My confession

I have a confession to make. I’ve never read anything by Jane Austen.

For some people, this might come as a shock, especially my Austen-loving first college roommate. (And if she ever reads this, sorry for telling that white lie.) I’m an avid reader, and I applied to colleges with the intent of being a creative writing or English major, though those plans flew out the window before setting foot on campus. Never mind the high school curriculum; shouldn’t I have picked up something by her at some point?

I didn’t actively avoid Jane Austen, but for some reason I never got around to reading any of her works, much in the same way I never got around to reading many other works on my reading list, both those considered classics and more modern works. Still, Jane Austen is one of those authors associated with not only the high school and university curricula, but with greater culture. It’d be a disservice not to read something by her, especially now that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has been out for awhile. (It’s also on my to-read list, and I’m not going to read it until finishing the original.)

So I started reading Pride and Prejudice yesterday. I’m taking this book much more slowly than the last two in order to adjust my schedule for the addition of writing that’ll come starting on Saturday. This means Pride and Prejudice will also be the first book of 2011, and I should finish it on schedule to read 25 previously unread books next year while making room for a few rereads. And yes, there will be a review at the end, though it’ll be awhile.