm enjoying my re-read of Persuasion, which is my favorite Austen after reading the 6 major novels. I like that Anne is an older protagonist than the others. She knows her mind, although she admits she didn't know it when she was 19 years old and was persuaded by those around her not to marry.

Here is a link to an Archived thread when we read Persuasion in 2017. Some interesting comments!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I am going to start Persuasion today.

I read the six major novels years ago and it's high time for a re-read. Thanks to seeing all these posts, I will start with Persuasion.

I'm in the final quarter of Persuasion and find that some of my character perspectives changing. I thought, out of the three Elliot sisters, the one I detested the most is Elizabeth for her vain Elliot pride. But this time, I dislike Mary more than Elizabeth. She is one selfish woman to whom none is important than herself. Her wishes, comforts, and feelings must always take precedence. What a woman!

I've finished my reread of Persuasion and, though I still admire Anne, I felt she was too good to be true during this reading.

The character I disliked the most was Sir Walter. He was so vain and actually disdained Anne for associating with poor Mrs. Smith.

Brianna wrote: "I read the six major novels years ago and it's high time for a re-read. Thanks to seeing all these posts, I will start with Persuasion."

Sounds like an excellent plan!

Maureen wrote: "I am going to start Persuasion today."

Is this your first time reading Maureen?

Lesle wrote: "Maureen wrote: "I am going to start Persuasion today."

Is this your first time reading Maureen?"

Yes it is my first time reading this. Enjoying it so far.

Maureen wrote: "Yes it is my first time reading this. Enjoying it so far."

I am thrilled you are enjoying it! Austen is a favorite of mine.

Maureen wrote: "Lesle wrote: "Maureen wrote: "I am going to start Persuasion today."

Is this your first time reading Maureen?"

Yes it is my first time reading this. Enjoying it so far."

Happy to hear you're enjoying your first reading of Persuasion. It's my most favourite now. :) Would love to hear your thoughts when you have finished reading.

wow. PERSUASION was muy first book this year. in my list check. now i am reading Emma. Jane Austen Is my favorite. i love her. every year un December i read pride AND prejudice Since the last 11 years AND the 31th i finish it. like my personal tradition.

Clbrend such a lovely tradition reading Pride & Prejudice every year for eleven years.

Happy you enjoyed another of Austen's books too!
Hard for me to pick a favorite her Classics are wonderful :)

What a great tradition, Clbrend! I love Jane Austen, but even I couldn't be such a devoted fan. :)

First time reading Persuasion, I enjoyed Anne’s character. I loved how she voiced her opinion. I felt the book took me a while to get into. Very wordy., but enjoyed it.
I have to reread Pride and Prejudice now.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Maureen. I did too; more this time. Enjoy your reread of P&P!

Finished re-reading Persuasion today, and greatly enjoyed it. Its handling of the shifting importance of class vs money, was interesting. (view spoiler)[It was also interesting that the other characters acceptance in the end of Anne and Wentworth's relationship wasn't based on their mutual feelings, but on Wentworth's altered economic status. (hide spoiler)]

John wrote: "Finished re-reading Persuasion today, and greatly enjoyed it. Its handling of the shifting importance of class vs money, was interesting. [spoilers removed]"
Yeah, it's always funny to read books with these broke nobles who are too good to make money and look down on people who do. Hurray for capitalism!

First time reading Persuasion although I've read Pride and Prejudice multiple times.
Is anyone reading one of Austen's books besides Persiassions?
How is it going?

John - I'm glad you enjoyed Persuasion, John. Yes, Jane Austen has worked well on the theme of Class Vs Money.

Frezita - I hope you'll enjoy Persuasion. I've read/reread most of her novels last year so won't be reading anymore.

Hello Frezita and hope you are enjoying your newest read of Austen!

I think as a group our last read was her Northanger Abbey. Here is a link to the discussion:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I have read many of her books several times and each time I read one my favorite changes to the latest! I enjoy her humor.


"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid."

I was delaying commenting until I finished my reread of Persuasion this month, but the month has been too busy. Regardless, it is my favorite Austen and I've read it so many times. I have a compendium of all of Austen's completed novels and periodically read through them all. Unusually for me, I can fall asleep to her books; I've read them so many times that I am comforted and have no suspense over what will happen next.

I have felt that the best descriptor for Persuasion, and Anne in particular, is "longing". I appreciate the deep moral discipline Anne has. It's similar to Elinore in Sense and Sensibility, which was my next favorite when I was younger. I also really enjoy the depth of the language that Austen uses.

Piyangie, I loved your use of the word detest in one of your above comments, and I agree, Mary has always been my favorite character to dislike, she is so self-centered and constantly abuses Anne's good nature. Elizabeth and her father are vain and snobby, their ignorance of Anne is perhaps a gift.

Like you, Liane, Austen novels are now comfort reads to me as well. Having reread and watched many adaptations, there is no suspense in them now. Persuasion is my most favourite of her six novels, and I see it is for many of us.

I'm pleased that you share my dislike for Mary. Her self-centered nature is sometimes overlooked by Elizabeth's arrogance to make the latter the worst of the two. But I feel Elizabeth's ignorance of Anne is better than Mary's abuse of her good nature.

Although the discussion seems to be mostly centered on Persuasion, this is an author month. And I think some of you read different works. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us.