Austen Lovers TBR Challenge 2021 discussion

Starting this year off with something from Jane sounds just the thing. Perhaps you haven't had the opportunity to read all her completed novels or you want to dive into her minor works or letters. Maybe you want a re-read...or enjoy in a new format like audio. All are welcome.

Make your pick from among her fiction and non-fiction writings then leave a comment here with your choice. Spend the month of January immersed in Jane Austen's writing.

Feel free to choose this incomplete novel or one of the completed versions by Austen and another author.

I'm in.. now to choose one...

I hope to read a re-write on one of Austen's Juvenilia, Amelia Webster: A Novel After Jane Austen by Robert Rodi.

And, if I really get ambitious, listen to one of the full-length novels on audio.

That’s an entertaining one, Sophia! Have fun with it! I’ll be unpacking and supervising renovations so I may have to skip this month’s group activity.

This is a great idea! I'm either going to try Jane Austen's letters, of which I've only read bits and pieces, or I'm going to do a reread of Mansfield Park, as it's been years now since I read it.

MP grows on me every time I read it!

It's been a long long time so I'll go for good old P&P. :)

Great anticipation then, Cindy! :)

AiB is discussing S&S at the January...perzooming Zoom works and enough people sign up. So... channeling Dan Stevens...S&S it is.

Serendipity that this fit with your AiB group read/discussion. :)

Reading the watsons covers me here and in a FB group I’m in! What luck

Score! That is always great when the book stars align like that, Chelsea.

Chelsea wrote: "Reading the watsons covers me here and in a FB group I’m in! What luck"

Yes! I'm not sure I'm going to count paragraphs :)

I'm in! P&P for me (again) :)

Great way to start the year, Silver Thistle!

I'm in, and will be reading Sanditon for the very first time. What a lovely way to start the new year!

Fun pick, ladymurmur!

Read my fav.. couldn't resist 😊
Juliet Stevenson's Persuasion

Happy New Year of Austenesque Reading!

I do like her narration work.

I don't know if I'll fit in a January read but I intend reading some of the full length novels this year. It's actually been ages since I read P&P so might start with that.

Well funnily enough I had been planning an Austen read this month. I got a beautiful copy of Pride & Prejudice for my birthday which I haven't read yet Pride and Prejudice: The Complete Novel, with Nineteen Letters from the Characters' Correspondence, Written and Folded by Hand

I also have several annotated versions which I'd love to read, but my TBR list is so big, they never seem to get to the top of it!

Edited to add: I have listed to pretty much all of Juliet Stevenson's Austen narrations and I would recommend any of them, she is wonderful!

The book you got for your birthday is a beautiful edition. I bought a copy each for my daughters. My eldest girl plans to re read P&P and include the letters at the exact points. Enjoy yours!!

That sounds like a lovely gift, Ceri, and perfect for a first of the year read. :)

Teresa wrote: "I don't know if I'll fit in a January read but I intend reading some of the full length novels this year. It's actually been ages since I read P&P so might start with that."

Yay for starting with P&P. Even if you can't get it all in this month, at least you'll get a start on it, Teresa.

In the movie 'You've Got Mail,' Meg Ryan's character [a bookseller] read P&P [her favorite book] every year. I had an epiphany and thought... why not. After that, I tried to read it every year. Of course, life happens and I wasn't always successful. However... I think this January would be an excellent time to do just that.

Going Classic... what a great topic idea, Sophia. Excellent, count me in. I have the paperback so I can pick it up whenever I have a moment. I'm hoping 2021 is a better year for reading. Good luck everyone.

Thanks, Jeanne! Enjoy your revisit with P&P.

Yep. I'm in. I think my previous P&P read-thru was two or three years ago. I'm overdue for a re-read!

Love seeing all the Pride and Prejudice rereads -- and of course Sense and Sensibility, Kirk!

