Book · 1789 · Fiction, Romance, Historical, Regency
Persuasion
Why people recommend it
Persuasion by Jane Austen is a classic novel that follows Anne Elliot as she navigates second chances at love and regret within Regency-era society. The enduring appeal of this work was highlighted on The Book Review podcast in July 2024. During the episode titled The World of Jane Austen Fans, guest Deborah Yaffe shared her deep personal attachment to the story. Yaffe stated that if she were ever stranded on a desert island, she would choose to bring Persuasion with her, though she added that she would likely spend much of her time lamenting the absence of Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Later that month, in the episode titled Carl Zimmer on Defining Life, host John Williams brought up the novel from a different angle. Williams read aloud from another author's book that explicitly referenced Austen's classic tale, noting a passage where a character reflects on a long-gone world where previous social conventions no longer applied, illustrating the pervasive cultural footprint and lasting resonance of Austen's final completed novel across generations of readers and literary discussions.
Who recommended it
- Deborah Yaffe Recommended
- John Williams Discussed
Deborah Yaffe — 1 mention
“if I were to go to a desert island I would probably take persuasion with me but I would spend much of my time on the island lamenting the I had not also been able to bring Pride and Prejudice in Emma”
John Williams — 1 mention
“and so after recalling the affair for a bit she thinks in third person it was different now she knew all sorts of Liaisons were accepted single mothers taken for granted Bishops preaching about family values merely sounded foolish the world of persuasion had been long gone”