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The Jane Austen Remedy
An uplifting and delightfully bookish memoir about an 89-year-old woman who reclaims her life by re-reading each of Jane Austen's novels.
As she approached the age of seventy, Ruth Wilson began to have recurring dreams about losing her voice. Unable to dismiss her feelings of unexplainable sadness, she made the radical decision to retreat from her conventional life with her husband to a sunshine-yellow cottage in the Southern Highlands where she lived alone for the next decade.
Ruth had fostered a lifelong love of reading, and from the moment she first encountered Pride and Prejudice in the 1940s she had looked to Jane Austen's heroines as her models for the sort of woman she wanted to become.
As Ruth settled into her cottage, she resolved to re-read Austen's six novels and rediscover the heroines who had inspired her; to read between the lines of both the novels and her own life. And as she read, she began to reclaim her voice.
The Jane Austen Remedy is a beautiful, life-affirming memoir of love, self-acceptance and the curative power of reading. Published the year Ruth turns ninety, it is an inspirational account of the lessons learned from Jane Austen over nearly eight decades, as well as a timely reminder that it's never too late to seize a second chance.
As she approached the age of seventy, Ruth Wilson began to have recurring dreams about losing her voice. Unable to dismiss her feelings of unexplainable sadness, she made the radical decision to retreat from her conventional life with her husband to a sunshine-yellow cottage in the Southern Highlands where she lived alone for the next decade.
Ruth had fostered a lifelong love of reading, and from the moment she first encountered Pride and Prejudice in the 1940s she had looked to Jane Austen's heroines as her models for the sort of woman she wanted to become.
As Ruth settled into her cottage, she resolved to re-read Austen's six novels and rediscover the heroines who had inspired her; to read between the lines of both the novels and her own life. And as she read, she began to reclaim her voice.
The Jane Austen Remedy is a beautiful, life-affirming memoir of love, self-acceptance and the curative power of reading. Published the year Ruth turns ninety, it is an inspirational account of the lessons learned from Jane Austen over nearly eight decades, as well as a timely reminder that it's never too late to seize a second chance.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2022
About the author
Ruth Wilson
1 book22 followersRuth Wilson read her first Jane Austen novel in 1947. In 2021, at the age of eighty-eight, she graduated from The University of Sydney with a PhD that suggests a new approach to reading literary fiction at school.
She encourages her four children, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren to read widely, wisely and well. She and her husband are LATs, a married couple who live apart together.
She encourages her four children, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren to read widely, wisely and well. She and her husband are LATs, a married couple who live apart together.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
August 20, 2022
It occurred to me that my greatest love outside family and work had always been a love of reading fiction; of all the novels I had read, Jane Austen’s were my benchmark for pleasure as her heroines had been models for the sort of woman I wanted to become. A nostalgia for those books swept over me. So I decided to think of recovery as a rehabilitation of my reading life, and to start by revisiting the six novels. I wanted to re-read those passages that had made Austen’s fiction important to me: the bons mots, the well-worn quotations and the lively conversations. I didn’t know it then, but I was embarking on an untested approach to reading. I was making Austen’s novels a starting point for exploring the satisfactions and dissatisfactions of my own life, framed and illuminated by her fictional universe.
On our daily dog walk the other day, I explained to my horrified sister-in-law what I had learned about The Jane Austen Remedy from its Introduction: When Ruth Wilson turned sixty, she started developing vertigo (diagnosed as Meniere’s syndrome, Wilson would think of it as more a metaphysical disease of the soul), and when she turned seventy, she realised she was still not well, “In a revelatory surge, I had stumbled into a moment of truth: I was out of love with the world and I was not happy.” With a family legacy that allowed her to buy a cottage in Australia’s Southern Highlands — and with no small dose of inspiration from writers like Virginia Woolf and Germaine Greer — Wilson decided to leave her “bewildered” husband of over fifty years and live in her cottage, alone: “It was, I thought, time to take my turn; a last chance to examine what had become of a girl’s once-upon-a-time great expectations of life.” I knew from the Introduction that Wilson had seemingly known domestic happiness with her husband and four children, she had had a fulfilling career and a life of travel, continuing education, and lively interactions with a large circle of friends, but at seventy she felt it had not been enough (she had always felt the patriarchal power imbalance in her marriage and wanted to finally have the last word on matters that concerned her) and she determined to do something about it. And in this initial conversation with my sister-in-law, we couldn’t decide if this was bravery or madness: when is selfishness the ultimate act of kindness towards oneself, and when is it an antisocial assault on the world around you? Happily, this is just the Introduction, and throughout the rest of her memoir, Wilson relates the story of a fascinating life — tying events to lessons learned from a lifetime of reading, but especially to the rereading of the novels of Jane Austen; her passion project for the next decade — and she certainly makes the case that even at seventy it’s not too late to create the life one has always wanted (Wilson eventually turned elements of her Austen reading project into a doctorate dissertation at eighty-eight and the publication of this memoir has coincided with her ninetieth year). The biographical bits were engrossing, the social commentary was wise, and the intertextual connections were exactly to my taste. The writing, the thinking and lived experience behind the writing, and the connection to the greater human project are all of the highest level: I can’t give fewer than five congratulatory stars for a life well-lived and well-told. (Note: I read an ARC through NetGalley and passages quoted may not be in their final forms.)
In real life we read both for pleasure and beyond pleasure. We read to pick up clues that help us to navigate our lives and relationships, and expand our understanding of ourselves and the world we live in. And on re-reading Northanger Abbey as I undertook my reading cure, I became convinced that this novel, like the others that Austen produced, was doing that for me, stimulating me to ruminate on fiction with a renewed awareness that what had been missed in the past might now be a guiding light for the future.
Over the course of The Jane Austen Remedy, there are chapters devoted to each of Austen’s six novels, with Wilson discussing the plots, the universal lessons that might be learned from each, and how she relates the various storylines and heroines to her own life (while one doesn’t need to have read the novels to understand Wilson’s discussion of them — I haven’t read them all — I suppose this would be of ultimate interest to the diehard Austen fan). Wilson also shares what other novelists and biographers have written about Austen, but ultimately, this is Wilson’s memoir; the story of how she found herself living with the consequences of “being born on the wrong side of feminist history”, and I was fascinated by the whole thing. The heart of this work — and what sounds like the heart of Wilson’s career — might be found in the following:
Elie Wiesel’s novel Night is one of the earliest and most powerful testimonies to the enormous void in moral awareness in the absence of empathy. The Nobel prize-winning author reflected on why the heirs of Kant and Goethe, Germans who were among the best-educated people on earth, were not inhibited by their education from behaving as they did when they set out to exterminate whole human populations — not just Jews, but Romani, homosexuals, and people with intellectual or physical disabilities and mental illness. According to Wiesel, it was made possible by the fact that education — including education constructed around great literature — took the wrong direction. By emphasising theory and concepts and abstractions rather than values and consciousness and conscience, it subverted its own intentions. He was implying, I believe, that the factors contributing to the development of an empathetic consciousness were discouraged by the educational approach.
