Jane Austen July 2025 discussion

A place to discuss your Jane Austen July TBRs for Jane Austen July 2024!

Yay! So happy that it's almost Jane Austen July!!

My wife keeps asking me when we’ll know the categories. Although she doesn’t do JAJ herself, she’s almost more anxious than I am!!!

I keep telling her: calm down, grasshopper, it’ll come in the proper time. LOL

I've never done jane austen july before <3 sounds so fun

Welcome Daniyah! It’s a great reading month. We’re glad to have you here!

I was beginning to think JAJ might not be happening this year, and after a really depressing day, this news has lifted my spirits. I love S&S, so I will really enjoy rereading this book. I read Lady Susan years ago, and I feel I didn't quite understand it, so looking forward to rereading this too.

Fire Island (film 2022) is on uk TV Film 4 9pm 06/06, so hopefully, it will be on All4 in July

I will be reading the group books (whenever they are announced), some of Jane Austen's letters, "Jane Austen at Home" by Lucy Worsley, "Miss Austen" & "Godmersham Park" by Gill Hornby and I'm not quite sure what else. I will be doing some journalling pages once I've finalised :D I can't wait!!

1. I will be taking part in the readalong Sense and Sensibility;

2. I will re-read her letters;

3. I have quite the choice for this one (non-fiction). Let's see. I've adored Jane Austen at home and Jane Austen The Secret Rebel. I may read my back issues of Jane Austen Regency World magazine (it's been a busy year!). Would that count?

4. Oh, this one has been sitting on my shelf for a year, since I didn't have time to fit it in last year : Northanger Abbey, by Val McDermid

5. I don't know about this one yet (contemporary of JA);

6. I will have trouble limiting myself to only one screen adaptation! I'll probably watch Emma again (she's my least favourite, I want to grow to like her!) and very much enjoy 2 versions of Persuasion (yes, the Netflix one!)

7. I don't know, yet. I'm usually disappointed by the modern screen adaptations. Let's see if I can get inspired by your selections!

Happy, happy July!

This isn't a TBR per se, but more of a reading ideas list:

READ ONE OF THE SIX NOVELS
* Sense and Sensibility
* Pride and Prejudice

READ ONE OF THE OTHER WORKS
* Sandition
* The Watsons
* Lady Susan
* Selected Letters

NON-FICTION BOOK ABOUT AUSTEN OR HER TIME
* Jane Austen at Home - Lucy Worsley
* Jane and Dorothy - Marian Veevers
* A Truth Universally Ackowledged
* Jane Austen Cover to Cover - Margaret C. Sullivan

RETELLING OR SET IN LIFETIME
* Jane Fairfax - Joan Aiken

BOOK BY CONTEMPORARY
* The Old English Baron (1778) - Clara Reeve
* "The Rivals" (1775) - Richard Brinsley Sheridan
* Cecilia (1782) - Frances Burney
* Evelina (1778) - Frances Burney
* The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) - Ann Radcliffe
* The Antiquary (1814) - Walter Scott

WATCH DIRECT ADAPTATION
* Pride and Prejudice miniseries (1995)
* Emma (2020)
* Sense and Sensibility miniseries (2008)

MODERN VIDEO RETELLING
* Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (not expecting much)
* Clueless

OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES
* Jane Austen Puzzle

OTHER RELATED BOOKS
* The Female Quixote (1752) - Charlotte Lenox -- book that influenced Jane Austen.

A Jane Austen puzzle? How perfectly wonderful ;)!

LOL. Last year my wife and I did some recipes based on dishes in the books as well!

Wooh hoo! I have
Jane Austen's Wardrobe on my shelf ready to read and I just bought an old used but brand new My Dear Cassandra : Selections from the Letters of Jane Austen at the library booksale.

I saw some new Muslim romcoms at the library that sounded like modern Jane Austen novels. There's a couple of period Jane Austen "paraliterature" stories on my TBR list as well.

