Persuasion by Jane Austen

Thank you all for the fascinating talk on Saturday about Susanna Kaysen’s memoir, Girl, Interrupted. Rendezvous Bar, which we were visiting for the first time, was a great spot, but the loud music was a bit much. So, thank you all for your patience, and especially a big thank you to Elise for her wonderful and passionate introduction to the book she chose.

As usual, we voted on the next book to read at the end of the event. This time, the book that won was Jane Austen’s penultimate novel, Persuasion.

The novel was published posthumously six months after Austen’s death, at only 41 years old, in 1818. It tells the story of Anne Elliot, who, at a young age, was persuaded by friends and family to break off an engagement to Captain Wentworth. But was it the right decision? Luckily, the two meet again years later and have another chance at love and marriage.

You can read more about the book here. Read the book here. Or listen to the audiobook version here. There’s a movie version from 2022 starring Dakota Johnson available as well on Netflix. And several TV movies and TV shows, which are more hard to come by.

For other resources on how to get a hold of classic books, please see the About us section on the front page of the group here.

We meet up on Saturday, January 24th, at 4 p.m. The location is still up in the air, but I will update you once I find a good place for us.

Also, please remember to bring your suggestion for the next classic book to read. In February, we read books by women authors, so if you have a suggestion that fits that theme, please share it with us.

And, please, as always, be mindful and respectful of each other, so that everyone feels respected and appreciated.

In the meantime, happy reading/listening/watching or however you do it.