Sir, your words pierce my soul. I thought I was the only one who retreated to bed with a cup of tea and a good Austen film adaptation when I have a bad day or the flu. Most recently it was Amanda Root and Ciaran Hines in Persuasion. Austen definitely cures everything.
The Austen Connection is my favorite Substack. It’s genius! I’m always enriched and surprised. Might I also suggest “That Thing About Austen” podcast. They do a deep dive into a single line or item or location into one of the books (e.g. why is the horse Willoughby tries to give to Marianne named Queen Mab? Or, that thing about Gower’s skin cream). Like The Austen Connection it brings new insight to the books.
Commonly one to look on the dark side, even of fitting Austen love, it is certainly some combination of that, Galsworthy, and stairs that climbed in both directions that led to Masterpiece TheeAtuh and Britbox. (Sorry, I'll scurry back.)
You are in for so much reading pleasure. I would start with Pride and Prejudice. It’s the funniest and the most immediately enthralling. Then Emma and Persuasion.
Cheers to the effing-genius of Jane! This is almost too much for my heart to take, John Halbrooks, thank you so very much. Overwhelmed and grateful to you and this community 💕
I am actually re-reading Emma now. I read all six novels every year. My Lit Flicks movie group did 18 months of Austen adaptations, including the Indian remake of Sense and Sensibility and the deliciously silly Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
My experience with Austen is limited to one book, Persuasion. It is however, my most annotated book of all time! Every page of my Penguin volume is covered in underlined passages and marginalia. I only read her for the first time this past year. She is definitely on my short list of authors to explore more deeply.
I envy you--to be reading Austen for the first time! One note: you should read Emma twice, because the second reading is an entirely different experience (for reasons that will become apparent to you when you finish it the first time.)
Hi John. While studying Mark Twain I discovered he hated Austin. Unfortunately I couldn't find anywhere that he explained why. There was a quote where he said, paraphrasing here, Any library could be instantly improved by the removal of her books.
Yes, I remember reading that Twain said that she should be dug up and beaten with her own femur. I don’t know why he disliked her so much, but I suspect that he may have found her something of a snob.
Quite afield of your post just now, John, but I learned while reading to my children this week that there may be Greenland sharks that were alive during Shakespeare's time. They live 300-500 years and don't mate until they are about 150 years old. I found it humbling and rather encouraging that there has been such constancy in parts of the world throughout these historical periods and all the literary vicissitudes that we puzzle over.
I’ve heard that it is foul. But the thought of eating a creature that could outlast nearly 10 human generations just seems wrong. I’m sorry to distract from Austen here. My clumsy point was one about literary history. I suppose one might say that misogyny is as old as a Greenland shark? Certainly literary women have been clapping back for 500 years... Did I succeed in getting back on track?
I wholeheartedly recommend visiting Iceland, but getting peer pressured into tasting the shark is one of my more memorable instances of going against my better judgement!
Ha! Something like that. Honestly though I was so focused on trying to not barge into any of the Greek / Roman artefacts from the grand tour and being careful to not mention personal hero Jessica ‘Decca’ Mitford whist there I was too busy to notice the arrival of his lordship.
Sir, your words pierce my soul. I thought I was the only one who retreated to bed with a cup of tea and a good Austen film adaptation when I have a bad day or the flu. Most recently it was Amanda Root and Ciaran Hines in Persuasion. Austen definitely cures everything.
The Austen Connection is my favorite Substack. It’s genius! I’m always enriched and surprised. Might I also suggest “That Thing About Austen” podcast. They do a deep dive into a single line or item or location into one of the books (e.g. why is the horse Willoughby tries to give to Marianne named Queen Mab? Or, that thing about Gower’s skin cream). Like The Austen Connection it brings new insight to the books.
Thanks for the recommendation! That sounds like quite my cup of tea.
Commonly one to look on the dark side, even of fitting Austen love, it is certainly some combination of that, Galsworthy, and stairs that climbed in both directions that led to Masterpiece TheeAtuh and Britbox. (Sorry, I'll scurry back.)
I have read NONE of Jane Austen. But I lurk and consider it every now and then. Which would you start with?
You are in for so much reading pleasure. I would start with Pride and Prejudice. It’s the funniest and the most immediately enthralling. Then Emma and Persuasion.
Thank you Professor!
Cheers to the effing-genius of Jane! This is almost too much for my heart to take, John Halbrooks, thank you so very much. Overwhelmed and grateful to you and this community 💕
I am actually re-reading Emma now. I read all six novels every year. My Lit Flicks movie group did 18 months of Austen adaptations, including the Indian remake of Sense and Sensibility and the deliciously silly Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
Greetings, fellow traveler.
My experience with Austen is limited to one book, Persuasion. It is however, my most annotated book of all time! Every page of my Penguin volume is covered in underlined passages and marginalia. I only read her for the first time this past year. She is definitely on my short list of authors to explore more deeply.
I envy you--to be reading Austen for the first time! One note: you should read Emma twice, because the second reading is an entirely different experience (for reasons that will become apparent to you when you finish it the first time.)
Hi John. While studying Mark Twain I discovered he hated Austin. Unfortunately I couldn't find anywhere that he explained why. There was a quote where he said, paraphrasing here, Any library could be instantly improved by the removal of her books.
Do you know about this and why he felt that way?
Yes, I remember reading that Twain said that she should be dug up and beaten with her own femur. I don’t know why he disliked her so much, but I suspect that he may have found her something of a snob.
" dug up and beaten with her own femur." He might have been sadly wrong but he was funny. I'll be using that.
Now, that is a turn of phrase which has sadly dropped out of general usage and should be returned.
Quite afield of your post just now, John, but I learned while reading to my children this week that there may be Greenland sharks that were alive during Shakespeare's time. They live 300-500 years and don't mate until they are about 150 years old. I found it humbling and rather encouraging that there has been such constancy in parts of the world throughout these historical periods and all the literary vicissitudes that we puzzle over.
If you are ever offered the opportunity to eat hakarl, fermented Greenland shark... don’t do it.
I’ve heard that it is foul. But the thought of eating a creature that could outlast nearly 10 human generations just seems wrong. I’m sorry to distract from Austen here. My clumsy point was one about literary history. I suppose one might say that misogyny is as old as a Greenland shark? Certainly literary women have been clapping back for 500 years... Did I succeed in getting back on track?
Well played, Joshua.
Thanks—filing that away.
I wholeheartedly recommend visiting Iceland, but getting peer pressured into tasting the shark is one of my more memorable instances of going against my better judgement!
That’s amazing!
Favourite author naturally. Loved Chatsworth when we visited in 2019, and also Lime as a kid (thanks mum and dad) darcy vibes all over.
When you were at Chatsworth, did the master arrive unexpectedly while the housekeeper was showing you around? 😉
Ha! Something like that. Honestly though I was so focused on trying to not barge into any of the Greek / Roman artefacts from the grand tour and being careful to not mention personal hero Jessica ‘Decca’ Mitford whist there I was too busy to notice the arrival of his lordship.
Yes, you may find some isolated examples from before Austen, but she really perfected the technique.