A small TBR and Recommendations:

Sir Charles Grandison by Samuel Richardson
Her nephew, James Edward Austen-Leigh, claimed that this was one of Jane Austen's favourite books. She wrote a play based on a scene from the book Jane Austen's 'Sir Charles Grandison'

Martha Lloyd's Household Book: The Original Manuscript from Jane Austen's Kitchen or A Jane Austen Household Book: With Martha Lloyd's Recipes.
Martha Lloyd was a close friend of the Austen sisters and lived with them for a number of years. She eventually became their sister-in-law. This is a collection of recipes and household tips based on a facsimile of Martha Lloyd's manuscript

***NOT A RETELLING***
Darkness at Pemberley by T.H. White (The Sword in the Stone/The Once and Future King)
This book is T H White's attempt at a golden-age detective novel. It is partially set at a country house called Pemberley, the home of Mister Darcy and his sister Elizabeth. According to the book, since 1813, there has always been an Elizabeth Darcy at Pemberley.

***I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TOO MUCH***
Letters to Alice: On First Reading Jane Austen by Fay Weldon.
Fay Weldon wrote the 1980 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. People who have reviewed the show on youtube tend to say that it is the most book accurate adaptation but it is rarely a favourite.
In 1984 Fay Weldon used the research that she did for her adaptation, to produce this mini "life and times of Jane Austen" written as an epistolary novel

Lorraine wrote: "I was beginning to think JAJ might night be happening this year, and after a really depressing day, this news has lifted my spirits. I love S&S, so I will really enjoy rereading this book. I read L..."


Hi Lorraine,

Me too. A terrible day at work brightened by this readathon.
Mind yourself.

Michelle.

The prompts for JAJ stay same each year? (This is my second year...) Just making sure before more masive TBR planning...

I'm sure I will be reading Northanger Abbey since that's the last JA book that I have left, we'll see with the rest.

TRP wrote: "A small TBR and Recommendations:

Sir Charles Grandison by Samuel Richardson
Her nephew, James Edward Austen-Leigh, claimed that this was one of Jane..."

Hello TRP,

I started reading the book by Fay Weldon last year and I never finished it. I may try to read it again this year.

daniyah❀˖° wrote: "I've never done jane austen july before <3 sounds so fun"

Hello and welcome.

It is great craic.

Michelle.

Would a modern screen adaptation be one that is an adaptation based on the book, and takes place in modern day? I ask because I have a film in mind.

Jassmine wrote: "The prompts for JAJ stay same each year? (This is my second year...) Just making sure before more masive TBR planning...

I'm sure I will be reading Northanger Abbey since that's the l..."

Yes, that's right - the prompts stay the same every year, but we have different readalongs/group reads every year.

Joseph wrote: "Would a modern screen adaptation be one that is an adaptation based on the book, and takes place in modern day? I ask because I have a film in mind."

Yes, so challenge 7 basically covers anything that isn't a direct screen adaptation of an Austen book. So it could be a modern retelling or a retelling that takes place in the modern day, or even something like a film about Jane Austen's life. Basically, something that feels Austen-related but isn't a direct adaptation of her work.

Katie wrote: "Yes, that's right - the prompts stay the same every year, but we have different readalongs/group reads every year."

Thank you! I also watched to your video since so that also cleared that up 💗


I thought I didn't have many clearer plans, but the books I want to read are starting to stack up 🙈

✨🌷✨🌷✨Hello there my fellow readers, My Name is Blane , 🌷this is my very first first Austin July read along. I am very
✨excited to participate in this along with all of you here.
🌷 Thanks to Katie from Books&things, she has inspired me to
✨read Jane Austen and has also inspired me to read Dickens.
🌷 I have sense and sensibility.Pride & Prejudice, was by far my most favorite .I loved it so much.
✨

This year, I'll be reading Sanditon/The Watsons, Mansfield Park (my last of the main 6!) and rereading Sense and Sensibility.
I've decided that for movie/TV adaptations, I'm going to focus on Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibility. I haven't committed to anything yet, so let me know if you have any recommendations!

I just read The Watsons and Sense and Sensibility last year so I think I will pass on those this year, but I will read Sanditon with the group. My main novel will be Emma because it is the only one I haven't read. I kept putting it off because it is large and I don't think I will like it as much. After those two I am not sure. I need to make a trip to the library next week to look at the nonfiction section. I am also considering The Trumpet Major by Hardy.

Melissa wrote: "I've decided that for movie/TV adaptations, I'm going to focus on Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibility. I haven't committed to anything yet, so let me know if you have any recommendations!

reply | flag
."

The best S&S is the Emma Thompson written and Ang Lee directed version from 1995. There's a new one with a Black cast that aired on the Hallmark Channel in February. It missed the mark for me, especially in the second half. I appreciated the unique approach but did not appreciate modernizing the characters to make them appeal to younger, contemporary, casual viewers.

