Jane Austen, the Secret Radical

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

While in #Bath, I visited the #JaneAusten center. Tbh the shop is better than the exhibition, but the love for these books really shines through in every detail. There were multiple pictures of brooding Mr Darcy, played by Colin Firth (notice the pin), spread throughout the center, which was hilarious.
What‘s your favourite Austen novel? I‘ve only read P&P and Emma.

Ruthiella I love them all except Mansfield Park. I need to re-read it and consider the time it was written. Fanny is a difficult heroine to like for this modern reader. 6mo

Cuilin I love them all, but my favorites are Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility. I‘d love to visit Bath. 6mo

bookandbedandtea Persuasion is my favorite book despite Lizzie & Darcy being my favorite couple. ❤️ My next favorite is either P&P or S&S depending on my mood and which one I read most recently. 6mo

Deblovestoread Persuasion, S&S and P&P are my faves. I hope to get to Bath one day. 6mo

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Daisey

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

pick

I started this in print & finished on audio over a year later after having reread each of Austen‘s novels. I found Kelly‘s thoughts on each book intriguing, but at the same time, I take much of it with a grain of salt. I didn‘t truly enjoy some of Austen‘s work on a 1st read because they weren‘t as light of reads as expected, & in that respect, this book helped me to consider & better appreciate the books from a deeper & more serious perspective.

Daisey #PemberLittens #nonfiction #audiobook 3y

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Andrea313

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Some of Kelly's book about Austen as a radical felt like a stretch to me. But reading this moment in Mansfield Park today sent me right back to Kelly's writing. Though I've been aware of slavery hovering in the story's background, that phrase, "the chain and the cross", practically knocked me over. Mansfield Park is very concerned with what is moral, and damn if Jane doesn't put the most important questions right in front of us. #PemberLittens

SamAnne Thanks for this share. 4y

KVanRead Wow. Super interesting. Do you recommend Kelly‘s book? 4y

Andrea313 @KVanRead I do, though I advise anyone who reads it to take it with a grain of salt (or a shaker full, at times). I love thinking about old favorites in new ways, and this book certainly prompted some new thinking for me- though some of her theories feel far-fetched at times. I think the chapters on Mansfield Park and P&P were my favorites. 4y

Daisey I haven‘t read all of Kelly‘s book, but I‘ve felt much the same about the chapters I‘ve read. Looking forward to this chapter when we‘ve finished Mansfield Park. 4y

21 likes4 comments

Andrea313

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Went up north to chill and read books, and made a new friend. #PemberLittens #currentlyreading #WildBirdsOfLitsy #MittenLitten

Linsy Ooh I‘ve had my eye on that one 4y

melissajayne Love when that happens! 4y

rubyslippersreads Wonderful photo! 4y

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quietjenn Aw, hello friendly bird! 4y

LeahBergen Omg!! 💗 4y

inthegreensandblues How lovely! 💓 4y

LitStephanie I can't believe that sweet little chickadee perched on your book! Looking forward to your review. 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm ❤️😱❤️ 4y

HOTPock3tt Enjoy your trip up north!! ☺️#MittenLitten #PemberLittens 4y

28 likes9 comments

Shay

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

pick

Kelly knows her English history, and uses it to illuminate the context of Austen‘s novels beyond the drawing rooms in which they take place. If her theories are sometimes far-fetched, they are always thought-provoking, and are looking to tie back to that history. No doubt I will be thinking of her ideas the next time I revisit the texts, even as I doubt I will be taking some of her theories to heart. Full review: https://wp.me/p2P6GA-5fv

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Andrea313

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Making more progress through this book while enjoying a rare summer breeze with Tom the Vigilant Yard Guardian. #currentlyreading #catsoflitsy #tomkitten

