Jane Austen Book Club: "Persuasion"

Jane Austen’s final novel, a tale of near-misses and second chances, is also her greatest, because it was written with a full heart. Love, war, narcissism, snobbery, courage, and of course “persuadableness,” are just some of the themes Persuasion takes up.

Even if you feel jaded about Jane (or maybe have just grown weary of the screen adaptations), there is always something new to say, and feel, about her fiction—the dancing wit, the psychological acuity, the balanced sentences, the surprising weave of music and laughter. 

As we read Persuasion over four weeks together, and learn about Austen's life and how she created her fiction, we will also talk about the vexing, confusing, hopeful business of marriage—for Austen’s world, and for ours.

Who is leading this course?

April Bernard is a poet, essayist, and novelist who has taught widely—including at Columbia University, Amherst College, and Skidmore College. Her most recent novel is Miss Fuller (Steerforth, 2012); her most recent collection of poems is The World Behind the World (W.W. Norton, 2023); she has published essays, stories, and poems in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, Paris Review, and Book Post, among other publications. 

Are meetings recorded?

Yes. All meetings are recorded and automatically sent out to all ticketholders.

Which edition of the book are we reading?

We are reading this edition — buy that if you want to have the same page numbers as everyone else. And if you buy it using that link, you will be supporting FrizzLit in the process! 

What do I read before our first meeting?

Nothing. You do not need to read anything before our first meeting. Come ready to learn about Austen's life and the world in which she lived and wrote. 

Is financial assistance available?

Yes. If you would like to join this course but price is a barrier, financial assistance is available. Please apply here.

Thank you for donating

Thank you to everyone who pays extra to make a donation to financial assistance. We see your name on the list, and we do a happy dance of gratitude in your name. Thank you for making this class accessible to folks who would not be able to afford it otherwise.