Welcome to Litsy!

Chapters 15/16: These chapters back to back give us a pretty terrible look at the men the Dashwood women are dealing with. First Willoughby blows town with absolutely no explanation, leaving Marianne in throes of (semi)performative agony and Elinor and Mrs. D puzzling for days. Then it seems like there might be a silver lining- Edward arrives! But he's dour, withdrawn, and cold. Marianne is pissed and Elinor is vexed and I'm right there with them!

Chapters 13/14: Stuff happens today, but honestly? I'm mentally stuck on the second line. Elinor anticipates a miserable time during a day trip to Whitwell, expecting to end up "wet through, fatigued, and frightened". Its been rainy, so the first point tracks, and it would be a long day so the second point checks out, too- but why 'frightened'? Why, why?? Is she afraid of sailing? Of open carriages? Of a picnic lunch?? Ya'll, help me out here! ?

Chapters 11/12: A season of revelry begins (cards! Dancing! Parties on the water!) and Willoughby is right next to Marianne for all of it. They are loud and indiscreet and Elinor hates it. The worst comes when W tried to gift M a horse that the family can't afford and then takes a lock of her hair (gasp!). In the midst of the drama, E and Brandon have a great talk about second attachments - making me want to buy the pictured shirt immediately.

Chapters 9/10: Marianne and Margaret take a walk when - oh no!- it starts to rain! Marianne slips and hurts her ankle when - oh yes!- dashing Willoughby comes to her rescue. When he calls on them in the coming days Marianne is charmed but Elinor only sees "a propensity of saying too much what he thought on every occasion, without attention to persons or circumstances...sacrificing general politeness to the enjoyment of undivided attention.” ???

Chapters 7/8: a dinner at Barton Park with jocular Sir John and my queen, Mrs. Jennings, really gets things going, especially when we meet the oldest man who has ever existed, 35 year old Colonel Brandon. Marianne's views on the "infirm" Colonel are exasperating, ridiculous, and perfectly in line with every teenager you know, and the article pictured here (link in comments) is pretty much today's version of the conversations in chapter 8. Enjoy!

Catching up! Chapters 3 and 4 tell us that Elinor is smitten with shy, awkward Edward and Marianne cannot stand it. I mean, he's not even into music, and when he read out loud, it was boring as HELL. Marianne needs spirit! and fire! and someone who likes *exactly* the same art that she does! And when I read this passage, I may as well be reading my own teenage diaries because damn if Jane Austen didn't have my ass absolutely clocked.

"The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex." Hello, old friend...! #PemberLittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow #Jane250

SO excited to kick off a year of Austen with the #PemberLittens! I'm spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing a copy to dig into, but I believe this time it's gonna be the beautiful Cranford Collection edition. I'm so ready for what Jane has to show me in these next 12 months, starting with the story that's in many ways the most dear to me- my first ever Austen, which has lived in my heart for decades now. #JaneAustenThenAndNow

I read the first two chapters tonight to kick off #JaneAustenThenAndNow . So excited to spend a year in the world of Jane Austen! #PemberLittens

Starting this beauty today for #Pemberlittens #JaneAustenThenandNow 💜

It‘s been such a long time since I read it, so I‘m really looking forward to reacquainting myself with the characters!

#Pemberlittens It's time! I have several editions I will visit but this will be my main one. Gorgeous and has a ribbon bookmark. S & S has 50 Chapters so 2 Chapters a Day, if that's your preferred reading. I'll probably aim for that but may get to a spot and want to finish. How about you? ? #JaneAustenThenAndNow

"The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex."

Here is my first #bookspin list of 2025! I did this one a little differently. There‘s space for mood reads and also for reading books that will end up in our daughter, Ellie‘s, nursery library once she arrives in May! And, of course, plenty of fantasy reads 🐉

Thanks for hosting this challenge, @TheAromaofBooks 😊

Today in 1775 Jane Austen was born. I celebrated with Twinings English breakfast tea, raspberries and creme scone, and an Austen movie marathon in the order of the books publications. The teapot lid has the beginning of Pride and Prejudice on the pages. Made by Carters of Suffolk.