26 likes

batsy

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

pan

This is a strange book & (sorry) a ludicrous one. There's plenty of context but the method & manner in which Kelly sets about "radicalising" Austen means ignoring all of the work on Austen that came before. Like, Emma is not "about" enclosures & Mr. Knightley is not a kind of Marie Antoinette. These are factors that must be considered, of course: class, gender, politics. Doing so makes for fruitful reading. But this is a book of wilful misreading.

batsy I don't enjoy panning books where the author has spent time on her subject, so I tried to explain further why it bothered me https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3364211472 5y

TheAromaofBooks I think your GR review is very well articulated! I am frustrated sometimes by the desire to change classic authors into who we think they should be, or who we think they would be if they were alive today. If Austen were alive today, there's a very good chance that she would be greatly involved in various social justice campaigns, but it would be nearly impossible for her to have beliefs completely outside of her time - i.e. it's obvious from her ⬇ 5y

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) writing that she believes in more rights for women, but her writing doesn't suggest that she thought all women should be living independently with full-time careers because that was so completely foreign to her culture. I'm kind of rambling, but I get rather aggravated when people tell me what an author believed or thought, when it's actually almost impossible for them to have HAD that belief or thought due to their era of life. 5y

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Dostoyes Thank you for your terrific review, which has enriched my reading and understanding. 5y

sprainedbrain Great review! Thank you for validating my reasons for skipping this one the last couple of years. 5y

Moray_Reads I've had this for ages (cheap on kindle) and have been avoiding it because I suspected it would be like this.It's similar to how I had a falling out with lithub over one of it's articules about the “Dark Side“ of Austen's work. Obviously it's there, class, arranged marriage, lack of opportunity for women, elopements, but Austen never tackled the ills of society the way Gaskell or Dickens would later do 5y

batsy @TheAromaofBooks Thank you for your comments! Yes, I feel like this book had to fulfill a publishing trend of being part of a broader conversation about social justice, but you can't just steamroll past the novels itself & retroactively plonk 21st-century views willy nilly wherever you see fit. Which is what I felt the author did, hence my irritation. The thing is there's lots to discuss & mull over in Austen's books without having to do that :) 5y

batsy @Dostoyes Thank you, that's kind of you to say! 5y

batsy Thanks @sprainedbrain I know what you mean, I was avoiding it too. Had an instinctive sense about it that proved to be right 😆 5y

batsy @Moray_Reads Yes, I think you nailed it. She was an incredibly sophisticated writer & I think if she *wanted* to say more about certain issues to convey her radical politics, she would have found a way to do it like Gaskell or Dickens (or even Charlotte & Anne Brontë). Austen was a different type of writer & that's okay—I found that Kelly had to reach to make her points ... & she largely avoided so much of the scholarship that came before! 5y

meghathecloud I have been on the fence for this one, and your review justifies the feeling I was having that it will be putting Austen a little too ahead of her time. Great review! (edited) 5y

erzascarletbookgasm Very good and insightful review. 5y

ravenlee I have this one coming in my Book Outlet order (that‘s taking forever!) but I bought it with a huge helping of skepticism. I will read it (eventually, someday) the same way. Thanks for the warning! 5y

batsy @meghathecloud @erzascarletbookgasm Thank you! 5y

batsy @ravenlee I'm sorry for being so down on it but a huge dose of skepticism will help 👍🏽 On the plus side, at the very least it'll make people want to reread Austen 🙂 5y

LeahBergen Blergh. I have this sitting on my shelf (and I was a bit hesitant about the concept to begin with). It may be getting donated. 😆😆 5y

batsy @LeahBergen I shouldn't say this, but! I don't think you'll miss out on much 😬😆 5y

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Andrea313

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Just when I thought I couldn't love Lizzy any more...! I like this book more with each chapter, and even though I'm taking my sweet time getting through it, it's an engrossing read. #currentlyreading #PemberLittens

Daisey I plan to read this chapter by chapter as we read through all of her novels. 5y

rubyslippersreads @Daisey That‘s a great idea. 5y

Andrea313 @rubyslippersreads @Daisey I agree! I'm finding it pretty insightful; I hope it adds to your reading! 5y

