Book 68: Book Stats and Emma.

Title: Emma

Author: Jane Austen (1775-1817)

First Published: 1815

My Edition: Penguin Clothbound Hardcover (Seen at left)

Pages: 474

Other Works Include: Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Emma (1816), Mansfield Park (1814), and Northanger Abbey (1818)

I was trying very hard not to read any more Austen in 2010, but I caved. There is something about Austen's writing that calls to me every once in awhile and I need to fulfill it. But after Emma, I only have Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibility left on my project list. SAD.

Anyway, I have read Emma twice before, once in high school and once in college. Emma was actually the first Austen I picked up, so I have a soft spot for it, even though it is not my favorite. There is something endearing about Emma. I know that people either like her or find her annoying and immature, but I think she's rather funny. We'll have to see if that changes.

This will be my last Austen until at least December 2011 (if Mansfield Park wins the readalong) since I want to save some of her work for later on in the challenge. She is also the second author that I am reading a third novel for (Shakespeare was number one).

I have previously reviewed Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice.

Book 39: Finished.

I can see it now-why all you Austen lovers out there absolutely adore Persuasion, Austen's last complete novel. It is a simply breathtaking piece of work and I am sad now that I can't look forward to it any longer as the unknown.

While I still have a hard time deciding which Austen is my favorite, I think this one is definitely at the top. It is far more meaningful and lovelier than any of her other novels. It is more mature, more realistic.

As someone who has been in a relationship for almost eight years, but only married for 5 months, this novel exemplifies how love has to grow and endure time.

And as someone who does have a partner, and who has gone through the stages of love, I can appreciate this deeper version of love. You can only be in the "falling in love" stage for so long before life happens. Life influences your love and your relationship.

Perhaps that is why I can relate to Anne and Frederick. They fell in love and waited, and waited. Life happened and they were apart. But the strength of their love eventually pulled them back together. Through everything, they still loved each other.

And the married part of me loves that and wishes that more novels really showcased the passion of a long love. There is something endearing and wonderful about couples who do end up together after years of uncertainty and trial. It is also wonderful to see those couples still loving each other, and still making efforts to show their love.

So yes, Persuasion was lovely. I think it is a novel that is not known enough. More people need to read this little work by Austen to appreciate her genius, and where she was headed in the maturity of her writing towards the end of her life. So if you love Austen, like I do, but haven't read this gem, you NEED to go get a copy and read it now. It will complete your love of Austen and show you something new to cherish and marvel over.

Book 39: Swoon-Worthy.

If you haven't had a chance to read Persuasion yet, please don't read this post because I will most likely ruin the best part of the book for you, but I must write about it.


Now that you have been significantly warned...

There is something so beautiful about a well-written love letter. It makes the romantic in me yearn for my own love letter and the passion those letters can hold.

Austen uses letters in a few of her novels to help form that relationship between the dashing man and the heroine. The letters serve as a way of romancing in a society that would frown upon our version of dating.

I used to love the letter Darcy wrote to Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice. I thought nothing could beat the passion he had for her in those words.

Well, that letter is nothing compared to the love letter that comes near the end of Persuasion. Like I said in an earlier post, this novel is different. It does not focus on the beginnings of love and the infatuation that may occur. Instead, it focuses on a love that has struggled. Anne and Wentworth are not together and are struggling to see if they are meant to be together. So when this letter comes, it is the solution the reader was waiting for...

"Dearest Anne,

I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own, than when you almost broke it eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never unconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice, when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating in. I must go uncertain of my fate but I shall return to follow your party as soon as possible. A word, a look will be enough to decide whether I enter your father’s house this evening or never."

Is that not the most beautiful, meaningful love letter you have ever read? I am simply swooning over here, but I have a little farther to go to finish off the novel and I cannot wait to write about everything else I love about it.

Book 39: A Different Kind of Heroine.

I think I am beginning to understand why so many Austen lovers consider Persuasion to be their favorite. Although, I personally cannot see how anyone can pick a favorite Austen since each one is wonderful in its own delightful kind of way.

But Persuasion seems to be something completely separate. Maybe it is because Austen wrote it shortly before her death and after she found a niche with her other novels, but Persuasion seems to hold a more mature voice. It does not seem as complicated, or as focused on young love as the other Austen novels do. Instead, the novel begins after the great love story, with the focus on Anne Elliot.

Seven years before the novel begins, Anne fell in love with a navy man, Frederick Wentworth. Instead of allowing herself to be swept off her feet, she was persuaded by a wise friend to reject Frederick (who was poor). When he re-enters the picture shortly after the beginning of the novel, we realize that we have missed much of the beginning part of the romance.