Wilson's background is as an educator, and not only did she lead a celebrated project on recording the stories of Holocaust survivors, but the emphasis on empathy over theory in her approach to education eventually led to a dissertation that “positions Jane Austen in the field of empathy”. (So while reading the six Austen novels and using their storylines to tell her own life story may seem slightly gimmicky, Wilson actually did re-read those novels in her eighth decade and became a published Austen expert; this is not so much gimmicky as a well-crafted exemplar of Wilson’s theories on empathy; I absolutely came around to seeing life through her eyes and recognise the bravery that it took to reclaim her life.)
That’s the thing about reading: our brains hold an archive of everything we have ever read. I have noticed that, in some mysterious way, reading memories surface from nowhere to connect with a random present moment. From Austen, Elizabeth, the Bennet family and marriage I wander into Margaret Drabble’s and Penelope Mortimer’s territory; I tune into remembered resonances with Graham Swift and Mothering Sunday, wander on to comparisons with Henry James and Isabel Archer, and then reflect on my own life and my own memories, pleasant and otherwise. That’s the rather messy business that we readers engage in as we look for coherence in what we are reading. It is also how many of us come to terms with our own lives, making some sort of sense of our life stories as we read.
May 3, 2022
This was an interesting read. From her home in the Southern Highlands, Ruth Wilson looks back at her own life and ties it in with the six Jane Austen novels she has not only read but rereads. As well as the Austen books a number of other books are mentioned. Some I was familiar with. Others not so much. Ruth is obviously widely read and it shows.
While her attitudes, background and experiences of life are very different to my own, I enjoyed reading this book. It is not a book that compelled me to keep reading, like a novel might, but I was happy enough to pick it up, read a bit, move to a novel and then come back and read some more. And perhaps that is the best way to approach this book, a little at a time as it gives the opportunity to reflect on and consider points put forward. It is worth reading for its observations of Austen and how great literature can enhance a life. I really enjoyed it. My thanks go to Allen&Unwin for my ARC to read and review.
While her attitudes, background and experiences of life are very different to my own, I enjoyed reading this book. It is not a book that compelled me to keep reading, like a novel might, but I was happy enough to pick it up, read a bit, move to a novel and then come back and read some more. And perhaps that is the best way to approach this book, a little at a time as it gives the opportunity to reflect on and consider points put forward. It is worth reading for its observations of Austen and how great literature can enhance a life. I really enjoyed it. My thanks go to Allen&Unwin for my ARC to read and review.
August 28, 2022
I chose not to finish this book because I wasn’t appreciating the content. Very well written by a woman who attended USyd when a lot of women were not lucky enough to experience this. She married and had a great career based on literature and teaching, but felt very oppressed as many women in her era did. Feeling depressed and seeking solace, she retreats from her marriage and home to a self imposed isolation to the Southern Highlands to re read all the Austen novels.
A very smart woman, this is a book heavy of Austen content where she compares her life and experiences to the books she adores. This is an unusual book that will appeal to literature and Austen lovers alike.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for my uncorrected proof copy to read and review. Ruth Wilson has an extremely interesting story. And a PhD at 88. I’m simply in awe!
A very smart woman, this is a book heavy of Austen content where she compares her life and experiences to the books she adores. This is an unusual book that will appeal to literature and Austen lovers alike.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for my uncorrected proof copy to read and review. Ruth Wilson has an extremely interesting story. And a PhD at 88. I’m simply in awe!
May 10, 2022
I know my opinion is going to be unpopular, but I couldn't finish this book. I was excited by its premise: to use Jane Austen's novels as inspiration for an examination of a life. Unfortunately, there was way too much Jane Austen for me, and not enough of Ruth Wilson's examined life. There is an assumed deep knowledge of all Austen's books, which I do not possess so I found myself skimming more and more. The balance between academic research and memoir is too heavily weighed towards the academic for my liking.
This book is for the Austen fans only.
This book is for the Austen fans only.
August 10, 2022
DNF
I don’t really know what I expected from this book, perhaps some discussion on the how and why of Jane Austen's popularity and relevance to 21st century life, that Ruth Wilson had obtained from a re-reading of all of Jane Austen’s books. However, what we got was Ruth Wilson’s partial autobiography, interspersed with her re-readings of Jane Austen’s books in her Southern New South Wales Highlands cottage. The narrative jumped backwards and forwards but with no real continuity or connection. There was a lot of angst about: the expectations that society placed on women; how she felt stifled in her marriage; and her perceived lack of opportunity. This was interspersed with her opinions and feelings about the 6 novels of Jane Austen. Each novel is discussed with insights into how that particular book with its heroines had an impact on Ruth’s life. Ruth Wilson laments on how being a woman limited her choices in life, and yet there is no acknowledgement of her own privileged life. The facts: she was able to study at the University of Sydney after leaving high school; that she was able to pursue a career in education with post-graduate studies; and that she and her family were able to live and work in Israel. However, this is all set against a background of how restricted her life was.
Ruth Wilson uses both literary and other references (Ibsen, Michel Foucault, Charles Dickens, etc.) but there is no contextual connection to really explain their relevance to Jane Austen and her novels. If you did not know these authors it would be hard to understand the message that Ruth Wilson was trying to impart. The book attempts to be academic in the discussion, but fails to maintain that standard. It is neither an academic analysis of the relationship between Jane Austen and her novels and Ruth’s life, nor is it a straight autobiography of the influence of Jane Austen.
I have been reading Jane Austen’s books for 50 years and have just re-read all of her novels and this book did not engage me nor did I have any “Yes, I felt that too” moments. I read about the first 80 pages and then just skimmed the rest.
Just for the record: the Jane Austen Society of Australia that Ruth mentions should be the Jane Austen Society of New South Wales.
