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The Jane Austen Remedy

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The Jane Austen Remedy

By: Ruth Wilson
Narrated by: Jenny Seedsman
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An uplifting and delightfully bookish memoir about an 89-year-old woman who reclaims her life by re-reading each of Jane Austen's novels.

As she approached the age of seventy, Ruth Wilson began to have recurring dreams about losing her voice. Unable to dismiss her feelings of unexplainable sadness, she made the radical decision to retreat from her conventional life with her husband to a small sunshine-yellow cottage in the Southern Highlands where she lived alone for the next decade.

Ruth had fostered a lifelong love of reading, and from the moment she first encountered Pride and Prejudice in the 1940s she had looked to Jane Austen's heroines as her models for the sort of woman she wanted to become.

As Ruth settled into her cottage, she resolved to re-read Austen's six novels and rediscover the heroines who had inspired her; to read between the lines of both the novels and her own life. And as she read, she began to reclaim her voice.

The Jane Austen Remedy is a beautiful, life-affirming memoir of love, self-acceptance and the curative power of reading. Published the year Ruth turns ninety, it is an inspirational account of the lessons learned from Jane Austen over nearly eight decades, as well as a timely reminder that it's never too late to seize a second chance.

‘Ruth is proof that Jane Austen is a way of thinking, of being, of loving.’ CASSIE McCULLAGH

‘A deeply necessary book, showing elegantly and incisively how Jane Austen can guide us through life’s problems . . . and also feels like an extended chat with a Jane Austen-reading friend.’ SUSANNAH FULLERTON, President of the Jane Austen Society of Australia©2022 Ruth Wilson (P)2022 W. F. Howes Ltd Women Feel-Good
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I liked the pace, and methodical rhythm of the story, and the appropriate annunciation of the reader.

Complexity of a simple life

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And that’s not necessarily a bad thing- I too believe that Mary was undervalued- but it’s about adjusting expectations. Many current works drawing on Austen are light and breezy whereas this is very intellectual, with numerous quotes and references to famous authors/fictional works. It’s more like an educational work or study guide than something for escapism. I do like the way the authors own story threads through and empathised with her need for space away from her family and conflicts around achieving that. I also like hearing about her early years growing up in an Australian country town.

More Mary than Elisabeth

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I have loved Jane Austen's works since being made read Pride and Prejudice in my high school English class.
My abilities in my English classes has been poor before this novel. I felt I understood the meanings behind certain passages and consequently did well in the subject.
As I grew older I found myself reading my favourite Jane Austen books yearly, just for pure enjoyment. So full of emotion and comedy !

Now I have renewed vigour to approach all her books again as remedies to heal personal past hurts, by looking with a more open perspective on how I chose to remember them.

I know this will help me move on. I'm feeling more acceptance generally, already looking forward to the memories that will be evoked in this New Jane Austen Journey.
Thankyou Ruth for writing this lovely book, and also to a good friend whom gifted me
The Jane Austen Remedy.

Remedies Highly Appreciated

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