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HappilyEverKrafter

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Those imaginary people, to whom she gave their most beautiful ideal existence, survive to speak for her, now that she herself is gone.

rubyslippersreads Lovely quote. 5y

HappilyEverKrafter I thought so too! Thank you! 😊 5y

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Andrea313

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

I've been taking this one slow; so far, I've finished the chapters on Northanger Abbey and Sense and Sensibility. Though "radical" is a bit strong for ways in which Kelly characterizes Austen's writing, her insights are illuminating and interesting. Looking forward to the rest! #PemberLittens

sprainedbrain Stacking! 5y

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Andrea313

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

I'm reading the tagged book alongside my #chapteraday of Sense and Sensibility, and loving it! When a single chapter doesn't feel like enough, I can pick this book up and keep enjoying the worlds that Austen has created. #PemberLittens

sprainedbrain What a great idea! I‘ve had the book on my list for a while! 5y

Andrea313 @sprainedbrain Same here! I thought it was a perfect time to finally dive in, and it really has held me to being very slow and deliberate with S&S. 5y

BronwynMahon Oh man, I‘ve never heard of this book before and now I need to read ASAP! 5y

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Crinoline_Laphroaig

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Proud to be a Obstinate Headstrong Girl?
Tell me Tales of your Rebel ways.
I'm a Childfree by Choice Vegetarian who goes to Yoga on Sunday mornings. I read Banned Books while drinking Laphroaig Whisky Neat. ✊
#mymotherwouldnotapprove
#obstinateheadstronggirl
#austeninaugust2019

HOTPock3tt I am also child free by choice and loving life! ♥️😃 5y

sprainedbrain I love that shirt!! 😍 5y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @sprainedbrain Amazon. 5y

See All 13 Comments

Crinoline_Laphroaig @HOTPock3tt Life is good! 5y

Bookzombie Child free by choice 🙋🏼‍♀️ 5y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @Bookzombie @HOTPock3tt we have a Pack. 5y

JanuarieTimewalker13 I‘m childfree but I can‘t swear that it‘s by choice, even though I‘m loving the outcome. Lol Being an aunt was enough for me. 5y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @JanuarieTimewalker13 Being an Aunt is awesome. My role model is

Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade

Zelma Another very happy childfree person. 👋 we have a large fur family and love it. 5y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @Zelma Fur babies are the best babies! 5y

JanuarieTimewalker13 Hahahaha!!! YES!!! Rosalind Russell was SO good in that film!! I‘d like to read the book one day!! 5y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @JanuarieTimewalker13 It's been awhile but I remember it as really good. 5y

Eyelit 💙💙💙 5y

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Andrea313

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Joining in for #AustenInAugust2019! Thanks for leading, @Crinoline_Laphroaig. Here's a Jane-related title on my #TBR; has anyone read this?
📷: The Literate Quilter

Crinoline_Laphroaig I've not read. Excited to hear your thoughts. 6y

sprainedbrain This sounds interesting! Stacking. 6y

Daisey I‘ve read part of this book, the chapters about the Austen books I‘ve already read. I thought it was really interesting, although I‘m not sure I agree with all of the author‘s thoughts. I specifically appreciated Sense & Sensibility on a second read with the discussion in this book as well. 6y

Andrea313 @Daisey Thanks for your thoughts! I'm definitely looking forward to reading this. 6y

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Leelee08

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Book mail is the very best mail.❤️📚❤️

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sammisho

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

so-so

I always knew that Austen's novels are full of satire, social/political commentary and sarcasam, it's one of the things I love about Jane Austen. This book, examines each of Jane's completed novels and almost line by line points out all the hidden and double meanings. I found those book interesting and appreciated looking at the novels in a wider perspective based on the social and political climate of the time ⬇⬇⬇⬇

sammisho but I also thought some of the theories presented were far fetched. So little is known about Austen, so the author really had to use some guesswork on wha Jane may or may not of intended to do with her work. The author is convinced that these novels were not meant to be "fodder for my regency romantic fantasies". While I agree with that to a point. I also believe Jane wanted to provide entertainment and an escape from reality.⬇⬇ 6y

sammisho I also found the delivery somewhat dry and clinical, which detracts from the beauty and "special-ness" that I love in Jane Austen novels. Prehaps, I am just a hopeless romantic, and don't want to see deeper meanings in my most beloved stories, but I think there's author missed the mark. 6y

