A Solitary Year with Jane Austen

Well...

I found several people who thought a Jane Austen book club was a wonderful idea and wished or longed for the time to participate in one. But I did not actually find anyone who wanted to join one. Or, more specifically, mine.

So no Jane Austen book club! (this is me whining just a little)

BUT ... I have decided to go ahead and read and watch and Jane all by myself. So there! :). And hey, perhaps, I will be able to engage people here and there in conversation about the books and movies even if they don't read and watch them along with me.

Okay, then, it's settled...

Part Two: Seven Steps to Starting Your Own Jane Austen Book Club

Once you have considered those issues and you feel pretty clear about what you want for your book club, you can begin to find your group members.

(5) First, try to think of people you already know who might be interested, and ask them. It will be more fun for you if some of the people in your group are people you know. You might mention it even to friends who aren't likely to be interested in case they know people who would be.

If asking around doesn't yield much in the way of new group members, you might consider placing ads. You can advertise in the newspaper, you could place fliers in libraries and bookstores, and anywhere else you think of that will let you.

(6) Once you have your group members, you might want to have an introductory meeting just to set the ground rules and give them a chance to voice their own concerns. One ground rule I recommend is confidentiality.

If group members are to feel comfortable sharing how they relate to what they've read, they need to know that what is spoken in the group stays there. Although there isn't really a way to enforce this rule, it is still important to voice it and make sure everyone has agreed to it.

You also may want ground rules about attendance, about how to handle conflict, about whether or not to give advice or whether criticism is allowed.

(7) Once the ground rules have been agreed upon and established, you will be ready to schedule your first book club meeting.

"A story is always better if you have someone to share it with. What could be better than sharing it with a group of friends who have read it, too?"-Oprah.com

Jane Austen Book Club Resources: A Year of Jane Austen

Seven Steps for Starting Your Own Jane Austen Book Club

(1) First, decide what kind of group you want. Would you prefer a group that meets online or in person? What about group size? Decide whether you would like a small group or a larger one. One thing about larger groups is that even if some group members miss a meeting, others will show up.

(2) Other things you might want to consider include how fast you want to read. Are you planning to read a book every month? And if so, when will you meet? Decide if you want a set time, like the first Sunday afternoon of the month, or if you are comfortable with scheduling the next meeting at the end of each one.

(3) Also, if the book you are reading has been made into a movie, and most of the Jane Austen books are available on DVD, do you want to watch the movie with the group, too?

(4) What about food, if you are planning a group that will meet in person? Will your Jane Austen book club meet for afternoon tea?

Will you ask others to share the responsibility of bringing refreshments?

More in part two ... stay tuned!

Tea with Jane Austen

I have just spent a delightful hour pouring over Tea with Jane Austen! I have learned, so far, that Jane was the one who made breakfast for her family and it usually included tea and breads with good-quality butter. It sounds yummy!

During that time, apparently, people got up before breakfast to get things done, and then gathered together around 9am or 10am to eat breakfast. It was a very casual gathering. People might bring letters and read while eating.

I just got the book today, thanks to Amazon! And couldn't wait to read it. I also got my kit from Tealightful Treasures, so I have lots of new teas to try. I would like to incorporate this romantic-sounding breakfast into my planned tea lifestyle. That would certainly make it easier to get in three cups a day!

That's the amount recommended for preventing cancer and heart disease and high blood pressure and all those other evils!!

Still planning my year with Jane...

My Plan: A Year of Jane

It started when I was bored out of my mind at a retreat center in Wisconsin one winter Sunday night. It was freezing cold, I had finished my book, the retreat was over but I wouldn't be leaving until the next morning and I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I had gone to the TV room and watched Brothers and Sisters, but it was only 10pm and I had nothing to dooooo...

Until I happened on Sense and Sensibility on PBS. Suddenly, I was spellbound!!

And then, a few weeks later, The Jane Austen Book Club was on and once again, I was fascinated. That was when I first got the idea of creating my own Jane Austen book club. But I wondered if that much Jane Austen would be too much. So I let the idea float into the background.

What happened next was that I feel in love with tea! I began drinking chamomile tea and it changed me. I was calmer, more peaceful, happier.

I started reading everything I could find about tea and I kept coming across Jane Austen's name. Suddenly, tea began to seem downright romantic!

And I was reminded of my desire to start reading Jane's books.

So I think I'm going to do it! But I would like to have some company. So if you're reading this and you want to come along for the ride, let me know...

See that house? That's my fantasy of where I'd read the books and meet with all of you for the book club meetings :)

Jeanine