I don’t really know what I expected from this book, perhaps some discussion on the how and why of Jane Austen's popularity and relevance to 21st century life, that Ruth Wilson had obtained from a re-reading of all of Jane Austen’s books. However, what we got was Ruth Wilson’s partial autobiography, interspersed with her re-readings of Jane Austen’s books in her Southern New South Wales Highlands cottage. The narrative jumped backwards and forwards but with no real continuity or connection. There was a lot of angst about: the expectations that society placed on women; how she felt stifled in her marriage; and her perceived lack of opportunity. This was interspersed with her opinions and feelings about the 6 novels of Jane Austen. Each novel is discussed with insights into how that particular book with its heroines had an impact on Ruth’s life. Ruth Wilson laments on how being a woman limited her choices in life, and yet there is no acknowledgement of her own privileged life. The facts: she was able to study at the University of Sydney after leaving high school; that she was able to pursue a career in education with post-graduate studies; and that she and her family were able to live and work in Israel. However, this is all set against a background of how restricted her life was.
Ruth Wilson uses both literary and other references (Ibsen, Michel Foucault, Charles Dickens, etc.) but there is no contextual connection to really explain their relevance to Jane Austen and her novels. If you did not know these authors it would be hard to understand the message that Ruth Wilson was trying to impart. The book attempts to be academic in the discussion, but fails to maintain that standard. It is neither an academic analysis of the relationship between Jane Austen and her novels and Ruth’s life, nor is it a straight autobiography of the influence of Jane Austen.
I have been reading Jane Austen’s books for 50 years and have just re-read all of her novels and this book did not engage me nor did I have any “Yes, I felt that too” moments. I read about the first 80 pages and then just skimmed the rest.
Just for the record: the Jane Austen Society of Australia that Ruth mentions should be the Jane Austen Society of New South Wales.
April 9, 2022
Difficult to write a review as this is at times, quite dense, academic - yet overall such deep self reflection on her own life by drawing on Austen to find insights .. so that by the end I felt inspired by her realisation of self.
There were parts where I thought ‘that’s a long bow’ and others where the focus on Austen’s use, for example, of ‘seemed’ in first sentence of ‘Emma’ is almost overkill as I thought that ‘seemed’ leapt out at the reader.
Certainly a book I’ll return to again .. as well as the Austen novels of course.
There were parts where I thought ‘that’s a long bow’ and others where the focus on Austen’s use, for example, of ‘seemed’ in first sentence of ‘Emma’ is almost overkill as I thought that ‘seemed’ leapt out at the reader.
Certainly a book I’ll return to again .. as well as the Austen novels of course.
June 4, 2022
Thought-provoking and insightful.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
July 23, 2022
‘The joy of re-reading is the chance that it offers to read differently.’
‘The Jane Austen Remedy’ is one of those beautifully written life-affirming books which come a reader’s way, every so often. I owe my discovery of this book to my local library’s 2 Busy Book Club, which selected it for our July read. The book was published in the same year as the author turns ninety, but the journey described started much earlier.
As she approached seventy, Jane Wilson began to experience recurring dreams about losing her voice. Unable to shake these feelings off, she retreated from her married life to a cottage in the Southern Highlands where she lived for the next decade. Once she settled into her new home, Ruth decided to re-read Austen’s six novels:
Pride and Prejudice
Northanger Abbey
Sense and Sensibility
Mansfield Park
Emma
Persuasion
‘The best writers allow us to choose where we put our attention at the time of reading, and they allow us to change our minds when we re-read.’
I was intrigued. Jane Wilson writes about how she first discovered Jane Austen in the 1940s, and how Austen’s heroines were (in part) role models. While I have never read Austen in quite that way, there are authors who hold a similar place in my own reading life, including Emily Brӧnte, Dorothy Dunnett, Hilary Mantel and Don Watson. Writers who enable me to see the world differently and think about ‘what if’. Writers who invite and reward re-reading.
‘Every time you read her, the story seems to be slightly different; you notice a different emphasis, a nuance that had escaped you.’
Ruth Wilson found that re-reading Jane Austen’s novels enabled her to reclaim her own voice. And it is a reminder that we can seize second chances, if we are courageous enough.
Each of six chapters deals with one of the Austen novels. While I know each of the novels by name, I have only read three of them. My first step towards remedying this was to purchase ‘The Complete Novels by Jane Austen’. I won’t be looking for the same answers as Ruth Wilson, but I will be looking to better appreciate Jane Austen’s work. Every reader reads differently.
Highly Recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
‘The Jane Austen Remedy’ is one of those beautifully written life-affirming books which come a reader’s way, every so often. I owe my discovery of this book to my local library’s 2 Busy Book Club, which selected it for our July read. The book was published in the same year as the author turns ninety, but the journey described started much earlier.
As she approached seventy, Jane Wilson began to experience recurring dreams about losing her voice. Unable to shake these feelings off, she retreated from her married life to a cottage in the Southern Highlands where she lived for the next decade. Once she settled into her new home, Ruth decided to re-read Austen’s six novels:
Pride and Prejudice
Northanger Abbey
Sense and Sensibility
Mansfield Park
Emma
Persuasion
‘The best writers allow us to choose where we put our attention at the time of reading, and they allow us to change our minds when we re-read.’
I was intrigued. Jane Wilson writes about how she first discovered Jane Austen in the 1940s, and how Austen’s heroines were (in part) role models. While I have never read Austen in quite that way, there are authors who hold a similar place in my own reading life, including Emily Brӧnte, Dorothy Dunnett, Hilary Mantel and Don Watson. Writers who enable me to see the world differently and think about ‘what if’. Writers who invite and reward re-reading.
‘Every time you read her, the story seems to be slightly different; you notice a different emphasis, a nuance that had escaped you.’
Ruth Wilson found that re-reading Jane Austen’s novels enabled her to reclaim her own voice. And it is a reminder that we can seize second chances, if we are courageous enough.
Each of six chapters deals with one of the Austen novels. While I know each of the novels by name, I have only read three of them. My first step towards remedying this was to purchase ‘The Complete Novels by Jane Austen’. I won’t be looking for the same answers as Ruth Wilson, but I will be looking to better appreciate Jane Austen’s work. Every reader reads differently.
Highly Recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
September 22, 2022
This is a hard book for me to review. I like the idea of this memoir but the execution fell flat. Ruth Wilson chronicles her life and the impact of Jane Austen on her through 8 chapters. I struggled to follow her journey as each chapter focused on many people in her life instead of the immediate event of rereading Jane Austen in her 70s. I felt like this has been presented as a memoir when it functions as a autobiography so I was lacking the intention of one event and one period of time. This is unfortunately two stars for me but I hope someone else will find this as a book for them.
I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
June 7, 2022
Picked up this book after listening to a podcast interview with Ruth. What an interesting life, a life loving and living through books, a life so completely different to mine.
Billed as a memoire and Told using copious book quotations, the book jumps from one thought and experience to another, always back to books and Jane Austen, leaving the reader somewhat disoriented for at least the first quarter of the book. If not for the appeal endowed by the podcast, I would have abandoned the book early, but I stuck with it. Alas, it didn’t get better.