That is certainly different than some other Austen novels. We don't get to see Anne fall in love and he with her. Instead, it has already happened and we see the consequences of the actions she took seven years prior.

It seems to be a more realistic form of love story. Things do not always work out, even in Austen-land, and Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth are a great example of the complications of love.

While I haven't finished it yet, I am assuming that Anne and Fred get things together and realize they are meant to marry, but I could be wrong (don't think I am though!).

But I am sure that on the way to that beautiful ending, Austen will deliver the complex and inspiring story she always does.



I always wonder, if Austen hadn't died so young, what other great things would she have written? Although, I guess you could say that about every deceased author, but I really think we missed out on a great deal by her premature end. I imagine that she would have written many more beautiful and awe inspiring novels that we would cherish as much as her present tomes.

Book 39: Persuasion and Book Stats.

Title: Persuasion
Author: Jane Austen (1775-1817)
First Published: 1818

My Edition: Barnes and Noble Classic Edition (I own a few other editions of Austen's works, but I read from these)
Pages: 246

Other Works Include: Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Emma (1816), Mansfield Park (1814), and Northanger Abbey (1818).

She also started another novel, Sandition, but never finished it. You can buy what was written of the novel today.

Austen is one of the most recognizable authors. Her work is widely read and loved and there are countless editions of her work. I own her completed novels in three different editions: the Barnes and Noble Classics, a large collection volume, as well as an old edition I found in a used book store that dates from the early 1900s (I will have to take pictures at some point).

I have read all of Austen's works numerous times with the exception of Sandition and Persuasion. I'm not sure why I never got around to this title, especially since it seems to be well-loved in the blogging community. Perhaps I was just saving it for the right time and moment? In any case, I love Austen's work, but I don't have a favorite. It is just too hard to pick!

I am reading most of Austen's works in this little project, with the exception of Sandition and Northanger Abbey.

I have already reviewed Pride and Prejudice, as it was the 4th book I read for this project (that seems so long ago!). You can see my favorite post about that experience here.

I do have to say, before I stop writing, that I am a little nervous about diving into the last completed Austen novel. I have very high expectations and I am worried that the book will not be everything I want it to be!

Life Gets in the Way.

Well then. I missed blogging like crazy this past week, and reading.

Again, I am so sorry that I went missing for a little bit, but I had some other obligations that took up a lot of time this past week. It takes a LONG time to fill out multiple online applications, but they are finally finished and we are waiting to see what happens. I barely had time to check my e-mail, let alone get posts up!

But, I have a big back-log of posts ready and waiting to go up (I am behind about 6/7 books from what I am currently reading), but they'll gradually go up as they always do. And I had been doing so well and had caught up so I was only 1 book behind. What can I say, life gets in the way sometimes.

Anyway, you can look forward to some great things in the near future. I have another The Brothers Karamazov post coming up on Thursday, as well as being the home of the Classics Circuit on Friday. Both should be wonderful.

Since I didn't do my Sunday Salon post, I'll just let you know that I haven't done a whole lot of reading in the last week. Even though I only had a small chunk of Persuasion left after the read-a-thon, I didn't finish it until Sunday. I have also been working my way through The Count of Monte Cristo for Friday's post, but I highly doubt I will also get through The Three Musketeers by then as well, like I had planned. Oh well, life happens.

So look for new posts that will start going up tomorrow!

I look forward to catching up on all of your wonderful posts!

Sunday Salon: April 11, 2010.

My eyes are still feeling a little heavy after reading so much yesterday, but let's give this post a go!

Things are going to get a little crazy around here this week, and I doubt I will get much of anything done before Tuesday. On Tuesday Matt and me are heading up to Michigan State for their annual Teacher Recruitment Fair. Every year school districts from around the country and Michigan go to meet with new grads, and old alums like me, and see if jobs can be found! The last two years I focused solely on talking with Michigan schools, since we didn't want to move. This year, however, we have both come to the realization that Michigan is floundering and there aren't very many teaching jobs.

We researched all the the out of state districts and have a list of our top districts (mainly in Colorado). Our only criteria was that there was a university or college within driving distance!

Anyway, Tuesday should be an exciting day and I hope that I come home with good news...and a job contract!

After all the excitement of Tuesday, I do have some grand reading plans!

• Finish Persuasion by Jane Austen: In all reality, I should finish this today, since I only have 60 or so pages left. It will make good bedtime reading tonight.
• Read/Finish The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas for the Classics Circuit. I keep putting these off and I need to finish them both!
• Read/Finish Part 2 of The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. I read another 100 pages yesterday in the read-a-thon, but I still have a chunk to go before Thursday's post.

Well, with all of that being said, I am going to go make breakfast and eat before I leave for work!

Happy Reading!