Women in History discussion
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I've just got Aaron's to reading Persuasion. I haven't picked up any Jane Austen since school as I always remember struggling to get into her books. Now that I'm older I really enjoyed it. I especially liked the subtlety and observation of the different characters and situations, which I don't think you get as much these days now that we value 'sensibility' over 'sense'. As a way to view the lives of well to do women in Britain at the time it was also fascinating. You can really get a sense of an underlying frustrating with womens' lot in life.
I especially loved this line: "Men have had the advantage of us in telling their own story. Education has been theirs in so much higher a degree; the pen has been in their hands."
Yess! Go Miss Austen!
This is quite a quiet group isn't it, but maybe we can get it to pick up! I'm currently reading "The Wonder" by Emma Donoghue, which I'm finding fascinating partly because of the setting in rural Ireland in the 19th century.
My favourite recent book of the last year that I've read is "The NIghtingale" by Kristin Hannah, which really opened my eyes the experiences of French women (and indeed French people in general) in occupied France in WWII.
I've also only just read "Good Wives" by Louisa M Alcott having loved the recent film Little Women. I found this book incredibly moving even though I'm familiar with the story. It's still so immediate, even though a lot of the everyday life details seem so old fashioned and alien nowadays.
I generally love anything by Tracy Chevalier and she does a great job of bringing to life the lives of women in the past.
Would love to hear other people's recommendations.
I'm currently reading The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR'S Secretary of Labor and His Moral Conscience by Kirstin Downey. It's good, although you probably have to be interested in political history of the New Deal for it to keep your interest.