Very similar to Pride & Prejudice. Enjoying it so far! It's like the 1800s version of Sex and the City but more pretentious. Spill that tea, Jane 😅

Had some great options but I am feeling a need to break free from the murder mysteries for a few days. Up next, Austen's first novel (1811) preceding Pride&Prej by just two years. Jane was 35 years old when she published her first book.

The bed and breakfast next door to me holds Jane Austin weekends. This weekend was ‘special‘. It was a Sense and Sensibility gathering. Our town was having its annual parade and celebration today and folks attending the B&B event intermingled with the rest of us. Men in top hats and women in bonnets. Sadly I only remembered to take a photo as they walked back to participate in parlor games.
https://onehundredmain.com/events/jane-austen-weekends/

#Brown 🤎 #CoverLove 🎆🇺🇸🎇🍔🌭🍉🕶️🩱☀️

#BookNerd 🤓📚💙

I am *in love* with this vintage Folio set of Austen's compete works- a gift from my thoughtful husband. Kicking off a full re-read with Sense and Sensibility, my sentimental favorite forever. #PemberLittens #CurrentlyReading

I connect to, and fall in love with, something different in each of Jane‘s books, but this is one of the few where I connect to the leading women in a way that I actually see whispers of myself in them and their actions. I know I always say I‘ve just read my favorite, but I actually think it may be true this time 😂 I‘m slowly rereading all her works so eventually I‘ll get back to you also on my favorite at 41.

I‘m so fickle. I think whichever Austen I‘m reading at the moment always becomes my favorite Austen all over again, until I pick up another 😂

May 1st 2020 - When #PemberLittens began our first Chapter a Day Readalong. You were a bright spot throughout the Pandemic. Wonderfully supportive after my house fire. I think of you every time I look at my shelf of Jane Austen books you sent me. 💙💙💙💙💙

Sense And Sensibility is definitely the cattiest of Austen‘s novels. Elinor in particular is a straight-up hater. She might put on a polite front for other characters, but Austen reveals as narrator that she is absolutely murdering everyone around her in her mind. You‘ve got to admire a girl who can filter like that! Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/sense-and-sensibility-jane-austen/

I loved this book, but dang! The bar is low here for men to be forgiven for their awful behavior! When those bad actions involve women, the women are blamed much more harshly. I liked Eleanor, but she forgave much too easily. I don‘t understand the point of the third Dashwood daughter, Margaret. I kept forgetting about her. #audiowalk

I disliked Mrs. Jennings when I first met her. She talks too much, and she‘s an awful gossip. Now I think she‘s pretty funny and has a good heart. I don‘t understand Eleanor‘s attitude toward Edward at all. He‘s not an innocent in the way he treated her. Marianne is growing on me; she‘s got a lot of faults, but she says what she thinks. I almost needed a sweater today. #audiowalk

My! John and Fanny Dashwood are pieces of work!

I'm just saying that I think Elinor deserves a drink, a hug, and ten million dollars in cash. (Or would that be pounds?) #reread #classics

#headoverheels #luckyinlove @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Read in January. 1995 movie watched today.

I wasn‘t sure I would enjoy this one as much as P&P or Persuasion, but I did. I read in print but also listened to Rosalyn Landor‘s lovely narration. I laughed out loud at some of the character‘s comments and behaviors,mainly the unsavory characters. #aam #authoramonth

#AuthorAMonth @Soubvihille Two sisters who are complete opposites in character spend most of their time trying to understand one another as they struggle with their world and finding happiness and husbands. Both undergo changes and learn to meet each other halfway as they grow closer together. Austen's wit and savage commentary about the social norms of the day are evident here as in her other books. I adored Elinor and Marianne. Next, the movie!

