Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Challenge 2025 discussion

January Group Read - Going Classic
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 an incomplete novel or one of the completed versions by Austen and another author.

GOLDEN TEN- the novel Emma turns 210 this year!

Happy 210 yr Emma!!! One of my 100,000 JA groups is reading Emma in March, so I might start it here.

@Kirk

Sounds like a plan. I'm going for Emma, too. I've chosen The Annotated Emma by Jane Austen and David Shapard.

Sophia wrote: "@Kirk

Sounds like a plan. I'm going for Emma, too. I've chosen The Annotated Emma by Jane Austen and David Shapard."
Yeah! I might dip into Annotated if I start early the month. Famous last words?

I may just listen to Emma too. I did Mansfield Park last year and liked it more than I had in the past.
Emma is my least favorite. Lets see if there will be a change up too.

I was toying between S&S and Emma so I think I will join in with the Emma read.

Yay! A group buddy read might break out for Emma.

@Sam- Emma is my least favorite, too, but that is relative considering I love all Austen's works.

Sophia wrote: "Yay! A group buddy read might break out for Emma.

@Sam- Emma is my least favorite, too, but that is relative considering I love all Austen's works."

Ha...4th favorite but the margin is quite tiny.

Two EMMA library audios now downloaded, I’m ready …

1 full length, the other a 2 hr version ;)

writer... wrote: "Two EMMA library audios now downloaded, I’m ready …

1 full length, the other a 2 hr version ;)"

Woohoo, you've got it covered, writer!

I shall choose my audio Emma later today.

Hmmmm. I see everyone is doing Emma, but I'm just not feeling it. I think I will see if I can find a copy of Persuasion. It's been years since I read that one.

I never finished the Annotated P&P last year, so I'll go for that.

Craftyhj wrote: "I shall choose my audio Emma later today."

I just love how with audio one can get a fresh visit with the book simply by having a different narrator each time.

Dana wrote: "Hmmmm. I see everyone is doing Emma, but I'm just not feeling it. I think I will see if I can find a copy of Persuasion. It's been years since I read that one."

Sometimes the mood just wants what it wants. Enjoy Persuasion, Dana!

Debbie wrote: "I never finished the Annotated P&P last year, so I'll go for that."

A good way to start the year finishing off one from the stack. :)

Ode to Pity came up in a book
about JA’s poetry. And working on
NA for two groups.

And, of course, The History of England!

for a couple of years now, I've done the January classic as a language immersion by listening to an austen audiobook in a language I'm not fluent in. You can sorta kinda follow when you know a word here and there and know the book by heart.

but this year i am doing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4t5H...

i only know some 500 russian words from duolingo and banana, moscow and radio are not even in the book :) so it's a triumph this time if i manage to figure out which chapter i'm in.

it's really more like an ASMR thing for sleeping.

Katja wrote: "for a couple of years now, I've done the January classic as a language immersion by listening to an austen audiobook in a language I'm not fluent in. You can sorta kinda follow when you know a word..."

Wow!!!!

Katja wrote: "for a couple of years now, I've done the January classic as a language immersion by listening to an austen audiobook in a language I'm not fluent in. You can sorta kinda follow when you know a word..."

Oh yeah, you are taking the challenge to new heights, Katja! Hopefully, the emotion cues with the speaking voice will help, too.

Katja wrote: "for a couple of years now, I've done the January classic as a language immersion by listening to an austen audiobook in a language I'm not fluent in. You can sorta kinda follow when you know a word..."

That should be interesting - I wonder if Miss Bingley considered a knowledge of Russian in her list of accomplishments?

Craftyhj wrote: "Katja wrote: "for a couple of years now, I've done the January classic as a language immersion by listening to an austen audiobook in a language I'm not fluent in. You can sorta kinda follow when y..."
Hahaha!

I will go with Emma for this one!

I am listening to this version of Emma which is narrated by Jenny Agutter, she of the original Railway Children film. Emma.

I am enjoying her narration - I can imagine Jane Austen is reading to me as the age profile is probably about right at the time recorded.

Sophia wrote: "writer... wrote: "Two EMMA library audios now downloaded, I’m ready … ;)"

Woohoo, you've got it covered, writer!"

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

Christine wrote: "I will go with Emma for this one!"

Yay! There's quite a group of us tackling Emma this year.

writer... wrote: "Sophia wrote: "writer... wrote: "Two EMMA library audios now downloaded, I’m ready … ;)"

Woohoo, you've got it covered, writer!"

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

I'll look forward to seeing what you think.

Northanger Abbey!!! - Completed!

I've started listening to Emma. I have just got to the part where Knightley talks about her reading lists and how beautifully she created them but doesn't read them. It made me smile as I thought of my monster TBR!

Craftyhj wrote: "I've started listening to Emma. I have just got to the part where Knightley talks about her reading lists and how beautifully she created them but doesn't read them. It made me smile as I thought o..."

Hahaha!

I'm making my way through my choice, which is an annotated P&P. I gave up on it last year after starting it, and I'm struggling for the same reason now: as enlightening as the extensive, detailed notes are, they completely disrupt the reading flow. There's no getting lost in the story when I'm constantly stopping to read the numerous footnotes. I've gotten further than I did in 2024, but I'm not confident that I'll finish!

