Persuasion.

I realize now that instead of ranting last night/early this morning, I should have followed my first instinct and read Persuasion. I guess I forgot for a bit that it's my comfort book. I can open it to any page and start reading and enjoy it. I'll know exactly what's going on and what's going to happen and still want to find out anyway.

I know some people don't like Jane Austen. They find her work dry and hard to get into. That's probably why I like it. My mama raised me right. Meaning, on British humor. It's much more subtle than most American work. The key to understanding it is an appreciation for sarcasm.

The more I learn about the Regency Period in which Austen lived, the more I realize just how sarcastic her narrations are. It's quite awe-inspiring, actually. It definitely serves to make her books much more entertaining.

I also love how dimensional her characters are. They have substance and individuality. I think that is truly her greatest achievement. Much like Elizabeth Bennet, she was a studier of character. But beyond anything her character did, Jane had a gift for channeling the best and the worst of humanity into vibrant portraits, all at once ridiculing and elevating the most poignant characteristics of humanity.

She's my hero.

Listening to: the Cardinals game
Reading: Persuasion by Jane Austen