Daisey I haven‘t finished this yet, reading just a chapter at a time once in a while, but I do agree some of the theories seem far-fetched. I‘m still finding the way it‘s making me think about the books fascinating. Glad to see what you thought! 6y

sammisho @Daisey I did think it was super interesting and I will be thinking about some of her ideas next I do a reread. But I rolled my eyes a lot too! 6y

mabell Great review! I'm one who would prefer to keep the "magic" ? 6y

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sammisho

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Another Sunday afternoon of #audiobaking. Lemon muffins, butterscotch blondies, and really flat chocolate chip pumpkin muffins.

This book is interesting, but not sure I completely agree with all the author's theories. Has anyone else read it? Thoughts?

vivastory Looks delicious! 6y

Soubhiville Mmmmmmmmm! 6y

Daisey I did some baking today too. This dreary weather makes it a good day for baking! 6y

46 likes3 comments

TheAnitaAlvarez

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

pick

When I was in high school, a friend asked my why I liked Jane Austen, as she was only a writers “of manners”. And I‘m sure Jane Austen may seem like that superficially, but she‘s so much more than that. Helena Kelly does a brilliant work of presenting how Jane Austen approached hard social topics in her novels and their subversive nature as a female writer in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Highly recommend to any Austen fan.

Daisey I‘m reading this a chapter at a time as I have a chance to revisit each of the novels and loving it. It‘s very much making me think more carefully about her work as I read. 6y

TheAnitaAlvarez @Daisey it has always bothered me when people dismiss Austen as merely writing romance novels, she tackled class, women‘s rights, slavery, and war. And she did all from the domestic space in which women were confined back then. It‘s amazing. 6y

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jillrhudy

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

so-so

This book had some interesting history and literary criticism but boiled down to: Austen thought marriage was dangerous due to childbirth, landowners hurt and neglected the poor, the nobility were snobs, the church was full of hypocrites, slavery was lousy, and Lizzie & Darcy‘s relationship defies social norms. None of these ideas is “radical”, nor is it a “secret” that Austen‘s novels reveal them. #AusteninAugust #AnglophilesofLitsy

Crinoline_Laphroaig Thank you for the review! It's been on my maybe I should read list for awhile. 6y

jillrhudy @Crinoline_Laphroaig you‘re welcome! 6y

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ShellYeah

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Just started this audiobook yesterday and so far it‘s interesting enough to keep going but feels a little repetitive.

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Daisey

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

I couldn‘t resist; I had to immediately read the first few pages of this book and I‘m intrigued. I doubt I‘ll read straight through, instead I plan to focus on a chapter or two relevant to her books I‘ve read more recently at first.

#JaneAustenSwap

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Daisey

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Thank you @Captivatedbybooks for this wonderful package for #JaneAustenSwap! I love that I now have copies of all these Jane Austen books and these are lovely editions. The tagged book sounds absolutely fascinating. If it were a cold day, that mug would be immediately put in to use and the bookmarks are beautiful. 💕 📚

mabell, sprainedbrain

sprainedbrain Lovely gifts! ❤️ 7y

Captivatedbybooks Glad you liked it 7y

erzascarletbookgasm Wonderful gifts 💝👏 7y

mabell Such pretty editions! 😍 7y

Daisey @Captivatedbybooks It‘s fantastic and I already read a few pages of The Secret Radical. 7y

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LeahBergen

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

@Melissa_J !! I love it all so much!!

