It’s funny you say that for many this is one of the last Austen novels they approach and it take effort to fall in love with, for me it was the exact opposite. First Austen novel I ever read and I fell in love with it almost instantly, still my favorite of her works

I am an admirer of you, Mr. McEvoy, and of the way you talk about books and delineate your take on the art and craft of great authors. Thank you.

@BenjaminMcEvoy

Жыл бұрын

Thank you, my friend. That is so kind of you to say :)

I always thought this was Jane Austen's best work. It never gets old, and it's a good lesson for any generation. That one can listen to others closest to them, but it is always best to make your own decisions when it comes to matters of your own heart , so you won't suffer from that terrible disorder, of chronic regret. One might get a second chance, but one rarely gets a third chance, so they must use their own mentality, especially when it comes to matters of their heart.

Persuasion is my favorite of all Austen's books. I cried like a child for pages. Beautiful book.

@BenjaminMcEvoy

2 жыл бұрын

You and me both, Julie! One of my all-time favourites!

Read this on your recommendation, and finished it today. Took a minute to get into, but really enjoyed it! Mary is hilarious! Loved her character. Anne had a lot of interesting views that I will go back and read more deeply. Thanks for getting me to read this!

I recently stumbled across your videos and I adore them! My reading is pretty much planned for the remainder of the year, but if you continue the book club into 2022, I'll be sure to join along with some reads!

@BenjaminMcEvoy

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much :) We already have the schedule for 2022 and I'm so excited about it. I'll let the secret out of the bag in a couple of months, but we would be thrilled to have you reading along with us in the new year!

Persuasion indeed is a great piece by Jane! However, I like the Brontè sisters more. Hope to see some videos on Charlotte and Emily

@BenjaminMcEvoy

3 жыл бұрын

I personally love Wuthering Heights. Really appeals to my taste for the Gothic. Definitely intend on doing some Brontë videos :)

My favourite Austen title, many thanks!

Hola, estoy leyendo los subtítulos. Estoy muy de acuerdo con el análisis de Persuasión de Jane Austen. Nueva suscriptora.

Benjamin, I love your You Tube, and your lovely voice. Your book reviews are absolutely magical. Your selection of books are my style. I am a Victorian in this life, dress like a Victorian, and live in a Victorian home in New Jersey. I will continue to follow you while I read my Victorian books along the way.

I've always had trouble getting into, onto Austen. Thanks for the nudge!😊

@BenjaminMcEvoy

Жыл бұрын

You're so welcome, Sophia :) It took me a while getting into Austen, but was so worth it in the end!

I was wondering whether you have have read A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. It is an epic novel (the longest novel in the English language), and is set in newly independent India as it approaches its first election. I saw your video on how good literature expands the mind by exposing us to new pieces of culture, such as opera, and for me at least A Suitable Boy exposed me to Indian classical music. Though my Urdu is quite poor and I don't really understand any of the words, I find the music and the vocals beguiling. Let me know if you have read the book or plan to read it, I would love to see you make a video on the subject. There is also a TV adaptation, which I strongly recommend you watch only after having read the book. And of course have a listen to some of the music if this interests you.

@BenjaminMcEvoy

3 жыл бұрын

I haven't, but have been recommended Vikram Seth quite a few times. Indian literature is an area I'm quite excited to explore more deeply, so if you have any more recommendations for where to start, I would be grateful to hear them :) A Suitable Boy sounds wonderful - I'll check it out and let you know what I think :)

I’ve not read this in many years but this video inspires me to revisit it. I absolutely love Austen, since I was a teenager. I think I’m at a time in my life in which this novel would resonate beautifully.

I've read a fair few 19th century novels - English, French, and Russian - and only came to read Jane Austen quite recently, having been reluctant because of the association with the romantic tv adaptations. Finally read Pride and Prejudice and found it very good, but not great. My favourite authors are Dostoevsky, George Eliot, and Dickens, and while I appreciated the style of P and P I just didn't think it had anything like the substance, penetration, and depth of character which I find in my favourites. Having heard you talk about Persuasion as being more mature, and less frivolous, I thought I'd give it a try. Just finished reading it and I found it much more substantial and rewarding than P and P. Anne Elliot is a really attractive and sympathetic protagonist, and is very three-dimensional and realistic. And the inter-relating of all the characters, and the way the plot moves in its different locations just feels more real, weighty, and compelling, than I found P and P to be. So Persuasion is definitely my favourite Austen. Thanks for putting me onto it!

