I'm reading Jane Austin for the first time
By makingpots
@makingpots (11915)
United States
September 10, 2008 2:29pm CST
... and I'm 42 years old. I think that is crazy. I know that opinions very widely on her and her writing, but I just can't believe I have never gotten around to reading one of her novels yet.
My husband just shakes his head and smiles this weird smile every time I have one of these 'literary realizations'. Apparently he had the world's greatest high school literature teacher. He has read or had some pretty great exposure to all the classics. I seem to constantly be tripping over something I don't know because I haven't gotten around to reading that classic yet. It is kind of an inside joke with us that used to be pretty funny to me when I was younger, but now is starting to make me question my education and all I don't know.
Anyway, I have joined a new bookclub (where we meet once a month to discuss a book we all read) and next months book choice is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. I wouldn't have chosen this book on my own, so I am glad I'm being forced to read it. That's the reason I love belonging to bookclubs. I have not been a member of one for over 3 years now and I'm excited to be back.
So, for discussion, is their an author that you just can't believe you have never gotten around to reading yet?
And for additional interest, is their an author that you have read absolutely everything they've ever written?
4 people like this
7 responses
@jillhill (37353)
• United States
10 Sep 08
I have a tendency to read a few of their books then tire of their style. I read most of Stephen King's then after Pet cemetary I thought he had went off the deep end.....I have done alot of reading including buying the classics that I made my kids read. I think sometimes as they begin to write too much they become book mills and the books seem to start looking alot alike...Nora Roberts last book....I thought was not up to her regular standards etc...
2 people like this
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
10 Sep 08
We think a lot alike, jillhill. I tire of a writer's style even after just reading two books back-to-back. And I couldn't agree more about the book mill authors. I used to read Danielle Steele when I was in college for reading that I didn't have to think too much about. Now I can't even pick anything up by her without rolling my eyes. So formulaic, I can read the first chapter and write the rest of the book. Haha. But I sure enjoyed it at the time. And you gotta give it to them, they make a nice living being able to crank books out like they do.
3 people like this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
10 Sep 08
I have been on both sides of that conversation. My husband has read books - like The Alchemist - I have never heard of and I have read literary works he has never read (which to me is really weird because he was pretty much born with a book in his hand).
I really think that has a lot to do with where you went to school though. Almost every "English" class I took in Jr high and High School was really a Lit class.
I have only read a part of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. I can't say that I really enjoyed it.
I can't say that I have ever read all the books by one author. I have read a lot of books put out by an author before. Some people have been around so long that it would be next to impossible to find every book they have written - for example Stephen King.
Well, I don't think there is anyone I am concerned about not reading LOL I am going to pick up the Alchemist. It was just re-release din paperback for its 20th Anniversary. Funny since a few months ago my husband started talking about it before we even saw it in the store.
I am always surprised when people haven't read things like Fahrenheit 451, On the Road, or The Jungle.
2 people like this
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
10 Sep 08
I loved On the Road........ what a great book.
3 people like this
@lingli_78 (12821)
• Australia
11 Sep 08
i also never read her book before... and i think i still have lots of authors that i haven't read the book before... i'm not surprised though as i don't really have much time to spend to read... i try my best to allocate time to read again lately... take care and have a nice day...
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
10 Sep 08
Well, I'm only 26, and I haven't read it yet, so now I don't feel so bad. i seem to be so busy these days that i really don't have the time to sit down and read a book anymore. When I was in Arizona for the summer, I spent hours reading in the hot tub, but now that I'm back in the city, it seems that all I do is work, work, work.
1 person likes this
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
10 Sep 08
Dont work too hard, danishcanadian!
I know what you mean... I'm missing all the reading time I had at the pool this summer.
2 people like this
@Bluepatch (2476)
• Trinidad And Tobago
11 Sep 08
One of the nicest things about reading old books is finding that everything in the book relates to a previous time in your life.
The great thing about old classics is that they present a different set of values in this valueless world we live in.
I once read a book written by a Nobel Prize winner in the 1930's and it was a truly exhilarating experience.
For the duration of my reading I lived in my father's time.
A wonderfull experience.
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
• United States
11 Sep 08
I don't think I've read any of Jane Austen's books and I'm 55. I've heard that "Pride and Prejudice" is good though.
I am currently reading "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte....for the last 3 or 4 months. I still have about 50 pages to read yet.
I would love to be in a book club but since I work overnights, sleep through the day, and the local library book club meets in the afternoons, I can't attend.
I did not discover Little House on the Prairie books until I was in my early 40's. I love them! I have also read nearly all of James Herriot's book. I have read many of Beverly Lewis and Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. I've read only a few of Stephen King's book. I just could not get through his "Needful Things". I was reading a lot of V.C. Andrews, too. Until I lost track of all the different "series".
A friend of mine suggest that I read "Caine Mutiny" by Herman Wouk. I was not sure if I would like it or not. I really enjoyed reading that book. It was written in such a way that I understood the different areas of the sea that was traveled and the parts of the submarine.
I have about ten books that are waiting to be read. One of them is "The daVinci Code". I wonder what that one is going to be like.
As far as reading absolutely everything that an author has written? No, I haven't.
I did not discover Little House on the Prairie books until I was in my early 40's. I love them! I have also read nearly all of James Herriot's book. I have read many of Beverly Lewis and Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. I've read only a few of Stephen King's book. I just could not get through his "Needful Things". I was reading a lot of V.C. Andrews, too. Until I lost track of all the different "series".
A friend of mine suggest that I read "Caine Mutiny" by Herman Wouk. I was not sure if I would like it or not. I really enjoyed reading that book. It was written in such a way that I understood the different areas of the sea that was traveled and the parts of the submarine.
I have about ten books that are waiting to be read. One of them is "The daVinci Code". I wonder what that one is going to be like.
As far as reading absolutely everything that an author has written? No, I haven't. 
