Today is Jane's birthday. She would be 236. (and I'm celebrating by getting my wisdom teeth out. bleh.)
Anyway, back to how much I love Jane. It fascinates me that I refer to her as Jane, and not as Austen. Usually when you talk about authors you refer to them by their last name, but when it comes to Jane, it just doesn't feel right to call her Austen, like you would Steinbeck or Dickens. She feels like a close friend, not a distant author on some distance philosophical plane. I feel like I could tell her anything.
This is the table where she did all her writing, at the cottage at Chawton. One day I hope I'll be able to see it myself. |
Anyway, If you are looking for a book to read over the winter, when the snow is up past the windows and you can't get your car out the driveway, Jane Austen is the way to go. I fell in love with Pride and Prejudice, and personally, I believe it is the easiest to get through. However, my favorite is Persuasion. If you only have time for one book, go with that one. If you have time for more than one, save it for last. Like a treat. :)
Happy Birthday Jane <3