Jane Eyre Book Club

If you’re looking for a courageous, focused, and brilliant heroine to root for, consider Jane Eyre. 

Her creator Charlotte Brontë lived the hashtag “Nevertheless, she persisted” in Victorian England, overcoming poverty, tragedy, and relentless sexism to launch herself into the literary stratosphere.

First published in 1847, Jane Eyre imagines a world where children have agency, class privilege need not apply, women aren’t judged solely on their looks, and the life of the mind is a worthy quest, especially combined with the yearnings of the heart (and other body parts). 

If you haven’t read Jane Eyre since high school, you may be surprised at Brontë’s complex wit, sharp dialogue, and vivid descriptions. Her themes matter more than ever: her characters wrestle with the question of how to build a meaningful life and what God’s got to do with it.

Jane Eyre is the ideal book to accompany what promises to be a dramatic winter in America. Join us as we dive into Brontë’s gothic bildungsroman adventure across dark, stormy nights and cold, spooky English moors. 

We’ll explore Brontë’s life as part of one of history’s most famous sister threesomes, examine how they hid their female identities, and celebrate Charlotte’s legacy as a thinker, a novelist, and a romantic. 

Will meetings be recorded?

Yes, all meetings will be recorded and sent to all ticketholders automatically — so if you miss any of the meetings, you won't miss anything. 

Who is leading this club?

Audrey Van Buskirk, a Portland-based writer and editor, and Christopher Frizzelle, the Seattle-based founder of FrizzLit. They led the Dickens clubs together the last two holiday seasons. 

Which edition of the book are we reading?

If you want the edition that feels nicer in your hand — with a larger page size and deckled edges (but no footnotes) — get the Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. 

If you want a cheaper edition that's slightly smaller but has footnotes in the back, get the Penguin Classics. 

What do I need to read before the first meeting?

Nothing. There is no reading assignment before our first meeting. Expect to learn about Charlotte Brontë's life and the historical context for the novel.

Is financial assistance available?

Yes. If you would like to join this class but price is a barrier, sponsorship funds are available to help make it possible. Please apply here.

Thank you for donating

If you pay extra, you are automatically making a donation to the financial assistance fund. Thank you for making this class accessible to people who would not be able to afford it otherwise.

* *

Here are the two different editions we recommend (we'll refer to the page numbers in both during discussions):