Ted's review

Ted's review

Persuasion Persuasion
by Jane Austen

115437 Ted's review
rating: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
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One of the major sources of contention and strife in my marriage is the disagreement between my wife and me over what is the best Jane Austen novel (yes, we are both more than a bit geekish in our love of words and literature--our second biggest ongoing quarrel is about the merits of the serial comma).

For my money, there are three of Austen's six finished novels that one can make a good argument for being her "best":

"Pride and Prejudice" (the popular choice, and my wife's)
"Emma" (the educated choice--most lit profs go with this one)
"Persuasion" (the truly refined choice)

Harrold Bloom in "The Western Canon" calls it perhaps a "perfect novel," and while I disagree with some of his interpretations of the characters (yes, blasphemy, I know), I wholeheartedly concur with his overal assessment.

While all of Austen's novels are generally comic, "Persuasion" is the most nuanced. It's been described a...more

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message 1: by Ken
04/01/2008 10:04AM

877451 I had no idea your wife was opposed to serial commas. Knowing this is confusing, surprising, and shocking.

But three cheers for Persuasion and your review of it, which is perceptive, insightful, and eloquent. Like you, I find Persuasion autumnal, reflective, and transformative. It is always good to read, re-read, and ponder Austen's work, especially with this, her excellent, superlative, and best novel.

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message 2: by Julie
07/24/2008 03:33PM

264832 Emma is the educated choice? Now I feel all snooty.

Persuasion is gorgeous. I wouldn't attempt to deny it. But I'm pro-Emma.

Even my least favorite--Mansfield Park--is one of the best novels I've ever read.

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message 3: by Meghan
08/02/2008 07:18AM

326455 In school I focused on 20th Century literatur, and came late to Astendom. Emma? Really? I'd have picked Mansfield Park first. I am most partial to Persuasion on a personal level, but now will revisit it with scholarship in mind.

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