A Jane Austen Education Was A Bit Too Academic For Me

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BlogHer's Book Club allowed me to participate in the selection, A Jane Austen Education, by William Deresiewicz. I was a little leery -- you see, I've never, in fact, read any of Jane Austen's works. I decided to try it out. It is a genre a little outside my comfort zone -- but sometimes that's a good thing. I'm used to suspense, or chick lit. This is neither.

I think I would have enjoyed it more had I had those Austen books under my belt. The publishers were kind enough to send The Complete Novels of Jane Austen to me, so I might just do that. So, while I won't say that one must read them in order to read A Jane Austen Education, I do think that it would have been helpful in understanding the book with less intellectual effort. (Don't judge. Reading for me is about pleasure! I swear I lose brain cells as the day wears on.)

I just cannot decide whether I liked it or not. Believe me, I wanted to. But the mentions, explanations, parallels, and motifs explained of Austen's novels read a little too much like an academic essay for me. Perhaps I would have appreciated it more if my education leaned more to literature/English, rather than science. Those portions were very ponderous for me - but I think it was my perception of the topic, not the author's writing.

The book's chapters are basically in two parts in each chapter. The introduction of the Jane Austen novel in question, and the exploration of its themes, and then how the lesson's learned bore out in the author's own life. That was my favorite part, when we see how the lessons are working in his life and his perception of his place in the world changes. It was insightful and personal. I really enjoyed watching him progress as a human being, and as a man.

Honestly, though, this is not a book I would pick up again. I read for escape, and this felt more like an English assignment. However, I'm considering this a positive review because of how much Deresiewicz drew me in on his own personal journey of self discovery. I was really rooting for him. That, in my opinion, makes a fine story.