The Jane Austen Book Club
3 journalers for this copy...
Hardcover.
Five women and one man meet periodically to discuss the work of (arguably) the greatest novelist in English. Six people, one for each Jane Austen title. It is California, a hot summer in the Central Valley early in the 21st century, and these are ordinary people, neither happy nor unhappy, but each of them hurting in different ways, all of them mixed up about love.
Sylvia's husband, Daniel, has left her after 32 years and three children. Jocelyn, her best friend, never married and now focuses on breeding dogs. Prudie is a French teacher in her late twenties, in possession of a worthy husband yet disoriented by persistent fantasies about sex with other men. Sixty-something Bernadette has decided that she's finally over the hill and can act a little dotty, just let herself go. The beautiful, risk-taking Allegra - Sylvia and Daniel's lesbian daughter - has quit speaking to her lover. And Grigg, a middle-aged science fiction fan and computer whiz, is strangely unattached. But then maybe he's gay?
Together they form the "Central Valley/River City all-Jane-Austen-all-the-time book club." And with them Karen Joy Fowler creates a novel that is so winning, so touching, so delicately, slyly witty that admirers of Persuasion and Emma will simply sigh with happiness.
Five women and one man meet periodically to discuss the work of (arguably) the greatest novelist in English. Six people, one for each Jane Austen title. It is California, a hot summer in the Central Valley early in the 21st century, and these are ordinary people, neither happy nor unhappy, but each of them hurting in different ways, all of them mixed up about love.
Sylvia's husband, Daniel, has left her after 32 years and three children. Jocelyn, her best friend, never married and now focuses on breeding dogs. Prudie is a French teacher in her late twenties, in possession of a worthy husband yet disoriented by persistent fantasies about sex with other men. Sixty-something Bernadette has decided that she's finally over the hill and can act a little dotty, just let herself go. The beautiful, risk-taking Allegra - Sylvia and Daniel's lesbian daughter - has quit speaking to her lover. And Grigg, a middle-aged science fiction fan and computer whiz, is strangely unattached. But then maybe he's gay?
Together they form the "Central Valley/River City all-Jane-Austen-all-the-time book club." And with them Karen Joy Fowler creates a novel that is so winning, so touching, so delicately, slyly witty that admirers of Persuasion and Emma will simply sigh with happiness.
Got in the mail today--oh WOW-thank you soo much. It's a hardback, too! I hope I am able to follow this along better than the audio version!
I received the audio book of this previously and had started listening to it. The story moves around a lot and I would get lost with what was going on so I was very glad to get a copy of this to read! I liked it a lot better than listening to it. I was able to follow along better with the characters.
There is a lot that goes on with the ladies and male in the book while the read Jane Austen and discuss. I have only read "Pride and Prejudice" and seen the movies for "Emma" and "Sense and Sensibility". After reading this book I would like to read all of Austen's novels. I actually have the Gramercy edition that Grigg has! I wonder what they would think of that?
The characters in the book are well rounded and you can fell empathy for all of them. Like a Jane Austen novel, there is a happy ending for all.
There is a lot that goes on with the ladies and male in the book while the read Jane Austen and discuss. I have only read "Pride and Prejudice" and seen the movies for "Emma" and "Sense and Sensibility". After reading this book I would like to read all of Austen's novels. I actually have the Gramercy edition that Grigg has! I wonder what they would think of that?
The characters in the book are well rounded and you can fell empathy for all of them. Like a Jane Austen novel, there is a happy ending for all.
sent to cory000
Thank you so much for this book. I have heard a lot of buzz going on about it so I'm curious to see for myself...