Two stars for an amazing podcast interview given by an 89 year old.
Billed as a memoire and Told using copious book quotations, the book jumps from one thought and experience to another, always back to books and Jane Austen, leaving the reader somewhat disoriented for at least the first quarter of the book. If not for the appeal endowed by the podcast, I would have abandoned the book early, but I stuck with it. Alas, it didn’t get better.
Two stars for an amazing podcast interview given by an 89 year old.
January 27, 2024
Ruth has provided me with a greater understanding of Jane Austen and of myself.
April 18, 2022
This book caught my interest, as a lover of Jane Austen, an also because it brought back a memory of reading ‘Letters to Alice’ by fay Weldon, many years ago where Fay writes to her niece to explain to her that Jane Austen was so much more than books, but a reflection on life’s journeys. This was a different book, but equally echoed the praises of Austen. Ruth Wilson wrote her memoir taking stock on the good and bad moments in her life. Whilst writing she re-read six Jane Austen novels and found they seem to weave themselves into the rich tapestry that was her own life so well. Jane Austen’s writing was laced with dry wit and humour, emotion, mockery, and she openly criticised the women of her time through the characters she created. Ruth’s reflections on her life journey, coupled with Jane’s fictional anecdotes stir a fire and passion within Ruth which she gives us on the very pages of this book. Their detail and their depth helped Ruth to her life, her relationships (current, past and emerging) and what really mattered to her. What was clear was Ruth’s passion for reading fiction.
Fiction opens doors to the imagination, to the heart and to the soul: it can spark memories and have you reminiscing all over again on the wonderful things in your life, as well as the ones that may be unforgiving. Fiction builds this level of understanding in yourself and others because it is often built upon relationships – much of Jane Austen’s writing is relationship based as well. Yes, Austen’s novels may be set several hundred years ago, but those life experiences and emotions are pretty much the same. There are characters in these books and in life that you love, are in love with, are lusting for, people whom you despise, drive you mad, and those infuriate you. There’s even ghosting of sorts and fake friends and acquaintances! As you read through Ruth’s own personal memories where the references to Austen are nested within, there are beautiful moments of realisation that she shares with you about her life journey.
Fiction opens doors to the imagination, to the heart and to the soul: it can spark memories and have you reminiscing all over again on the wonderful things in your life, as well as the ones that may be unforgiving. Fiction builds this level of understanding in yourself and others because it is often built upon relationships – much of Jane Austen’s writing is relationship based as well. Yes, Austen’s novels may be set several hundred years ago, but those life experiences and emotions are pretty much the same. There are characters in these books and in life that you love, are in love with, are lusting for, people whom you despise, drive you mad, and those infuriate you. There’s even ghosting of sorts and fake friends and acquaintances! As you read through Ruth’s own personal memories where the references to Austen are nested within, there are beautiful moments of realisation that she shares with you about her life journey.
August 12, 2022
I enjoyed this - probably largely because I embarked on my own mission to reread all of Jane Austen's books toward the end of last year. I did it with a friend and we read one a month. I was re-reading our last book, Pride and Prejudice, when I read this - and it almost made me want to go back over the ones we did earlier again!
I don't think I got the same things out of my reading as the author did - I didn't necessarily look for parallels in my own life with each of the books, but it was an enjoyable read.
Thanks to Allen & Unwin for my uncorrected proof.
I don't think I got the same things out of my reading as the author did - I didn't necessarily look for parallels in my own life with each of the books, but it was an enjoyable read.
Thanks to Allen & Unwin for my uncorrected proof.
May 11, 2022
I might need to revisit this book in 10-20 years not sure if it hit me the way it should’ve. still interesting but I also have a headache
August 30, 2023
The Jane Austen Remedy – Ruth Wilson
You know those books that you keep coming across when you’re out and about, maybe you’ve heard it recommended, but it takes you being desperate for something to read in an airport to finally pick up a copy, and then it becomes a pivotal book in your life? Yeah well, Ruth Wilson’s The Jane Austen Remedy is one of those books for me.
It’s the story of reflecting on a life through Austen’s six novels and this story fell into my life at the perfect time. On the back of a break-up, trying to find a home in a rental crisis, and the building pressure of my PhD programme, Ruth’s words provided solace, comfort, and insight into all the aspects of my life I had questions on.
My copy of this book is covered in sticky note flags, with quotes underlined and margin notes of my own reflections in response to Ruth’s journey. At first, the quotes I most resonated with were about reading or re-reading, things like, “That’s the thing about reading: our brains hold an archive of everything we have ever read.” (76). Eventually, underlined quotes turned to thoughts or epiphanies that resonated deeply with me or my situations in life. I was drawn to the included Austen quote from Northanger Abbey “There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” (119). A quote that I felt described the core of my personality eloquently and better than I ever could. I, like Ruth, am deeply grateful for Austen’s words and the comfort they are providing me as I try to navigate this changing chapter in my life.
“I am addicted to the art of conversation.” (122)
I find something for me on every page. At times, I found statements I wanted to share with my friends. A “look, this is relevant to you” moment where I was not only reflecting on my own position and situation, but those that belong to the ones I love. In my head, I’m having conversations with these friends and deeply sharing with them what these words mean to me and what I think they might mean to them based on what they’ve told me.
I am, admittedly, in a much earlier stage of my life and relationships than Ruth was when she embarked on this journey. I’m only twenty-five years old, but I felt that the insights that Ruth has to offer ended up being the exact kind of advice I needed or wanted as I tried to wade through my own loneliness. Because, while I read this book, I was deeply lonely and always aware that when I picked up this book, I was sitting next to the person who was responsible for the deep discomfort and upset I was experiencing in life as I read it. I gained confidence from Ruth’s words and journey. She uprooted her life so late, sat in her discomfort, and returned to the moments that brought joy. Eventually, she came back to her own happiness and so while I’m still in the middle of the discomfort, I have hope and confidence that it will all be good in the end.
I haven’t read all of the Jane Austen novels, I dropped out of my university Jane Austen course because I found the lecturer a bit pretentious, but Ruth’s journey has inspired me. I’m now on a mission to make my way through Austen’s six novels. I’ll start with Pride and Prejudice for two reasons: 1. Because I bought the T2 x Penguin collaboration and I now own a gorgeous penguin paperback and 2. Because Ruth suggests Pride and Prejudice as a remedy for heartache:
“Symptoms: erratic judgements; lack of perspective
Treatment: exposure to high spirits and ideas about evidence-based decisions
Dosage: once during teens; yearly for life
Side Effects: discomfort caused by feeling shame for flawed judgements
Benefits: sense of humour restored; sense of judgement improved; resilience encouraged.