The Bennet sisters t-shirt, the P&P quote tote bag, the Emma page flags! 😍 That Penguin P&P mug with the Cream Earl Grey tea! 😍 And the books, the wonderful books! 😍 You truly knew just what to get me. Thank you so much, my friend. 😘

And thank you to our amazing hosts, @sprainedbrain and @mabell . You two did a wonderful job! 😘

#JaneAustenSwap

Sophoclessweetheart Omg! The best one yet! 🖤🖤 7y

BookaholicNatty These are some ahhhhhhmszing Austen goodies!!!!📚😍😍😍 7y

erzascarletbookgasm Amazing gifts you have there!!😍 7y

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CouronneDhiver Beautiful 7y

Mitch Great T! 🥇 7y

Graciouswarriorprincess Love that T! 7y

TrishB Loving looking at all these gifts 💕 7y

BookishMe Incredible goodies! ;D 7y

Cinfhen Soooooo cute!!!!!! 7y

sprainedbrain Oh my goodness! So much gorgeous stuff. That shirt!! 😍😍😍 7y

mabell I love it all!! ❤️❤️ The tote! The mug! The books! 😍😍 So lovely!! 7y

eanderson 💕💕💕💕 7y

Melissa_J Yay! I‘m so glad you like everything. I had so much fun shopping for you 😊 7y

Kalalalatja Wonderful gifts! 7y

staci.reads Love the t-shirt! 7y

Elisa How awesome that tee?? 😍😍😍 Also that “The Secret Radical” book — I had never heard of it until today but now I simply but get myself a copy!! 😄 7y

LauraBeth Wow! ALL are such amazing gifts! 😍 7y

emilyhaldi Awesome gift!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 7y

Reviewsbylola Love the shirt!! 7y

rubyslippersreads 😍😍😍 7y

ValerieAndBooks Wow, very nice! I have the Secret Radical in my TBR and I really enjoyed

A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter

LeahBergen @Melissa_J I love it all! I had to get on a flight yesterday morning so I‘ve had hardly any time with my new gifts. I‘ll be reunited with them next week. 😆 7y

LeahBergen @Melissa_J The tote just came back from a walk to Shoppers Drug Mart (I spent enough to get the Lancome bonus gift 😆). 7y

Melissa_J I‘m sure everyone you came across was admiring it 😊 Mine goes to work with me. 7y

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Emilymdxn

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Today‘s #bookmail part 1 livening up my desk at work! Been wanting to read the Jane Austen one for aaaaages

Sophoclessweetheart Ahhh! This Jane Austen book is high on my wish list x 7y

Emilymdxn I‘ve been walking past it in the bookshop window for weeks and knew I had to have it! 7y

25 likes2 comments

alisiakae

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

This is what I was trying to post when #LitsyApocalypsePartDeux occurred! 😵😵😵

With the #JaneAustenswap coming up, I‘d love to hear what is at the top of everyone‘s wish list. These are my current most wished for Austenite books. 😊

Hope everyone is sane again now that Litsy is back up and running. 😂

mabell, sprainedbrain

TheLibrarian I did a happy dance when it came back up. 7y

TaylorMay All of these are now on my TBR! Except Eligible because I already endured that one 😫 7y

mabell What a great idea to post which ones are at the top of your wishlist! 7y

See All 10 Comments

sprainedbrain This is a great idea! Also, I‘m 😂 at the enduring comment @TaylorMay 7y

TaylorMay @sprainedbrain lol sorry I wasn't the biggest fan of that one. 7y

alisiakae @sprainedbrain @TaylorMay Yikes! I have actually never read any of Sittenfeld‘s books, but it *sounds* good! That is how I felt about Death Comes to Pemberley. 7y

alisiakae @TheLibrarian me too! @mabell I‘m even more interested in seeing what is at the top of other Litten‘s lists! ❣️❣️❣️ 7y

