Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo

Goodreads
Published: February 2009
Guideposts Books

English professor Emma Douglas has always done everything just the way her minister father told her she should. Life was good until the day Emma finds her husband in bed with another woman. Suddenly, all her romantic notions, a la Jane Austen, are exposed as foolish dreams. (Source:Goodreads)

I am so glad that I read this book because I was completely unaware that Jane Austen ruined my life too! Every failed relationship, every bad day, even every argument with your parents can be blamed completely on Jane Austen and the romantic ideas that she will fill your head with!

Not really, but it was nice to have somewhere to place the blame for a few hours before I got to the final chapters :)

I l-o-v-e, LOVE, Jane Austen! I was raised to believe that Jane Austen is the sum of all wisdom. Let's face it, my cat is named after Lydia from Pride and Prejudice.. that's some deep love. While I was reading this, at about every other chapter I picked up my phone and called my mother or my sister or anyone that would listen and told them how much I hated Jane Austen in that moment and how if they would just read this then they would understand that she is a life ruiner!

Our main character, Emma, is having a rough time in life, everything is going wrong for her. A suspicious woman approaches her and starts telling her all of these tales about Jane Austen's letters that were supposed to be destroyed after her death... but they weren't!!! So Emma starts her adventures with these letters, finding out all about Jane's heartbreak that inspired one of her first novels. As Emma continues on this quest, she has a change of heart and thankfully she points you back to loving Jane Austen by the end because Jane Austen isn't really a life ruiner!

Review: The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy

Source: Goodreads

Synopsis: The three novels which make up The Forsyte Saga chronicle the ebbing social power of the commercial upper-middle class Forsyte family between 1886 and 1920. Galsworthy's masterly narrative examines not only their fortunes but also the wider developments within society, particularly the changing position of women. This is the only critical edition of the work available, with Notes that explain contemporary artistic and literary allusions and define the slang of the time. (Source: Goodreads)

One of the greatest works of literature, there's a reason why Mr. Galsworthy won the Nobel Prize for Literature for this work. An epic saga of a single extended family which spans several generations, Galsworthy creates characters that are human and fallible, noble, kind and cruel. The story is deeply moving, funny, infuriating and completely compelling. This is a huge work, but, as with all great novels, the better it is, the more you want it to continue on and on. This one does! The Saga comprises of three novels and two "interludes" or short stories between the novels. The first interlude of the saga, "Indian Summer of a Forsyte," is one of the most beautiful and poignant works I have ever read.

In addition to this first work, Galsworthy continued the story of the Forsytes for another two complete epics, creating nine novels in all. He also created a series of short stories to fill in elements of the characters backstories. 

If you intend to embark on this wonderful journey into the heart of middle class Brits at turn of the 20th century, I recommend the Oxford University Press edition, which has an extensive glossary included. Galsworthy includes a large amount of slang of the period, and this edition explains those terms. Its available at the Madison Library District for patron use.