You know those books that you keep coming across when you’re out and about, maybe you’ve heard it recommended, but it takes you being desperate for something to read in an airport to finally pick up a copy, and then it becomes a pivotal book in your life? Yeah well, Ruth Wilson’s The Jane Austen Remedy is one of those books for me.
It’s the story of reflecting on a life through Austen’s six novels and this story fell into my life at the perfect time. On the back of a break-up, trying to find a home in a rental crisis, and the building pressure of my PhD programme, Ruth’s words provided solace, comfort, and insight into all the aspects of my life I had questions on.
My copy of this book is covered in sticky note flags, with quotes underlined and margin notes of my own reflections in response to Ruth’s journey. At first, the quotes I most resonated with were about reading or re-reading, things like, “That’s the thing about reading: our brains hold an archive of everything we have ever read.” (76). Eventually, underlined quotes turned to thoughts or epiphanies that resonated deeply with me or my situations in life. I was drawn to the included Austen quote from Northanger Abbey “There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” (119). A quote that I felt described the core of my personality eloquently and better than I ever could. I, like Ruth, am deeply grateful for Austen’s words and the comfort they are providing me as I try to navigate this changing chapter in my life.
“I am addicted to the art of conversation.” (122)
I find something for me on every page. At times, I found statements I wanted to share with my friends. A “look, this is relevant to you” moment where I was not only reflecting on my own position and situation, but those that belong to the ones I love. In my head, I’m having conversations with these friends and deeply sharing with them what these words mean to me and what I think they might mean to them based on what they’ve told me.
I am, admittedly, in a much earlier stage of my life and relationships than Ruth was when she embarked on this journey. I’m only twenty-five years old, but I felt that the insights that Ruth has to offer ended up being the exact kind of advice I needed or wanted as I tried to wade through my own loneliness. Because, while I read this book, I was deeply lonely and always aware that when I picked up this book, I was sitting next to the person who was responsible for the deep discomfort and upset I was experiencing in life as I read it. I gained confidence from Ruth’s words and journey. She uprooted her life so late, sat in her discomfort, and returned to the moments that brought joy. Eventually, she came back to her own happiness and so while I’m still in the middle of the discomfort, I have hope and confidence that it will all be good in the end.
I haven’t read all of the Jane Austen novels, I dropped out of my university Jane Austen course because I found the lecturer a bit pretentious, but Ruth’s journey has inspired me. I’m now on a mission to make my way through Austen’s six novels. I’ll start with Pride and Prejudice for two reasons: 1. Because I bought the T2 x Penguin collaboration and I now own a gorgeous penguin paperback and 2. Because Ruth suggests Pride and Prejudice as a remedy for heartache:
“Symptoms: erratic judgements; lack of perspective
Treatment: exposure to high spirits and ideas about evidence-based decisions
Dosage: once during teens; yearly for life
Side Effects: discomfort caused by feeling shame for flawed judgements
Benefits: sense of humour restored; sense of judgement improved; resilience encouraged.
September 10, 2023
“It is truth universally acknowledged that a book can change your life.”
What a lovely read! I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jenny Seedsman, and enjoyed every second of it. Essentially, this book is a collection of essays regarding the Jane Austen novels and Ruth Wilson’s personal life. But it’s much more than that. It is a book full of wisdom and insight. It’s a memoir. It’s a conversation with a friend.
I love the way Ruth Wilson writes. She’s thoughtful, funny, and intelligent. In my opinion this book is more literary criticism than personal memoir. So keep that into account when reading. (I also believe that fans of Jane Austen will have more appreciation for this book than those who are not)
What a lovely read! I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jenny Seedsman, and enjoyed every second of it. Essentially, this book is a collection of essays regarding the Jane Austen novels and Ruth Wilson’s personal life. But it’s much more than that. It is a book full of wisdom and insight. It’s a memoir. It’s a conversation with a friend.
I love the way Ruth Wilson writes. She’s thoughtful, funny, and intelligent. In my opinion this book is more literary criticism than personal memoir. So keep that into account when reading. (I also believe that fans of Jane Austen will have more appreciation for this book than those who are not)
December 10, 2022
This book was purchased on a whim at a Colac bookstore on a recent book trip with two other avid readers. Much like the book store itself, there were no expectations beyond trying a novel that might or might not be interesting.
Much to my surprise and delight, it has proved to be very engaging and a pertinent reminder that sometimes a risk is well worth taking in reading as in life itself.
I am sure this is one book to which I will return at various points in time and like this author in her re-reading of Austen classics, continue to discover new insights not only about the writing and the author but also oneself as a reader.
Much to my surprise and delight, it has proved to be very engaging and a pertinent reminder that sometimes a risk is well worth taking in reading as in life itself.
I am sure this is one book to which I will return at various points in time and like this author in her re-reading of Austen classics, continue to discover new insights not only about the writing and the author but also oneself as a reader.
September 4, 2022
This book weaves many threads - memoir, treatise on reading and elements of novels, celebration of Austen’s works, changing role and agency of women.
Wilson is well-read and parts read like adaptation of her PhD thesis - which it is. Some reviewers have criticised the repeated reference to a wide range of philosophers, authors and literature. I found Wilson’s wide ranging references and allusions sparked my interest and added other things to my “to read” list. Also, if you’re not sure what the reference is, Google it. Google is our friend!
I found her life story very interesting, enlightening and moving. I’d love to know what happened to her son and why she doesn’t mention him after returning from Israel. Are daughters the only ones who hang around and support mothers?
Wilson is well-read and parts read like adaptation of her PhD thesis - which it is. Some reviewers have criticised the repeated reference to a wide range of philosophers, authors and literature. I found Wilson’s wide ranging references and allusions sparked my interest and added other things to my “to read” list. Also, if you’re not sure what the reference is, Google it. Google is our friend!
I found her life story very interesting, enlightening and moving. I’d love to know what happened to her son and why she doesn’t mention him after returning from Israel. Are daughters the only ones who hang around and support mothers?
May 23, 2022
Although I mistakenly thought this was a book of fiction when I bought it, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this contemplative memoir structured as a meader through Jane Austen’s novels.
This of course also means that I now feel obliged to read or re-read them - I’ll have to decide whether this is a best form of Persuasion.
This of course also means that I now feel obliged to read or re-read them - I’ll have to decide whether this is a best form of Persuasion.