TaylorMay @4thhouseontheleft you may love it! It just wasn't for me. ❤ Promise though if you do read it follow it up with the Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube. That is a much better modern retelling in a totally fun and quirky vlog style 7y

rustoryhuf I actually would love a copy of Austenland the movie. I‘ve read so much about it here on #Litsy and no one is streaming it. 7y

Sophoclessweetheart These all look amazing! I think I‘ll pop one of these up too! 😍 7y

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Heideschrampf

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

How i love a late breakfast, raiding my mom's fridge... yaaaawn.... 😮😴🍳☕️🥓#booksandbreakfast

Cinfhen Such a pretty pic 😍 7y

Sills Oh yum😍 7y

Christine11 Looks delicious! 7y

ephemeralwaltz 😍😍😍 7y

70 likes4 comments

Heideschrampf

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

HAPPY PANCAKE DAY, EVERYONE! ❤️🥞🥂
#booksandbreakfast

Buechersuechtling Yupp. Pancakes rule. My dinner tonight. 😋 #PancakeDay 🥞 7y

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hel-the-gell

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Mini #library #bookhaul for today. I was clearly feeling a theme!

8 likes

roneea

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Rome is book heaven! This is a row of stalls near the main station that sells books all night long, heavenllyyyyyyyyyyy
#bookishholiday

I'm reading the Secret Radial and loving this refreshing take in Austen. Its very in line with the way I studied Austen at uni as a Romantic.

BrainyHeroine I love Rome, they have so many great bookshops and stationary stores 7y

roneea @BrainyHeroine so awesome! In Australia bookshops are slowly becoming extinct so it was so fun to accidentally stumble into bookshops in almost every street! 7y

8 likes2 comments

Somasis

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

pick

A wonderful companion for any Jane Austen fan, Kelly focuses on each of Austen's books, offering historic context, social clues, and a well written interpretation of each. This had me itching to revisit Jane's world.

10 likes

Heideschrampf

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

#booksatbreakfast with spinach'n cheese omlette and leftover swedish cinnamon rolls

30 likes

Heideschrampf

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Still trying to limit my focus on my upcoming term paper an BA exam on good ol Jenny, but keep getting distracted by this and that and their mother's favorite read... 📚🔜 #emojinov #booksatbreakfast #booksandbreakfast

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Heideschrampf

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

#booksandbreakfast plundering my mum's fridge and enjoying the autumn sun ☀️ 🍂

emilyhaldi Yum!! 😋 7y

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Heideschrampf

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

#booksatbreakfast

JoeStalksBeck Beautiful pic! 7y

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Christy2318

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

pick

“Forget the Jane Austen you think you know. Forget the biographies; forget the pretty adaptations. Ignore the banknote. Read Jane‘s novels. They‘re there to speak for her; love stories, yes, though not always happy ones, but also the productions of an extraordinary mind,in an extraordinary age. Read them again.” I‘m not sure I agree with all of her analysis but this was an interesting read. Recommended for the serious Janeite.

MarriedtoMrT Cute face!😻 7y

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CoffeeCatsBooks

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

pick

Thoughtful read. I didn't agree with all the author's points & other points I thought she took too far, but it was an interesting way to reexamine Austen's works. I thought her comments on Mansfield Park were particularly insightful & I'm tempted to re-read it, despite very much disliking the character Fanny. I'll probably re-read all of her novels soon. I wish I had know someone who was reading this while I was, as I really wanted to discuss it.

ValerieAndBooks I have this, I won it in a giveaway — I‘ll try to get to it soon and we could discuss 😊. It‘s been a long time since I‘ve read Austen though, so I probably wouldn‘t be an authority on whether I agree on the author‘s opinions. 7y

CoffeeCatsBooks @ValerieAndBooks That would be great!! 📖 7y

tpixie @sammisho 7y

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Leftcoastzen reading it right now , but only 23 pages in . 7y

CoffeeCatsBooks @Leftcoastzen Well, one of the points I thought she went too far with happens in her first section on Northanger Abbey. 7y