There isn't a good version of Mansfield Park. The 1980s version was faithful to the book for the most part but lacked the social satire aspect. Avoid the one that aired on TV with Billie Piper as a not very Fanny like Fanny.

I'm in for my second Jane Austen July! I have heard good things about a new (I think) YA novel reimagining a main Pride and Prejudice character as a trans person. It's called Most Ardently. So many options to consider!

Theresa wrote: "I just read The Watsons and Sense and Sensibility last year so I think I will pass on those this year, but I will read Sanditon with the group. My main novel will be Emma because it is the only one..."

I love Emma -- it's my second favorite of Austen's novels. There will be times when you positively cringe for the character, but if you saw the movie Clueless and liked it, there's a good chance you will like Emma.

Andrea wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I just read The Watsons and Sense and Sensibility last year so I think I will pass on those this year, but I will read Sanditon with the group. My main novel will be Emma because it..."

I just thought Clueless was okay. I hope it surprises me and it is a favorite.

Theresa wrote: "Andrea wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I just read The Watsons and Sense and Sensibility last year so I think I will pass on those this year, but I will read Sanditon with the group. My main novel will be ..."

I really love the 2020 Emma movie.

I already read Sense and Sensibility this year, but will probably reread it because I want to read the Patricia Meyer Spacks annotated edition. I read the Shephard annotated edition early this year and want to compare the two.

Andrea wrote: "I have heard good things about a new (I think) YA novel reimagining a main Pride and Prejudice character as a trans person. It's called Most Ardently. So many options to consider!"

I read it recently and I really loved it! Though some of the period details are off so don't expect perfection in that regard, but I enjoyed it very much.

Theresa wrote: "My main novel will be Emma because it is the only one I haven't read. I kept putting it off because it is large and I don't think I will like it as much."

I hope you enjoy it, it's my favourite and I didn't really like Clueless much so I guess you could go either way. It's such a clever book, but I understand why some people wouldn't enjoy it so much...

QNPoohBear wrote: "Avoid the one that aired on TV with Billie Piper as a not very Fanny like Fanny."

I mean, I saw two MP adaptations so far and neither of them really portrayed Fanny as she is in a book at all. But I guess the 1999 version is at least a fun movie if one forgets that it's supposed to be MP adaptation...

I will be re-reading Sense & Sensibility with the group, not sure about the other prompts yet. Didn't have JAJ on my radar until now and don't want to inflate my TBR too much. I might decide to read 'Cotillion' by Georgette Heyer. I also have Frances Burney's 'Cecilia' on my shelf, but it's HUGE. As a confessed mood reader, I luckily don't have to decide this now ;)

1. Read one of Jane Austen’s six novels
Emma

2. Read something by Jane Austen that is not one of her main six
novels
Love and Friendship and Other Youthful Writings

3. Read a non-fiction work about Jane Austen or her time
Eavesdropping on Jane Austen's England by Roy & Lesley Adkins

4. Read a retelling of a Jane Austen book OR a work of historical fiction set in Jane Austen’s time
Infamous by Lex Croucher
Sense & Sensibility by Joanna Trollope
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

5. Read a book by a contemporary of Jane Austen
TBC

6. Watch a direct screen adaptation of a Jane Austen book
Well where to start, I will watch everything I can find, because why not.

7. Watch a modern screen adaptation of a Jane Austen book
Fire Island

I will also join the read-a-longs

Hi everyone,

I would like to read "Emma" again as it has been some time since I read it.

I plan to reread "The Watsons" as I have only read this once.

I hope to read "What Matters in Jane Austen" by John Mullan. I had started this last year but I never completed it.

I have a continuation of "The Watsons" by Rose Servitova which I will read as a retelling.

Help me but I hope to finish "The Mysteries of Udolpho" by Ann Radcliffe. Was she a contemporary of Jane Austen?

I haven't decided which direct screen adaptation I will watch but I am thinking "Mansfield Park".

As for the modern adaptation I am open to suggestions.

I already have something on my shelves for each challenge, so it makes sense to read what's already there:
1. Sense and Sensibility
2. Sanditon, The Watsons
3. What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool
4. The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
5. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
6. I have three adaptations of Sense and Sensibility: BBC 1981, The Emma Thompson film 1995 and BBC 2008, which I like best.
7. Maybe I'll watch Lost in Austen, which I love. I also have Bridget Jones's Diary.

