How wonderful! Let me know if there's any way I can help with the student sign-ups, including helping with a free subscription so they can access the content. -PJ
They would love that! I've just floated it with a few students but I think I have a couple of takers for sure. Let me know it we need to do for free subscriptions for them. It's very generous of you.
Five of my six Austen novels are copies from college — they're old (1980s) Signet Classics (most priced at $2.99!!!) and the front or rear covers of three of them separated from the paperbacks during last year's reading. (I suspect "close" readings meant that I kept the books fully open longer than during all previous readings, and they just cracked along the edges where the covers meet the spines. Plus, each copy has so many Post-it tape flags that each looks looks like it has multicolor eyelashes. But each book is beloved, so I'm keeping them until they literally disintegrate!
I'm looking forward to the daily distraction from what's actually going on in the US. Each morning has me doing my best (worst?) Dorothy Parker impression, shouting out, "What fresh hell is this?" Knowing I can push away the social media and pick up Jane with the expectation of conversing with all of you is giving me my precious moments of zen.
Meanwhile, I'm happy to be starting on Northanger Abbey again, as I didn't fully appreciate it last time around. (It's the one Austen I've read the fewest times, and I was too focused on Austen's lack of sophistication in her first published outing.) However, at Tabrizia's urging, I've been reading Jane Austen's Bookshelf (by Rebecca Romney) and the chapters on Frances Burney and Ann Radcliffe are the perfect preparation for NA, giving me a depth of context (re: gothics and the satire thereof)!
Julie - how lovely that you're still using your old copies (well the ones that haven't yet disintegrated!) and I love the image of the post-it notes like eyelashes. I still have much-loved p/b copies of Emma and P&P from when I was a teenager in the 70s but the copies I use most nowadays are my Macmillan Collectors Library. H/b, nicely bound and only about 6"x4" (when closed) - they just cover my hand. They are easy to hold for reading but, best of all, great for travel as they fit in a coat or bag pocket. My first set, bought second-hand about 10 years ago, are so covered with annotations in pencil that I have designated them my "working set" and just bought myself a brand-new set. And I've just ordered Sanditon and Lady Susan in the same edition. Is it sinful to have so many editions of Jane Austen's books? Maybe it's a good job there are only six!
I was all set to take photos of my six books so you could all see how roughly used they have been, but apparently you can't upload photos to comments on Substack as you can with other social platforms. (I guess that's good; we avoid plastering memes everywhere.)
YOUR copies, Polly, sound heavenly. I have the (mostly) college paperbacks here, plus Kindle versions, plus a bound and boxed copy of her letters, and a heavy Cambridge Edition paperback of her "later manuscripts." Oh, and the uncracked paperbacks of Emma in Italian and Spanish from my travels. I'm afraid I'll never master Italian well enough to read it, even after these eight years of studying the language, but I might be able to lend the Spanish one to someone, as my progress beyond the present tense in Spanish is woeful.
I looked up your Macmillan Collectors Library of Austen books online, and am duly impressed. Maybe Plain Jane can incorporate a show & tell section into our future Zooms? ;-)
Wow I love knowing about your Signet paperbacks, and the state that our read-alongs are putting them in! Those editions and all their post-it “eyelashes” sound just dreamy.
And glad to hear you find this a zen space - we’ll aim to keep it that way, while not hiding from the world but using this space as a place to get fortified with connection and insights that strengthen us individually and as a global community.
And yes - here we come, Northanger Abbey, it’s so much fun!
I am really looking forward to reading with this group. I think it will bring so much richness to my reading. Thank you for running it again this year - I came across you via Simon Haisell’s slow read of War and Peace last year and didn’t have it in me to add another thing to my plate. I will enjoy reading one chapter a day with my breakfast. Thanks again.
Don't quite know how to say this without sounding pompous or portentous but here goes. Whatever happens at nation state level between or around our respective countries please know that the intercontinental links forged in this magnificent community through shared admiration, respect and love for the writings of Jane Austen remain strong and enduring. Let's keep plugging on folks.
I am so excited to be reading Jane Austen with you again. I found you the middle of last year, so missed the group reads of a few of the novels. Northanger Abbey is one of my favorites! Thank you for hosting this again!
Thank you for including the dance/music celebration from the end of Hamnet - I needed that. It's been a dark couple of days (okay, more than just days) and I needed an infusion of joy.
Yay, thank you for being here, Plantdokta! Yes, I'm going to have to tap into the video again after watching live coverage of our world this morning. Stay well today!
I clicked on the link but don’t see an option to provide the $25 suggested donation. It only gives an option to get the paid subscription for Austen Connection, which I did.
Thank you, Natalie! If the link you went to was to join for $25, you were at the right place - that $25 "ticket" is a paid subscription. Welcome aboard!
I'm a week behind, but I'm going to try to gather some students to read along with me this year. :)
How wonderful! Let me know if there's any way I can help with the student sign-ups, including helping with a free subscription so they can access the content. -PJ
They would love that! I've just floated it with a few students but I think I have a couple of takers for sure. Let me know it we need to do for free subscriptions for them. It's very generous of you.