Leftcoastzen @CoffeeCatsBooks I just read that first section , it‘s more than a bit out there, but still enough interest to keep reading. 7y

CoffeeCatsBooks @Leftcoastzen If I remember correctly, I disagreed with her about P&P and didn‘t agree with her portrayal of Colonel Brandon, but I‘d like to re-read S&S in case I‘m relying too much on the movie version. 7y

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Bird

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

So excited ! 😍 #JaneAusten

brennahawleycraig I have this at home to read too!! 7y

Bird I‘m only about 30% in but I love it so far! 7y

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Heideschrampf

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Preparing for next semester's seminar on dear jenny! #austentacious

Sarah83 Please tell me, how you like it. It wasn't sure, if I should buy it or not. 7y

Heideschrampf @Sarah83 i will! I'm not too far in yet, but it seems an interessting mix between literary essay and fictionalised biography 7y

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CrowCAH

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Found these two lovelies on the new shelf next to each other! #SHPL

the_alternate_ending_library I need that copy of Jane Eyre 😍 7y

bookloo @the_alternate_ending_library Second this! 😍 7y

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ValerieAndBooks

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Book mail! I won this in one of those publisher's sweepstakes I'm always filling out 😊. Looks very interesting. Thanks to Penguin Random House for this!

LauraJ Sounds like a really cool book. 7y

Melissa_J This sounds great! Stacked. 7y

LauraBeth This sounds really good 😀 7y

See All 6 Comments

LeahBergen Lucky you! 7y

batsy Fantastic! I'm really interested in this and look forward to your thoughts. 7y

Suet624 Ooohhh. Nice! 7y

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catiewithac

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

pick

I don't often indulge my English Lit degree tendencies, but this book was a pure delight for me. Not so much biography as close textual and historical analysis of Jane Austen's novels. Of course I've read everything by Jane (more than once!).

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Jen2

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

pick

Great audio book!!! I learned so much!

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MrBook

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

#TBRtemptation post 5! This is a great time for Jane Austen fans with so much material coming out on the 200th anniversary of her passing. Released in May. Helena Kay, a leading authority on Austen, reassesses Austen's life to make clear that the icon has been misread over the last centuries. The real Jane Austen was subversive, treasonous even, and how her works were revolutionary thinking for her time. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

gossamerchild Books about Jane Austen, yes! 😍😍 8y

melissanorr I very much enjoyed this book! 8y

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rubyslippersreads

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Some vintage Jane and some new, to commemorate #janeausten200.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful ❤️ 8y

TheLondonBookworm 😍😍😍😍 8y

[DELETED] 3803335244 I love Jane! 8y

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Birdsong28

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Book haul!! The Jane Austen book is a #blameitonlitsy book 📖📚

11 likes

jenniferw88

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

#startswithj #splashintosummerreads @Tiffy_Reads

Birdsong28 Also recommend

Fan Phenomena: Jane Austen

111 likes1 comment

rubyslippersreads

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

Look at the fabulous Jane-Austen themed treasures I received from @sarielizbeth 😍 I can't wait to read, color by ❤️Mr. Darcy❤️ candlelight (yes, that's the name of the 🕯), and wear my adorable pins! Thanks so much for a very thoughtful gift! 😀 #summersantagoespostal

BookishMarginalia

sarielizbeth You are welcome! So glad you like it! 8y

Books88 Sooo cute!!! 8y

Hollie Very nice! 😀 8y

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CrowCAH I don't think you adore Jane Austen at all! 😂😉 8y

rubyslippersreads @CrowCAH Oh no, not one bit! 😂😂😂 8y

LeahBergen Oooo!! 8y

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lycomayflower

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

I knew that the maternal death rate was comparatively not great in the US, but jeez Louise

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melissanorr

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical | Helena Kelly

pick

I very much enjoyed reading this. While I wasn't with her arguments 100%, there were several things that I learned about the time and world of Austen that definitely informed her work in ways I simply didn't know before.

8 likes