Jassmine wrote: "Theresa wrote: "My main novel will be Emma because it is the only one I haven't read. I kept putting it off because it is large and I don't think I will like it as much."

I hope you enjoy it, it's..."

I am hopeful. Either way I will be glad to finally say I have read all of Jane Austen's main works.

My library hold for one Austen book came in early so I obtained and read my first "July" pick. Jane Austen Cover to Cover: 200 Years of Classic Book Covers by Margaret C. Sullivan. The coffee table-type book shows images of the covers of Austen's books from the original publications through those in the 2010s. Accompanying text describes the various editions and includes commentary on the cover design (often with some very pointed comments on the blurb's and taglines!).

Throughout the years, Austen's books have been interpreted by many many different publishing houses across 200 years of interests, marketing ideas, and styles.

The book includes a few non-English language editions as well.

Really enjoyable book. Well worth browsing. Along with a few chuckles along the way.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Excited for my 4th JA July!

1. Novel: Either S&S or MP; haven't decided; have read both multiple times, but the last reading of both was in 2020
2. Not a novel: The Watsons
3. Non-fiction: Possibilities: 1) Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley; 2) Jane Austen by Tony Tanner (1986) Paperback--literary criticism; 3) Jane Austen's Wardrobe by Hilary Davidson
4. Historical Fiction: La Vendée by Anthony Trollope (set during the French Revolution/Jane Austen's lifetime)
5. Contemporary: Evelina by Fanny Burney
6. & 7. Direct & modern screen adaptations: Haven't decided; depends on my mood

Michelle Hyland wrote: "Hi everyone,."

Yes, Ann Radcliffe was a contemporary of Austen, so you're fine there.

Lindenblatt wrote: "I will be re-reading Sense & Sensibility with the group, not sure about the other prompts yet. Didn't have JAJ on my radar until now and don't want to inflate my TBR too much. I might decide to rea..."
I love Cotillion - one of my favorite Heyer novels

Michelle Hyland wrote: "Hi everyone,

I would like to read "Emma" again as it has been some time since I read it.

I plan to reread "The Watsons" as I have only read this once.

I hope to read "What Matters in Jane Austen..."

I read Mysteries of Udolfo last year and it so helped me understand Northanger Abbey better. It was confusing towards the end but a good read still.

QNPoohBear wrote: "Melissa wrote: "I've decided that for movie/TV adaptations, I'm going to focus on Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibility. I haven't committed to anything yet, so let me know if you have any recom..."

I was wondering about the Billie Piper version.

Katie wrote: "Joseph wrote: "Would a modern screen adaptation be one that is an adaptation based on the book, and takes place in modern day? I ask because I have a film in mind."

Yes, so challenge 7 basically c..."

Thanks. That might give me a couple of ideas.

Yes, Ann Radcliffe was a contemporary of Austen, so you're fine there."

Ann Radcliffe was 13 years older than Austen, and her gothic romances were incredibly popular in the late 18th century and early 19th century. I was surprised, reading them, that they were not as bad as I expected them to be. Despite the villains and castles and dungeons etc, they are quite well-written, with evocative descriptions.

One book from Austen's time that was very popular that few people read these days, and which is worth reading, is Maria Edgeworth's Belinda. Edgeworth was a very influential Irish/English author. I think that Belinda is much better than Castle Rackrent , which is her most well-known novel, recognized because of its historical Irish and regional focus.

I like Belinda better than Fanny Burney's earlier Evelina - Burney was a generation before Austen, and it shows. Both authors clearly influenced Austen. In fact, Austen corresponded with Edgeworth.

I *loved* Belinda when I read it several years ago. Planning to read Evelina this year as I've never read a Burney novel.

Joseph wrote: "I was wondering about the Billie Piper version.
"

I think it's universally panned. I'd skip it in favor of the 1980s version unless you want humor and then go with the feature film with Jane Austen as narrator/Fanny. It's quite a good movie if you don't take it as an adaptation of the novel. Hallmark didn't see fit to murder this one yet.

QNPoohBear wrote: "Joseph wrote: "I was wondering about the Billie Piper version.
"

I think it's universally panned. I'd skip it in favor of the 1980s version unless you want humor and then go with the feature film ..."

The feature film is the one around 1999?