July 31, 2022
At 60, Ruth Wilson decided to undertake a project of rereading all of Jane Austen’s novels. At 84 she was accepted to study her PhD on Jane Austen and empathy. At 88 she became Dr Ruth Wilson and the newspaper announced it as “a Ruth universally acknowledged.” It was interesting to read how Wilson first came to read Austen and how her thoughts and focus on the novels changed with each reread over time.
November 16, 2022
Just as I finished The Jane Austen Remedy, I saw a quote online attributed to Les Brown, an American politician and motivational speaker: ‘You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.’ This phrase certainly rings true for Ruth Wilson with all she has accomplished in her late years. She received her PhD at age eighty-eight and her debut book has come out in her ninetieth year.
The Jane Austen Remedy caught my attention as soon as I saw the cover and its subtitle. Books definitely can be a great medicine for the soul. One of the beauties of this memoir is how Ruth confirms the universally acknowledged truth ‘that a book can change a life’ because it has for her and many others. She has also added a lovely feature in the last section of her book. Priceless Jane Austen remedies for various ailments. These are very clever descriptions with symptoms, diagnosis and a Jane Austen book prescribed as a remedy. Pure genius!
To say I was deeply moved and inspired by Ruth’s journey, is an understatement. Her Austen interpretations and insightful revelations are pearls of wisdom. I admire her for her accomplishments both academically and personally. And how she swam to shore, after years of feeling as though her own voice was drowning in a sea of competing norms, to eventually find her own safe place.
Society at various points in time, have not been kind to women of intellect. And Ruth lived through the dramatic changes and its effects on her life were deeply felt. But at the age of seventy, she had courage to take a different path, a road certainly less travelled or not at all—to a yellow cottage she named Lantern Hill in the Southern Highlands. Without her husband—to sort out her inner life. (And yes, she got the name from L M Montgomery’s Jane of Lantern Hill.) She went there to rediscover herself; to find her voice again. For ten years she remained in this cocoon of literature in a peaceful setting. Then at eighty-eight, she completed her PhD Thesis. Now at 90, her memoirs have made their way into this beautiful book: the story of her search for fulfilment and happiness.
This is an incredible portrayal of a journey through the regions of the body, soul and spirit. The effects of literature, particularly the novels of Jane Austen, and how they can and have been soul remedies for many, but particularly for Ruth Wilson. She speaks from a place of knowledge and experience. Ruth bares all – her heart is laid open like a patient to a surgeon. But this surgeon is Jane Austen and her surgical tools are her novels. Each novel speaks and ministers to Ruth in a different way and we are blessed in learning those whisperings spoken to her heart. Messages that convey many universal truths. Verities that waken the reader’s spirit and mind from mundane slumber.
When I was giving guest talks on poetry in Canadian schools, I would read one of my poems and then ask what it meant to each student. They looked surprised at first as they thought I only wanted them to recite back to me why I wrote the poem. For in studying literature, this approach is often expected. But I wanted a more personal reaction from my readers and listeners: to hear how my words reminded them of their own experiences or inspired new ideas. What memories came to mind? Relieved, that they were not expected to give a ‘particular or right answer,’ they became more relaxed and eager to share. The result? I heard the most amazing personal stories! Their minds flowed with inspired thoughts and released memories that may have been bottled up, pushed down or just shelved in the back of their consciousness. I was delighted and they were, too, at my response to them. This is what should happen with all creative works.
Ruth, upon reading Jane Austen’s novels at various stages in her life, was inspired, too. Re-readings brought even more morsels of truth to the surface and how these ideas fit in with her own life. The spark that literature can light in a soul— is endless. I think of a book as an eternal living entity that never dies. It carries messages indefinitely throughout the ages. For as humans, the act of communication is part of our being—it is our breath. We can create worlds with our words and thus it is an act of creation: a timeless wonder— a gift from our Creator. There will always be something new to learn and something old to visit once again.
Ruth is like a novel detective in her search for finding truth in literature, particularly in Jane Austen’s novels. She touches upon so many topics: friendship, fairy-tales, heroines, romance, empathy, the art of seduction in writing, the magic of reading on the brain, the endless war between the sexes and so on. Everything you will find in a Jane Austen novel and more. Even the eloquence and artful play of language which stood out to Ruth in her re-reading of Emma.
I was particularly touched by Ruth’s mention of the conflicts women faced during the world war years. First the freedoms women had when they were able to go outside the home and work—to keep industry rolling while the men were away fighting. But when the wars ended, men wanted their jobs back and women were expected to return to their original posts cooking, cleaning and caring for home and family. After the second world war ended, Ruth (as many women) struggled with this social backward step. She began to feel like a ‘second class citizen in the republic of marriage.’ She tried hard to find inner peace doing the domestic tasks but she did not achieve it—even with reading books ‘that appealed to her intellect’. She needed more. Which led to her leaving that confined world and entering new open spaces in the Southern Highlands to find the answers she sincerely sought.
She ‘was on a mission to overcome a malaise’ to renew her life force. She hoped by re-reading Jane Austen’s novels, which had shaped her younger view of friendship, marriage and identity, she could recapture that magic or at least find new morsels of truth that would guide her to fulfilment. During the process, she explored the question. Why do we read? ‘Reading emerges…as an antidote for many failures of human nature: ignorance, lack of discrimination and moral awareness.’ Austen’s Emma realises the value of reading but never gets around to it. She keeps lists of books she intends to read but never does. Unlike Ruth, who as a youth, read many books for it was her way of understanding human relationships. And when she took Pride and Prejudice off the library shelf, she was ready to read it. To enter that magical world where both sunshine and shadow were prevalent; where she could embrace ‘a vision of life beyond the marriage plot.’ She was ‘initiated into a lifetime of reading about fictional experiences that eventually shed light on periods of darkness in her own life.’
Fiction and friendship go hand in hand just as Ruth Wilson and Jane Austen do. Heroines, fairy tales and books about second chances are all part of the necessary mix to keep the lost or wandering soul on track. Reading for Ruth became a guiding light—a path to find answers and direction, to make sense out of life. Many of us know that change comes when we give ourselves permission to live and love ourselves. And so it was, after many years and through reading her favourite novels again, she was reborn with a new set of wings and a brighter courage. The tip of the wick was lit and she was now shining from the inside out… ‘no longer drowning but waving.’
I could write forever about this memoir and I have only mentioned a few gems here but I highly recommend The Jane Austen Remedy for it is brimming with truths, wonderful information on Jane Austen’s novels and remedies that all of us could use from time to time to help light our paths to understanding. For at the end of the day, we are all in the same life boat, sharing each other’s burdens and experiences. And yes, as Ruth Wilson reminds us, books can change lives. This is a thought-provoking memoir, original and inspiring that I whole-heartedly encourage everyone to read. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to Allen & Unwin for a review copy.
