The History of Literature Podcast is a member of the Podglomerate Network and Lit Hub Radio.

Hey folks, it's Jack.

Emma and I are still on our History of Literature podcast tour, so we're replaying some past favorite episodes.

We should be in Bath now, or on our way, which has some ties to Mary Shelley and,

of course, to Jane Austen. In honor of that, we're replaying our look at Persuasion,

Austin's final completed novel, which is set in Bath. Our episode came in three parts. Today,

part one, A Look at Persuasion.

I hope you enjoy it.

Hello, on December 20th, 1817, the literary world received an extraordinary Christmas

gift, two novels by a supremely gifted and innovative novelist known for works like Pride

and Prejudice and Mansfield Park.

The new novels were Northanger Abbey and Persuasion,

published together in one edition along with a biographical notice of the author,

who until then had been anonymous.

Although the publication was caused for celebration,

it was a melancholy one,

as the author had died six months before.

Her name, of course, was Jane Austen.

We'll discuss her final completed novel Persuasion today, written by Jane Austen in a kind of race against time as she began to feel the effects of the disease that would take her life.

It's a mature work, a profound one, I would say, with a simple enough plot overlaid with subtle and complex emotions and deep profundity.

For many, it is their favorite Jane Austen work, and it's easy to see why.

Virginia Woolf said, quote,

...