Hooray! All I need is their email and they’re in 😊
Five of my six Austen novels are copies from college — they're old (1980s) Signet Classics (most priced at $2.99!!!) and the front or rear covers of three of them separated from the paperbacks during last year's reading. (I suspect "close" readings meant that I kept the books fully open longer than during all previous readings, and they just cracked along the edges where the covers meet the spines. Plus, each copy has so many Post-it tape flags that each looks looks like it has multicolor eyelashes. But each book is beloved, so I'm keeping them until they literally disintegrate!
I'm looking forward to the daily distraction from what's actually going on in the US. Each morning has me doing my best (worst?) Dorothy Parker impression, shouting out, "What fresh hell is this?" Knowing I can push away the social media and pick up Jane with the expectation of conversing with all of you is giving me my precious moments of zen.
Meanwhile, I'm happy to be starting on Northanger Abbey again, as I didn't fully appreciate it last time around. (It's the one Austen I've read the fewest times, and I was too focused on Austen's lack of sophistication in her first published outing.) However, at Tabrizia's urging, I've been reading Jane Austen's Bookshelf (by Rebecca Romney) and the chapters on Frances Burney and Ann Radcliffe are the perfect preparation for NA, giving me a depth of context (re: gothics and the satire thereof)!
Julie - how lovely that you're still using your old copies (well the ones that haven't yet disintegrated!) and I love the image of the post-it notes like eyelashes. I still have much-loved p/b copies of Emma and P&P from when I was a teenager in the 70s but the copies I use most nowadays are my Macmillan Collectors Library. H/b, nicely bound and only about 6"x4" (when closed) - they just cover my hand. They are easy to hold for reading but, best of all, great for travel as they fit in a coat or bag pocket. My first set, bought second-hand about 10 years ago, are so covered with annotations in pencil that I have designated them my "working set" and just bought myself a brand-new set. And I've just ordered Sanditon and Lady Susan in the same edition. Is it sinful to have so many editions of Jane Austen's books? Maybe it's a good job there are only six!
I was all set to take photos of my six books so you could all see how roughly used they have been, but apparently you can't upload photos to comments on Substack as you can with other social platforms. (I guess that's good; we avoid plastering memes everywhere.)
YOUR copies, Polly, sound heavenly. I have the (mostly) college paperbacks here, plus Kindle versions, plus a bound and boxed copy of her letters, and a heavy Cambridge Edition paperback of her "later manuscripts." Oh, and the uncracked paperbacks of Emma in Italian and Spanish from my travels. I'm afraid I'll never master Italian well enough to read it, even after these eight years of studying the language, but I might be able to lend the Spanish one to someone, as my progress beyond the present tense in Spanish is woeful.
I looked up your Macmillan Collectors Library of Austen books online, and am duly impressed. Maybe Plain Jane can incorporate a show & tell section into our future Zooms? ;-)
Wow I love knowing about your Signet paperbacks, and the state that our read-alongs are putting them in! Those editions and all their post-it “eyelashes” sound just dreamy.
And glad to hear you find this a zen space - we’ll aim to keep it that way, while not hiding from the world but using this space as a place to get fortified with connection and insights that strengthen us individually and as a global community.
And yes - here we come, Northanger Abbey, it’s so much fun!
I am really looking forward to reading with this group. I think it will bring so much richness to my reading. Thank you for running it again this year - I came across you via Simon Haisell’s slow read of War and Peace last year and didn’t have it in me to add another thing to my plate. I will enjoy reading one chapter a day with my breakfast. Thanks again.
Reading with breakfast! Sounds perfect. So very glad to have you along, Amanda. And grateful to Simon for sharing our read-along with his readers. ❣️
Don't quite know how to say this without sounding pompous or portentous but here goes. Whatever happens at nation state level between or around our respective countries please know that the intercontinental links forged in this magnificent community through shared admiration, respect and love for the writings of Jane Austen remain strong and enduring. Let's keep plugging on folks.
I love this, Polly. Yes, let's keep plugging on, together. ❣️
I am so excited to be reading Jane Austen with you again. I found you the middle of last year, so missed the group reads of a few of the novels. Northanger Abbey is one of my favorites! Thank you for hosting this again!
Hooray - so glad you're along for the ride this year, and yes Northanger Abbey is such a fun one to start with. Thank you for being here, Chris! 🎉
Like Polly, I'm ready to roll!
Thank you for including the dance/music celebration from the end of Hamnet - I needed that. It's been a dark couple of days (okay, more than just days) and I needed an infusion of joy.
Yay, thank you for being here, Plantdokta! Yes, I'm going to have to tap into the video again after watching live coverage of our world this morning. Stay well today!
Ready to roll!
So glad, Polly! 😊
I am not able to afford a subscription (which I would love), but has joined the free portion.
Thank you for joining, and welcome aboard! ✨❣️
I clicked on the link but don’t see an option to provide the $25 suggested donation. It only gives an option to get the paid subscription for Austen Connection, which I did.
Thank you, Natalie! If the link you went to was to join for $25, you were at the right place - that $25 "ticket" is a paid subscription. Welcome aboard!