I decided to reread Mansfield Park -- rather, listen to it for the first time. (I read a paperback version in my 20s, an e-book version in my 30s, and am now listening to the audiobook in my 40s. Evolution of a sort?)

I'm loving this book so much. I will never get tired of rediscovering how utterly brilliant Austen is. I mean, how does she understand human nature so well? And I wish I could issue insults with even half her grace and wit. This description of Mrs. Norris is one of my favorites: "As far as walking, talking, and contriving reached, she was thoroughly benevolent, and nobody knew better how to dictate liberality to others" (Chapter 1).

(Maybe I like that quote so much because I've been known, on occasion, to practice Mrs. Norris's brand of goodness? Eek!)

Happy New Year to you all.

Oo, I wasn't planning on an Austen novel for January, but this is tempting to add to the list. If I have time, I'll try for Sanditon. It's on my list to try to get to this year anyway. I know nothing about it, and I'm not sure if that's going to end up being a positive or negative thing.

Ceri wrote: "Well funnily enough I had been planning an Austen read this month. I got a beautiful copy of Pride & Prejudice for my birthday which I haven't read yet [book:Pride and Prejudice: The Complete Novel..."

I have never seen that edition, but now I must have it. Birthday is coming up, and that's going on my list!

Debbie wrote: "Yep. I'm in. I think my previous P&P read-thru was two or three years ago. I'm overdue for a re-read!"

Sounds great, Debbie! Every few years is a good distance between re-reads.

Christina wrote: "Love seeing all the Pride and Prejudice rereads -- and of course Sense and Sensibility, Kirk!

I decided to reread Mansfield Park -- rather, listen to it for the first time. (I read a paperback ve..."

I enjoyed MP on audio last year. Ha, that is a great Mrs. Norris quote. Glad you're getting pleasure out of Austen's wit.

Eliza wrote: "Oo, I wasn't planning on an Austen novel for January, but this is tempting to add to the list. If I have time, I'll try for Sanditon. It's on my list to try to get to this year anyway. I know nothi..."

Glad to tempt you, Eliza. Sanditon is a good pick since its one of the incomplete novels and leaves us wondering how Jane would have finished it. If you want to read a complete version, those count, too.

Christina wrote: "Love seeing all the Pride and Prejudice rereads -- and of course Sense and Sensibility, Kirk!

I decided to reread Mansfield Park -- rather, listen to it for the first time. (I read a paperback ve..."

Thank you! Happy reading!

Sophia wrote: Glad to tempt you, Eliza. Sanditon is a good pick since its one of the incomplete novels and leaves us wondering how Jane would have finished it. If you want to read a complete version, those count, too.

Yeah, I researched it a fair amount to try to figure out which of the finished versions to try. I ultimately went with the 2019 Scribner version.

Eliza wrote: "Sophia wrote: Glad to tempt you, Eliza. Sanditon is a good pick since its one of the incomplete novels and leaves us wondering how Jane would have finished it. If you want to read a complete versio..."

Ha, yes, there is sport for choice in the complete versions. I've only read one and it was a while ago, but one of these days I'm going to check out the others. Hope yours is a good one.

Well, I've finished my first read of Sanditon! I knew it was unfinished, but it was still a bit of a surprise when everything stopped mid-chapter 12.

Are there "finished" versions of Sanditon that anyone recommends? Either traditionally published or JAFF? I'm quite curious to see how others have envisioned the story resolving. Does Miss Heywood remain an observer throughout? Or is there a new connection for her in the other visitors to Sanditon? (TELL ME she does NOT become duped by Sir Edward - she seems wise to his ways already, but I am still quite anxious in that regard)

Yes, it is so abrupt and after starting to meet the main characters and the setting. Glad you enjoyed your first one.

ladymurmur wrote: "Well, I've finished my first read of Sanditon! I knew it was unfinished, but it was still a bit of a surprise when everything stopped mid-chapter 12.

Are there "finished" versions..."

