"If there is anything disagreeable going on men are always sure to get out of it."

If you are like me, there are some books that you just have to read over and over again and never get tired of them. Today, I would like to expound on my all time favorite book (as you see on my favorites list off to the side) and that is “Persuasion” by Jane Austen. I have been reading over the summer a 950+ page book called “Cleopatra. After Caesar was killed, I had to take a break and read something happy! That leaves many choices, but I had to go with “Persuasion” because I try to read it as least once a year.
The main character is the perfect heroin named Anne Elliot. At the time of the beginning of the book, she is 29 years old and unmarried due to the fact that she had been persuaded 8 years earlier not to marry a man she loved because he was beneath her and without a future of good prospects to better his situation. Now, 8 years later and still regretting this earlier decision, she has a second chance, when through circumstances, he comes back into her life. Of all of Jane Austen’s characters, Anne Elliot has the most “growth” from her shy beginning in the story to the end of the book when she is strong, independent and goes after what she wants!
I somehow think this book, of all Jane Austen’s books, is somewhat autobiographical and she ends it how she wishes her life might have turned out if she had had a second chance, but that is only my personal opinion.
I ache for Anne when her father exposes his pride on a regular basis. I’m thankful I have the sisters I have, and not ones like she has to deal with in Elizabeth and Mary. And I especially love Colonel Wentworth, although I think he is a little slow in getting things moving, but isn’t that normal for the Male gender??? They need us to prod them along in the matters of romance or nothing would get done and it seems that way until Anne finally starts doing the prodding!
Of the movie versions that have been made, the 1995 version with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds is my favorite. However, in the most recent BBC production I loved Rupert-Penry Jones as Colonel Wentworth(pictured below) also. If you haven’t read “Persuasion” try it, and if you have already read it, leave your comments to inspire others to read it!!!
Next book worth re-reading is “The Count of Monte Cristo”. YUM!! Stay tuned!