The Jane Austen Remedy caught my attention as soon as I saw the cover and its subtitle. Books definitely can be a great medicine for the soul. One of the beauties of this memoir is how Ruth confirms the universally acknowledged truth ‘that a book can change a life’ because it has for her and many others. She has also added a lovely feature in the last section of her book. Priceless Jane Austen remedies for various ailments. These are very clever descriptions with symptoms, diagnosis and a Jane Austen book prescribed as a remedy. Pure genius!
To say I was deeply moved and inspired by Ruth’s journey, is an understatement. Her Austen interpretations and insightful revelations are pearls of wisdom. I admire her for her accomplishments both academically and personally. And how she swam to shore, after years of feeling as though her own voice was drowning in a sea of competing norms, to eventually find her own safe place.
Society at various points in time, have not been kind to women of intellect. And Ruth lived through the dramatic changes and its effects on her life were deeply felt. But at the age of seventy, she had courage to take a different path, a road certainly less travelled or not at all—to a yellow cottage she named Lantern Hill in the Southern Highlands. Without her husband—to sort out her inner life. (And yes, she got the name from L M Montgomery’s Jane of Lantern Hill.) She went there to rediscover herself; to find her voice again. For ten years she remained in this cocoon of literature in a peaceful setting. Then at eighty-eight, she completed her PhD Thesis. Now at 90, her memoirs have made their way into this beautiful book: the story of her search for fulfilment and happiness.
This is an incredible portrayal of a journey through the regions of the body, soul and spirit. The effects of literature, particularly the novels of Jane Austen, and how they can and have been soul remedies for many, but particularly for Ruth Wilson. She speaks from a place of knowledge and experience. Ruth bares all – her heart is laid open like a patient to a surgeon. But this surgeon is Jane Austen and her surgical tools are her novels. Each novel speaks and ministers to Ruth in a different way and we are blessed in learning those whisperings spoken to her heart. Messages that convey many universal truths. Verities that waken the reader’s spirit and mind from mundane slumber.
When I was giving guest talks on poetry in Canadian schools, I would read one of my poems and then ask what it meant to each student. They looked surprised at first as they thought I only wanted them to recite back to me why I wrote the poem. For in studying literature, this approach is often expected. But I wanted a more personal reaction from my readers and listeners: to hear how my words reminded them of their own experiences or inspired new ideas. What memories came to mind? Relieved, that they were not expected to give a ‘particular or right answer,’ they became more relaxed and eager to share. The result? I heard the most amazing personal stories! Their minds flowed with inspired thoughts and released memories that may have been bottled up, pushed down or just shelved in the back of their consciousness. I was delighted and they were, too, at my response to them. This is what should happen with all creative works.
Ruth, upon reading Jane Austen’s novels at various stages in her life, was inspired, too. Re-readings brought even more morsels of truth to the surface and how these ideas fit in with her own life. The spark that literature can light in a soul— is endless. I think of a book as an eternal living entity that never dies. It carries messages indefinitely throughout the ages. For as humans, the act of communication is part of our being—it is our breath. We can create worlds with our words and thus it is an act of creation: a timeless wonder— a gift from our Creator. There will always be something new to learn and something old to visit once again.
Ruth is like a novel detective in her search for finding truth in literature, particularly in Jane Austen’s novels. She touches upon so many topics: friendship, fairy-tales, heroines, romance, empathy, the art of seduction in writing, the magic of reading on the brain, the endless war between the sexes and so on. Everything you will find in a Jane Austen novel and more. Even the eloquence and artful play of language which stood out to Ruth in her re-reading of Emma.
I was particularly touched by Ruth’s mention of the conflicts women faced during the world war years. First the freedoms women had when they were able to go outside the home and work—to keep industry rolling while the men were away fighting. But when the wars ended, men wanted their jobs back and women were expected to return to their original posts cooking, cleaning and caring for home and family. After the second world war ended, Ruth (as many women) struggled with this social backward step. She began to feel like a ‘second class citizen in the republic of marriage.’ She tried hard to find inner peace doing the domestic tasks but she did not achieve it—even with reading books ‘that appealed to her intellect’. She needed more. Which led to her leaving that confined world and entering new open spaces in the Southern Highlands to find the answers she sincerely sought.
She ‘was on a mission to overcome a malaise’ to renew her life force. She hoped by re-reading Jane Austen’s novels, which had shaped her younger view of friendship, marriage and identity, she could recapture that magic or at least find new morsels of truth that would guide her to fulfilment. During the process, she explored the question. Why do we read? ‘Reading emerges…as an antidote for many failures of human nature: ignorance, lack of discrimination and moral awareness.’ Austen’s Emma realises the value of reading but never gets around to it. She keeps lists of books she intends to read but never does. Unlike Ruth, who as a youth, read many books for it was her way of understanding human relationships. And when she took Pride and Prejudice off the library shelf, she was ready to read it. To enter that magical world where both sunshine and shadow were prevalent; where she could embrace ‘a vision of life beyond the marriage plot.’ She was ‘initiated into a lifetime of reading about fictional experiences that eventually shed light on periods of darkness in her own life.’
Fiction and friendship go hand in hand just as Ruth Wilson and Jane Austen do. Heroines, fairy tales and books about second chances are all part of the necessary mix to keep the lost or wandering soul on track. Reading for Ruth became a guiding light—a path to find answers and direction, to make sense out of life. Many of us know that change comes when we give ourselves permission to live and love ourselves. And so it was, after many years and through reading her favourite novels again, she was reborn with a new set of wings and a brighter courage. The tip of the wick was lit and she was now shining from the inside out… ‘no longer drowning but waving.’
I could write forever about this memoir and I have only mentioned a few gems here but I highly recommend The Jane Austen Remedy for it is brimming with truths, wonderful information on Jane Austen’s novels and remedies that all of us could use from time to time to help light our paths to understanding. For at the end of the day, we are all in the same life boat, sharing each other’s burdens and experiences. And yes, as Ruth Wilson reminds us, books can change lives. This is a thought-provoking memoir, original and inspiring that I whole-heartedly encourage everyone to read. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to Allen & Unwin for a review copy.
June 19, 2022
3.5*
I don't love Jane austen, but i love how much other readers love her. She seems to inspire a devoted following, and the way her fans discuss her novels, distilling their highlights and importance, makes me appreciate her work so much more than when i actually read it myself.
This book combines discussion of Austen with a personal memoir. It felt a bit disorganised, i wasn't always sure how the themes drew together as the topic jumped from one thing to another. But Wilson is a lovely writer so I enjoyed my reading all the same.