I read one some time ago. It's just called Sanditon and it's by Jane Austen and Another Lady. Been awhile since I read it but I think I enjoyed it. Hope that helps. I know how frustrating it is when you like the story and then have no end.

Checked it up in My Books. I gave it 4 stars.

I am in. I will be reading Pride and Prejudice a Novel in Three Volumes. Annotated and Restored to 1815 Egerton First Edition.
just the forward was interesting so far.

Lenora wrote: "I am in. I will be reading Pride and Prejudice a Novel in Three Volumes. Annotated and Restored to 1815 Egerton First Edition.
just the forward was interesting so far."

Oh yeah, that does sound like a neat edition of P&P, Lenora!

Before I saw this I was already re-reading The Annotated Persuasion. That works! I am thinking of making it a new New Year's tradition.

I also re-read P&P every year between Christmas and NYE. Reading so many variations can muddle my memory sometimes. I don't remember if something is canon or I just think it is because I've read it in so many variations. It's a bit of a palate cleanser.

Janalyn wrote: "Before I saw this I was already re-reading The Annotated Persuasion. That works! I am thinking of making it a new New Year's tradition.

I also re-read P&P every year between Christ..."
Great choice indeed. Ah yes, variations muddled memory...new JAFF warning label! :)

Janalyn wrote: "Before I saw this I was already re-reading The Annotated Persuasion. That works! I am thinking of making it a new New Year's tradition.

I also re-read P&P every year between Christ..."

Yep, caught this one just right, Janalyn. I find you're absolutely right about needing to get back in sync with the original now and then. You're right about adaptions and variations sometimes start to feel real especially when the author works to catch the style of Austen in the writing.

Janalyn wrote: I also re-read P&P every year between Christmas and NYE. Reading so many variations can muddle my memory sometimes. I don't remember if something is canon or I just think it is because I've read it in so many variations. It's a bit of a palate cleanser.."

Absolutely a good idea!

I was thinking about those of you rereading Pride and Prejudice (or reading it for the first time) for your January challenge. I'm listening to Mansfield Park -- quite a different book in many ways. Yet Austen's thoughts on family relationships -- particularly siblings -- struck me this morning as I listened to Mary Crawford and Fanny Price both reflect on letters from their brothers.

Mary Crawford laughingly talks about her brother Henry's inability to write a good letter -- and how this is a defect of all brothers. And Fanny is thinking, Not my brother! Of course my first thought was, Not Darcy! He wrote Georgiana prodigiously!

That moment in P&P when Caroline observes him writing to Georgiana (Chapter 10) -- I have tended to think of it mainly as a scene for laughing at Caroline (then again, what scene with her isn't intended for that purpose?). But in listening to Mansfield Park, I realized how big of a deal it was that Darcy was writing to his much-younger sister.

This has got me wondering: in which of the other novels could we see letter-writing as a signal about a person's character?

Wentworth's letter is not an ongoing habit with a relative but OH what a letter!

In Mansfield Park Fanny writes to others also besides her one brother.

Christina wrote: "This has got me wondering: in which of the other novels could we see letter-writing as a signal about a person's character?..."

Although Mr. Collins wrote prodigiously, it was the content of his letters that revealed his character. Especially the last one he wrote in P&P where he told Mr. Bennett to never see Lydia again.

I just this minute finished P&P so it's fresh in my mind. :o)

Christina wrote: "I was thinking about those of you rereading Pride and Prejudice (or reading it for the first time) for your January challenge. I'm listening to Mansfield Park -- quite a different book in many ways..."

Frank Churchill's letters to put off his visit to his father and Jane Fairfax's newsy letters to her poor grandmother and aunt speak of their characters.

Marianne writes letters to Willoughby pouring out her young heart and getting nothing in return.

Insightful observation about letters and characters especially since they were such a big deal back then, Christina!

Didn't Wentworth get a letter from Harville, his friend from the navy and then he went to visit him at Lyme.