The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After
What a lovely week I've had on Ricochet, discussing everything from the real causes (and possible cures) of the hostility between men and women today, to Jane Austen's theology. Thank you all for your insights--and your rare capacity for reasoned and courteous debate.
This is my very favorite comment, out of hundreds of interesting ones:
"If we woke up tomorrow and all the women in America had, overnight, decided they were going to run their love lives like Jane Austen's heroines--and if they stuck to it--the hostility between the sexes would be over in less than two months. All kinds of "issues" and "monsters" would be revealed as figments of unexamined assumptions, low impulse control and ill-fed imaginations. These would melt away. Within less than two years, social workers would have almost nothing to do. Abortion clinics would be forced to close for lack of business. Self-awareness, awareness of the character of others (and some shame) would dispel a lot of rage, resentment and self pity. Elizabeth Kantor, I got your book on Kindle last night and I can't put it down. Before spring is over, I'll be getting the book for my daughter and my niece." --Ansonia (lightly edited)
If you think Ansonia might be right--if Jane Austen's way of approaching relationships is an alternative that could really transform women's (and thus men's!) lives--then I hope you will consider putting a copy of The Jane Austen Guide into the hands of a single woman or girl you know--graduation-present season is one perfect excuse!
The hardcover is sold out on Amazon at the moment (less than a week after the pub date--thank you, Ricochet members who helped make that happen!), but as best I can tell it's still shipping from Barnes & Noble, you can get it instantly as an ebook on every major platform, and of course it's in old-fashioned bricks-and-mortar bookstores.
I'm sorry I'll be leaving the conversation here, but I'll continue making the case for Jane Austen and happily ever after, and working (and hoping and praying) to see if her insights can't change our world.
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Comments:
Sep '11
Re: The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After
I have so much enjoyed your posts, I wish they would make you a regular contributor. :)
Aug '10
Re: The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After
Ms Kantor,
I'm very flattered you liked my comment. Thank you for writing such an eye opening, thought provoking, much needed book.
I'll be busy working extra hours and spending time with relatives until mid August. After that, I'll write a review of your book for HubPages. Also one for Amazon.--Ansonia
P.S. I also hope you become a regular contributor on Ricochet
Edited on April 7, 2012 at 8:15pmSep '10
Re: The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After
I've enjoyed your posts Elizabeth and note publicly that one of your Politically Incorrect Guides is sitting unread on my Kindle -- I bought it in a flurry when I bought the machine last summer and have been drowning under the weight of over 100 e-books, its vying for next to be read along with Claire Berlinski and Judith Levy.
My Kindle has a proclivity for female authors for some reason.
Feb '12
Re: The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After
I like the idea of the poster quoting the best comments on his post. I hope that becomes a custom at some point; the poster is the best editor for comments, and so often a carefully chosen set of comments is even better than the original post. (Not to denigrate the author--- but the Web does have its collective wisdom, and I think we'll see editors (such as Instapundit) become more important than authors.)