What is your relationship with Jane Austen?

I think I might be in the minority here (I'll be very curious to hear if I'm not!) but I'm not actually the biggest Jane Austen fan. I've only read 3 of her novels, and am currently reading a fourth, and I really admire them, but they're not all-time favorites for me. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed Hornby's Miss Austen--more than I expected to, given the fact that Austen isn't my favorite author. I'm curious to hear how your level of interest in Jane Austen affected your experiences reading Miss Austen.

I think Jane Austen is a fabulous writer. I enjoy her books and think she did a lot for women authors. Her style of writing is different from what I typically read and it's nice to intermix one f her novels after I've read many other types of books. I feel like her books really give me a sense of a well written classic.

I am a huge fan of Jane Austen and her novels. I enjoy immensely the interactions of her characters, experiencing with them their dreams and disappointments and feel very comfortable with her style of writing. As I read Miss Austen, I detected the same characteristics in Hornby's writing. Interesting that she lives in Kintbury, England, the setting for part of her story and site of detailed research which makes her novel so vibrant.

I have to admit I do not have much of a relationship with Jane Austen. I have not been interested in reading her books. I have seen them in the movies. I may have to go back and read some now that i have gotten interested in her life.

I have never finished a book by Jane Austen. But after reading this story, I feel like I may have to give her another try.

I have always liked Jane Austen, but not to the degree that one of my daughters feels about her. My daughter's favorite movie is also about Jane Austen. I read one of her books quite a while ago during high school. I have felt more currently connected to her through my daughter's love of Jane Austen and thought reading this book would be a good way to add to a conversation with my daughter.

LOL--I don't have a " relationship " with any author. I read several of her books in high school and at that time just loved the romance of it all and the sisterhoods she described. Since that time my only exposure to her have been the various BBC etc renditions of her works and little side movies and books that revolve around her--there was one in which a modern girl goes through the wall of her bathroom into Jane Austen's life. I find them all lovely escapes from modern stress--there is wit, romance, and conflict that all gets resolved and tied up with a lovely bow at the end. She falls into cozy mysteries and romances for me. Not a bad thing but not binge worthy either

The first Jane Austen book I read was Emma. I have loved her characters ever since. Emma remains my favorite, but only slightly above any of the other books. I find I can return to Austen's books over and over.

My relationship with Jane Austen is just starting in the last few years. I saw the stage play of Pride and Prejudice down at the Oregon Shakespearian Festival about 10 year ago. Other than watching movies made about the books on Netflix, I have started a few books but not finished. I admire her as an author, and believe she speaks to many people on many levels. I enjoy how she describes relationships and social morae's in her books. Part of me is very glad that we are living in 2021, even amid Covid than the strict social rules of over 125 years ago. During my summer reading this summer, I will start and finish a Jane Austen book, and finish one of my "to do's" on my bucket list.

I have not read any of her books but I’ve watched the movies Pride and Prejudice, Emma and Sense and Sensibility. I enjoyed all of them.

I consider Jane Austen to be one of my favorite writers. She draws vivid pictures of a society and a lifestyle that informs and enlivens her story and her characters. The dilemmas that women faced are particularly poignant and often told with an amusing bent. Lizzie Bennett and Emma are sympathetic characters, but they are also funny and very intriguing as the reader begins to see in these characters' lives conditions, considerations, and dilemmas that are still present 200 years later. Marriage and the stigma of non-marriage are examples. With these, Austen includes the importance of letter writing, nature, and friendship between women. Texting and email may have replaced letter writing but the importance of communicating is still a priority for women. Exercise, girls' nights and weekends, and belonging to women's groups are the modern day ways of connecting, which would have intrigued a modern Jane Austen. The context helps draw the characters, but the characters of 200 ears ago are still women we recognize, and that is why I always read and reread her. She is forever relevant.

I first read Pride and Prejudice for my first Jane Austin novel. Then Emma. And I have seen the movies based on her novels!

I really admire Jane Austen and have read each one more than once. Not a big fan of Northanger Abbey. Pride, Sense and Persuasion are my favorites. The opening line of P&P is one of the great openings of all time. She often uses the device of heading off somewhere else when the plot is running thin to give herself a few more characters to liven things up. My top 3 would definitely be among my desert island picks.

I read Pride and Prejudice so very long ago and I think that was the only Austen book I read. I have seen the books brought to life in films and enjoyed them, but while I was reading Miss Austen I was thinking I need to get out the Jane Austen books and read a few.

I had read every Jane Austen book by the time I finished high school and loved them all. At that time, there was not much publicity about Jane herself, so I was able to approach the books with no preconceptions. I also loved some of the films and other dramatization, foremost among them Sense and Sensibility (Emma Thompson) and Persuasion (Ciaran Hinds).

Knowing how many readers are huge fans of Jane Austen, I feel like whispering this....I have never read one of her novels. It's the truth, and I feel somewhat embarrassed to admit it.

After reading Miss Austen and enjoying it so much, I will be heading to the library. I feel like I know more about jane Austen as a person and would like to fill in the big gap in my reading history but reading one of her books as soon as I can.

Does anyone have a recommendation ~ what book would you suggest reading first, or what was your personal favorite?