Debbie wrote: "I'm making my way through my choice, which is an annotated P&P. I gave up on it last year after starting it, and I'm struggling for the same reason now: as enlightening as the extensive, detailed n..."

As much as I enjoy the annotations and am a fan of the annotator, I agree. Dept of Irony - Besides having all of them in print, I now, as of this morning have all of them on Kindle.

Kirk wrote: "Northanger Abbey!!! - Completed!"

Woohoo!

Craftyhj wrote: "I've started listening to Emma. I have just got to the part where Knightley talks about her reading lists and how beautifully she created them but doesn't read them. It made me smile as I thought o..."

Oh yes, this would be 'on the nose' for me, too. :)

Debbie wrote: "I'm making my way through my choice, which is an annotated P&P. I gave up on it last year after starting it, and I'm struggling for the same reason now: as enlightening as the extensive, detailed n..."

LOL, I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling with that format. I'm on my third Annotated edition with Emma and I've found that I have to read the whole novel page and then browse the notes if I even hope to catch anything of the story.

I'm going to read Persuasion as I can't remember if I ever have though I've seen the movie.

Making my way through the Annotated P&P, as I previously announced. Most of the notes are things I already knew, but I just came across a couple of things I'd never noticed before -

When Elizabeth and Miss Bingley are walking together in Netherfield's drawing room and Elizabeth remarks about Darcy not being someone who can be laughed at, the ensuring discussion indicates an important theme of the novel.

This is part of the note directly from the book: "Characters err by taking themselves too seriously and ones who err by allowing their love of a joke to make them neglect serious matters (Mr. Bennet and Lydia are both, in different ways, examples of the latter). Darcy at times commits the first error and Elizabeth the second."

I'd never thought of Lydia and Mr. Bennet having ANYTHING in common before, but this interpretation certain makes me realize it's true!

The other is the family's reaction when Mr. Bennet reads Mr. Collins's letter announcing his intended visit. He finishes reading, then Mrs. Bennet, as mistress of the house, speaks first - which the annotator states would commonly occur - followed by the five daughters, who also speak in order of seniority as would be usual at that time: Jane first, followed by Elizabeth, then Mary, and then Kitty and Lydia.

Also, their respective responses, although very brief, give accurate clues about their distinctive personalities.

Liz H wrote: "I'm going to read Persuasion as I can't remember if I ever have though I've seen the movie."

Great idea! Then you'll be able to make some fun comparisons between the original and the screen adaption.

Debbie wrote: "Making my way through the Annotated P&P, as I previously announced. Most of the notes are things I already knew, but I just came across a couple of things I'd never noticed before -

When Elizabeth..."

Now, that is a fascinating observation about Mr. B and Lydia sharing traits.

I have an S&S audio book narrated by Rosamund Pike that I haven’t listened to. I think I will do that.

I continue on with Emma. Poor Mr Elton has just made his declaration...

It did make me think again about the obsession many writers in this genre (and indeed readers) have with what constitutes a compromising situation. In "Emma", Austen happily sticks two unmarried people in a carriage together and no-one is shouting compromise.

Barb wrote: "I have an S&S audio book narrated by Rosamund Pike that I haven’t listened to. I think I will do that."

Ooo, I'm jealous! I loved her rendition of P&P. I didn't realize she did S&S, too. Enjoy, Barb!

Craftyhj wrote: "I continue on with Emma. Poor Mr Elton has just made his declaration...

It did make me think again about the obsession many writers in this genre (and indeed readers) have with what constitutes a ..."

You know, that is an interesting observation about the idea of compromise. They talk about open carriages being appropriate for a couple driving around, but this is winter and obviously a closed carriage. Hmmm... then again, nobody wanted these two to be a pair (not even Elton after she rebuffed him) so maybe that's the difference (no Mrs. Bennet shrieking to have a daughter married).

Sophia wrote: "Craftyhj wrote: "I continue on with Emma. Poor Mr Elton has just made his declaration...

It did make me think again about the obsession many writers in this genre (and indeed readers) have with wh..."

Mr Woodhouse would have been shrieking quite the reverse as he definitely didn't want his Emma to marry.

Craftyhj wrote: "Sophia wrote: "Craftyhj wrote: "I continue on with Emma. Poor Mr Elton has just made his declaration...

It did make me think again about the obsession many writers in this genre (and indeed reader..."

Ha, exactly!

Never got around to listening, so I will be double timing it over the next couple of days!

Kirk wrote: "Sophia wrote: "@Kirk

Sounds like a plan. I'm going for Emma, too. I've chosen The Annotated Emma by Jane Austen and David Shapard."
Yeah! I might dip into Annotated if I start earl..."

In honor of JA 250, I now have all of Shapard in Kindle, as well as print!

Barb wrote: "I have an S&S audio book narrated by Rosamund Pike that I haven’t listened to. I think I will do that."

As a Rosamund Pike superfan(her Bday was yesterday!!!!!), I must have my share of the fandom!!! Loved loved her S&S. Less keen on her P&P as I had trouble with her males(Darcy/Collins/Mr B) being a bit too similar to my tin ears.

I'm trying out Lady Susan since I've never read it.