S&S is the first Austen book I fell in love with, and the one I've returned to the most throughout my life. My relationship with the characters has changed so much as I've aged, and it makes me deeply appreciate Jane's staggering skill. To see myself in a work at 14, at 26, at 35, and at 40, and to laugh and cringe and think back fondly is such a gift. On top of that, to continually take away new discoveries is a rare thing. #PemberLittens

Just as wonderful as I remember! No one does annoying neighbors and greedy family members better than Austen. I blew through this, listening while walking, working out, cooking, and painting. I haven‘t done a paint by number in over a year and I forgot how calming it was. Especially while listening to Austen :) #BookspinBingo #Authoramonth @TheAromaofBooks @Soubhiville

The Dashwood sisters are unlucky at love, thanks to men who were deceitful about their intentions. Meanwhile, their world is surrounded by nasty in-laws and busybodies and manipulators. Thankfully there are also a few kind souls who genuinely care about them and some luck and payback may help to put things to right. Rosamund Pike is an excellent narrator—taking the time to distinguish many characters and their emotions. #authoramonth

I hadn‘t read this one before so I decided to pick it up for #authoramonth. I now only need to read Mansfield Park and I‘ll have read all of Jane Austen‘s work!

I did like this one and I switched between audio and print. I‘ve never watched the movie either, so now I have to go find it!

I‘m on my third Austen book this month, fourth Austen book I‘ve read so far having read Emma some years back, but I‘m getting a little weary of her. Rosamund Pike is an excellent narrator and I‘m glad I switched to the audio—it‘s easier to keep going. But I am so tempted to bail. I‘m 5 hours into it, a big investment, with “only” 6-1/2 hours to go. Stay or go?

#authoramonth @Soubhiville

Since I‘ve finished reading Pride and Prejudice faster than expected, I thought I‘d given this one a try. #authoramonth @Soubhiville

Between Barton and Delaford, there was that constant communication which strong family affection would naturally dictate;—and among the merits and the happiness of Elinor and Marianne, let it not be ranked as the least considerable, that though sisters, and living almost within sight of each other, they could live without disagreement between themselves, or producing coolness between their husbands.
#SenseAndSensibility #JaneAusten #Classics 🖤🖤

#PemberLittens watch on YouTube this amazing musical play of Sense and Sensibility for FREE today!!!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=f5wwF3fSAW0KtEkV&v=-C2R3Jfbi28&feature=youtu.be

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

#prettycover #wordcloudclassics

#firstlinefridays

I am working my way through Jane Austen novels. I didn't enjoy this one as much as Pride & Prejudice. Overall, I didn't feel like very much happened, and I didn't care for any of the men.

If I had been told what this book was about I wouldn‘t have read it. The life in which adolescents only priority in life is to be married off, doesn‘t interest me enough to read a story about it more than once. But this novel is more than a story, and Austen‘s style of writing is so captivating that I enjoyed the whole of it. Such an intelligent author too, who didn‘t spend unnecessary pages on endless and fatiguing description.

I forgot to post that I'd finished this one. It was my first time reading it and I'd never seen an adaptation. The ending wasn't what I expected. I had something completely different in mind! In retrospect, *of course* it ends the way it does. Still, my version could have been good! 😂

Another classic from Jane Austen.

1. This was harder to determine than expected, so I‘m going to go with the tagged book.
2. As long as the author is not “phoning it in,” the series can go on indefinitely.
3. The Deborah Knott series by Margaret Maron. It was a satisfying ending but still a little bittersweet.
#wondrouswednesday

While I really liked this book, it's a hard read if you're somebody who needs constant action to stay invested.

I saw Jessica Swale‘s adaptation of Sense and Sensibility performed this summer and fell in love with the smart choices and beautiful production. It was a pleasure to read the adapted play. The added scenes between Elinor and Edward spark with chemistry. The little sister, Margaret, is fleshed out and I love the depth her naturalist tendencies add to the story. A brilliant stage adaptation for anyone who loves the original novel.