Yes yes..! As an aged Aussie I decided Jane Austen was quite Shakespearean in late Georgian manner. I absolutely love Persuasion..

You are persuasive here as always. All the more as you reveal your ambivalence towards Jane Austen. While living in Winchester I’d visit her grave again and again on the left hand’s aisle of the cathedral. Not far away from her father’s memorial stone. Still, I could never find the wish to read any of her books. I’d watched a film some time ago, based on “Pride and Prejudice “ and found it so obsolete. A “tea-cup drama” the term unknown to me, that I felt it was. Now I’ve watched this video I feel stimulated and curious if I can overcome my prejudice and actually enjoy the lecture. You are a wonderful teacher. Had I had teachers like you in secondary school, how much could I had made of it!

@floriandiazpesantes573

3 жыл бұрын

Also I found very compelling your advice not only to look at the bits one likes, but also the things one dislikes. They are telling and facing them might be more rewarding than the comfort to bathe in the pleasant. With everything, not just art.

Can anyone help me with the word ”lieve” in this context?: "What glorious weather for the Admiral and my sister! They meant to take a long drive this morning; perhaps we may hail them from some of these hills. They talked of coming into this side of the country. I wonder whereabouts they will upset to-day. Oh! it does happen very often, I assure you; but my sister makes nothing of it; she would as lieve be tossed out as not."

@BenjaminMcEvoy

3 жыл бұрын

It's rather archaic, Florian, meaning (according to the OED) to give credence to something upon faith... Maybe it modern equivalent is "would as soon as" because that's what it feels like to me. But, simply put, this is a troublesome little word and would relish other inputs too.

I am odd in that my favorite Austens are NORTHANGER ABBEY and PERSUASION. Am seriously hoping to adapt the latter into a stage play one day.

This is my favorite Austen novel. I think it has the most depth.

Jane Austen Book Club, good movie.

❤❤❤

I’ve read most of Jane Austen’s novels with my husband during this past year. I’m glad that I did because he provided a fresh perspective & we had dialogue that I could not get with many JA groups. I wish there were more men at these things...at least with less agreeable opinions 🙃🤔 I honestly feel bad that you had that experience. Men are more objective & women tend to be more subjective. What’s a better way to come together?

@BenjaminMcEvoy

3 жыл бұрын

That is so wonderful. I have heard from so many spouses who have gone on reading journeys this past year and it makes me very happy to hear. I would be interested to hear if you both ended up having the same favourites :)

@HeyAllyHey

3 жыл бұрын

@@BenjaminMcEvoy Until you said that I never thought to ask him about his rankings. I ended up having an hour long conversation about it w/ my husband sharing a lot. It was hilarious 😆 He had many, many things to say about P&P which ended up at the bottom for him & second to last for myself. Poor Mr. Darcy! Mansfield Park (my #1, his #3), Sense & Sensibility(his #2, my #3) are floating around in our Top 3. Emma’s humor landed her at #1 for my husband. I had no room for her except at #4. Northanger Abbey was his #4 & it was my #6. Persuasion is a masterpiece to me (#2) & he gave it an honorable mention at #5 🤭In the end, we both agreed that JA’s books are like various flavors of ice cream. We like some flavors more than others but it’s the differences that makes each so delicious to read. Btw, I joined your book club! I believe that I’m a Proust? 🤗 Looking forward to more reading ✌️

@BenjaminMcEvoy

3 жыл бұрын

​@@HeyAllyHey That's so amazing! And heartwarming :) Ah, Mr Darcy ended up dragging P&P down! But at least it sparked a rich conversation. I would totally agree with your designation of Persuasion being a masterpiece. I also love your analogy of flavours of ice cream - I've seen them has having different colours/hues and tones, but would be fun to designate flavours to each of the volumes! And thank you so much for joining the book club! :) I'm so thrilled to have you as a part of it and look forward to hearing your insights on the Great Books 🙏

@HeyAllyHey

3 жыл бұрын

@@BenjaminMcEvoy Thank you! See you on Patreon 😊

@floriandiazpesantes573

3 жыл бұрын

@@HeyAllyHey various flavours of ice cream! That’s brilliant!

She's a saggitarian