Is it alright for men to read Jane Austen?

[Bick]

Taking the mick/mickey/michael = taking the piss/ teasing/mocking. Probably from cockney rhyming slang. These things usually are.

Yes, shortened from “take the Mickey Bliss”, as rhyming slang for piss. Not sure who Mr Bliss was though.

 

[Danny McG]

Going back to the original question "is it alright for men to read Jane Austen?"

Why would someone ask such a thing?
Has anyone ever pointed and said "why are you reading that?"*

*Asked by my dad (he was genuinely bewildered) many times as he pointed at my weekly pile of SF books from the library.

 

[Bick]

Going back to the original question "is it alright for men to read Jane Austen?"

Why would someone ask such a thing?

I have no idea Danny.

Has anyone ever pointed and said "why are you reading that?"*

No, not in 40 years of reading. And if they did I'd give them a hard stare such as would impress Paddington.

 

[psikeyhackr]

Has anyone ever pointed and said "why are you reading that?"*

*Asked by my dad (he was genuinely bewildered) many times as he pointed at my weekly pile of SF books from the library.

Slightly different issue:

I was working for IBM in 1980 as a CE, Customer Engineer. One of my fellow CEs asked me, "Why would you want a computer at home?" He was probably 20 years older than me. I had built a Heathkit H-8.

As I type this on my smartphone, wasn't that mind boggling. Most IBMers were not interested in computers. It was just a Great Job & Company.

 

[Montero]

I once got asked by a plumber who'd come to quote for fitting central heating "why do you have so many books in your house?"
"I like reading."
"But once you've read them, you're not going to read them again."
"Yes I am, if I liked them."
Blank stare.

 

[Danny McG]

I once got asked by a plumber who'd come to quote for fitting central heating "why do you have so many books in your house?"
"I like reading."
"But once you've read them, you're not going to read them again."
"Yes I am, if I liked them."
Blank stare.

This is common in my experience.
Usually from the ones who've found reading a chore.
They really can't comprehend the pleasure of escaping into a good story

 

[paranoid marvin]

To be fair, I can kind of understand their reasoning; whether it's reading the same book or watching the same movie. Seen it/read it, know the ending - so what's the point? Because there are lots of other books/movies out there that they don't know the ending to. For others there is equal (or sometimes more) enjoyment in repeat reads/views as you can pick up foreshadowing and other things you may have missed first/second/third time around, and the joy in the journey more than the destination.


There are those who will repeat watch a movie several times over the space of a couple of weeks, or read a book and then go back to the start and read it again. I am not in that camp, but I would say that a 2-3 year gap between reads or viewings feels about right for me.

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

I get people saying why do you want to read a book more than once, I normally reply that if it's good I treat it to more than one read.

 

[BAYLOR]

To be fair, I can kind of understand their reasoning; whether it's reading the same book or watching the same movie. Seen it/read it, know the ending - so what's the point? Because there are lots of other books/movies out there that they don't know the ending to. For others there is equal (or sometimes more) enjoyment in repeat reads/views as you can pick up foreshadowing and other things you may have missed first/second/third time around, and the joy in the journey more than the destination.


There are those who will repeat watch a movie several times over the space of a couple of weeks, or read a book and then go back to the start and read it again. I am not in that camp, but I would say that a 2-3 year gap between reads or viewings feels about right for me.

I seldom reread books if they are fiction . Non fiction book I do reread.

Short stories , I do tend to reread.

 

[soulsinging]

Why would someone ask such a thing?
Has anyone ever pointed and said "why are you reading that?"*

Makes me think of this guy (watch out for language):

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Well I have treated myself to two novels by Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park. Hopefully I'll start one soon.

 

[Extollager]

Well I have treated myself to two novels by Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park. Hopefully I'll start one soon.

Emma.

Hint: Austen does not intend you to like Emma without complications, nor does Austen intend you to dislike Emma without complications.

Enjoy!

 

[Bick]

Emma.

He's just bought two different books, Extollager, bit of a non-sequitur there

 

[Extollager]

You're right -- I misread "treated myself" as meaning those were the ones he'd read.

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Well I have started reading Pride and Prejudice. And after 150 pages it definitely won't be one of my top hundred books. And somehow do not think I'll be reading Mansfield Park or any other Austen novels. Well at least charity shops will get some more books to sale.

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Well I finally managed to finish Pride and Prejudice, its a book that I will never read again. It was a comfortable read, but I was soon losing characters and getting them mixed up. Overall I wasn't impressed with Mr Darcy, to me he wasn't a likeable character. And the female characters I definitely mixed up all the time.

At sometime in the future I will read Emma, but I will leave that for at least six months or so.

Thank you your advice, it has been an interesting conversation.

 

[Montero]

He isn't supposed to be likeable, at least at the start - Elizabeth dislikes him to start with, while liking Wykeham who has charm - but then she finds that it is Darcy who is a decent person and Wykeham a complete git. And there is nuances to how all the people see him - as in Mr Bingham his friend who is a nice guy and people ask why is he a friend with Darcy if Darcy is so proud and rude....
I like the nuances that both Elizabeth and Darcy are acting out of both pride and prejudice - they start with quite prejudiced views of each other.

I'll be interested in how you find Emma, which I've never been able to read.

 

[W Collier]

Pride & Prejudice is fantastic. Elizabeth is a champion. The bit where she comes back at the old aristocrat lady in the garden? (Forgive me, it's been a few years, so I don't remember the names well.) That was incredible. Still stays with me to this day. For me, she ranks up there with Hamlet as one of those great characters who's just fun to watch when she gets on a roll. Also, how better for men to learn about women than to read great novels written by women about women? (And likewise in the other direction.)

 

[Bick]

Apropos the general theme - I've just started Pride and Prejudice myself. It doesn't need me to validate it by saying it's wonderful, but it is.

 

[Elckerlyc]

In 1995 or 1996 (I'm not sure when) I watched the 1995 BBC adaption of Pride and Prejudice, thinking I would just give episode 1 a try. At the time I knew it was an English classic in literature, without knowing the details about the story. But the BBC usually has decent adaptions, so I watched.
Since then I have watched the whole series 3 or 4 times. And it made me read the book, in English, not the Dutch translation.
Still planning to do a reread. It is not so much about the story as it is about the characters, who are well drawn.
Like @W Collier, for me the scene in the garden ('a prettyish kind of little wilderness') stand out most.