I don't love Jane austen, but i love how much other readers love her. She seems to inspire a devoted following, and the way her fans discuss her novels, distilling their highlights and importance, makes me appreciate her work so much more than when i actually read it myself.
This book combines discussion of Austen with a personal memoir. It felt a bit disorganised, i wasn't always sure how the themes drew together as the topic jumped from one thing to another. But Wilson is a lovely writer so I enjoyed my reading all the same.
January 26, 2023
I actually didn’t finish this book. It started well and had good promise but I found it hard to get past this woman’s writing and complaining about her white female privileges. Ie great education, good job and one day she wasn't happy with her world or the just world. 😡🤢🤢
May 15, 2024
I wasn't sure what to expect other than reading the book description for this anticipated book a few years ago. We scheduled it for a Jane Austen reading group, which means I will indeed read the book and contemplate its meaning and impact prior to the meeting, which I did.
I found the book to be very thought-provoking and heart-warming. It covered so much ground I wish in retrospect I had read it more slowly and over a greater period of time to think about the author's life and each of Austen's books, as she related each to her life. I wanted to understand and consider/contrast the books to my life as well, and also, relate to her autobigraphy, which largely fills these pages.
The book was hard to follow at times as it took us on a fascinating, though winding journey of Ruth's life, in keeping with her desire to describe Austen's impact on her life, and how she reframed it in the last 3 decades of her life.
In the end I loved the book because it entreated me to think about my interaction with Jane Austen's books. I admire her ability to deeply internalize Austen's books, especially in her re-readings later in life. She was able to deftly relate the books to themes that she shared of her life, some different from mine, two decades removed, others hauntingly similar. She also did considerable research on Austen's reception over the past 200 years, and she shares that insight and her perspectives on Austen in a way I found very interesting to read.
I found the book to be very thought-provoking and heart-warming. It covered so much ground I wish in retrospect I had read it more slowly and over a greater period of time to think about the author's life and each of Austen's books, as she related each to her life. I wanted to understand and consider/contrast the books to my life as well, and also, relate to her autobigraphy, which largely fills these pages.
The book was hard to follow at times as it took us on a fascinating, though winding journey of Ruth's life, in keeping with her desire to describe Austen's impact on her life, and how she reframed it in the last 3 decades of her life.
In the end I loved the book because it entreated me to think about my interaction with Jane Austen's books. I admire her ability to deeply internalize Austen's books, especially in her re-readings later in life. She was able to deftly relate the books to themes that she shared of her life, some different from mine, two decades removed, others hauntingly similar. She also did considerable research on Austen's reception over the past 200 years, and she shares that insight and her perspectives on Austen in a way I found very interesting to read.
July 12, 2022
I read and listened to this as part of the local library's 2busy bookclub read for July 2022. It also fit's in with Austen in July that some booktubers do during the month.
Glad I did read it! Ruth is now in her early 90s! She's experienced quite a few things that are distant history for most of us and her experiences also include doing a phD in how reading Jane Austen's novels have helped her navigate and make sense of her life. I'm not sure I view JA's novels in completely the same way, I think some of the nuances of the times that JA lived were not covered. But Ruth's life is interesting enough to focus on and how JA's work relates to Ruth's experiences. I found myself enthralled and probably need to go over it again after going through a bit too quickly.
Her book also introduced me to the Australian Jane Austen society, looking forward to watching their meetings online here: https://jasa.com.au/recorded-meetings/
Glad I did read it! Ruth is now in her early 90s! She's experienced quite a few things that are distant history for most of us and her experiences also include doing a phD in how reading Jane Austen's novels have helped her navigate and make sense of her life. I'm not sure I view JA's novels in completely the same way, I think some of the nuances of the times that JA lived were not covered. But Ruth's life is interesting enough to focus on and how JA's work relates to Ruth's experiences. I found myself enthralled and probably need to go over it again after going through a bit too quickly.
Her book also introduced me to the Australian Jane Austen society, looking forward to watching their meetings online here: https://jasa.com.au/recorded-meetings/
September 22, 2022
3.5 stars
I am a huge Jane Austen fan. Pride & Prejudice is a book I read at the age of nine and it was a big factor in me becoming a huge bookworm. Ruth had a similar experience after reading that book too. It certainly is life changing especially for her!
Ruth talks about her love for Jane’s writing and how the power of her words inspired her and became quite empowering.
The writing style to this memoir is quite academic, beautifully eloquent and elegant. There are chapters devoted to each of Jane’s novels and how each one linked to events in Ruth’s own life. The fact she sees Jane’s main female characters as role models really made me think just how clever Jane was and how she was able to give so much meaning to her books.
It certainly was a fascinating read as Ruth had highly intriguing tales to tell of her childhood to her later years. Full of words of wisdom and how life is a journey where sometimes it takes you to your later years to finally realise exactly what makes you happy.
The Jane Austen Remedy is a delightful, uplifting memoir that I would recommend to all Austen fans.
I am a huge Jane Austen fan. Pride & Prejudice is a book I read at the age of nine and it was a big factor in me becoming a huge bookworm. Ruth had a similar experience after reading that book too. It certainly is life changing especially for her!
Ruth talks about her love for Jane’s writing and how the power of her words inspired her and became quite empowering.
The writing style to this memoir is quite academic, beautifully eloquent and elegant. There are chapters devoted to each of Jane’s novels and how each one linked to events in Ruth’s own life. The fact she sees Jane’s main female characters as role models really made me think just how clever Jane was and how she was able to give so much meaning to her books.
It certainly was a fascinating read as Ruth had highly intriguing tales to tell of her childhood to her later years. Full of words of wisdom and how life is a journey where sometimes it takes you to your later years to finally realise exactly what makes you happy.
The Jane Austen Remedy is a delightful, uplifting memoir that I would recommend to all Austen fans.
November 13, 2022
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was hoping that this would be an interesting investigation of Austen, re-reading, and mental and/or physical health. Instead, it's a meandering musing on the author's childhood and the many books that contributed to her as a person. That's fine and well, but it's not what the blurb lead me to expect and thus I found it rather boring.
July 7, 2023
Did not finish. The idea of this book is beautiful but the chapters are crowded with words. To be clear: not filled, but crowded. I felt like thoughts went on long literary tangents and I simply couldn't keep up.
August 1, 2022
A thoughtful memoir written and understood while reading and re-reading Jane Austen. I enjoyed the contemplation of a long life well lived, particularly the discussion of the men/women dynamic. I also very much enjoyed the reflection on, and discussion of, Jane Austen's novels and female characters, I suspect those who aren't Jane Austen fans and readers would find less to enjoy in this book.
August 27, 2022
Read for bookclub August 2022
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