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I have all the recordings of Juliet Stevenson reading Austen. Her Persuasion has a wonderful tinge of melancholy to it, and she brings out the ironic wit of Northanger Abbey. (I have all those Naxos CDs--they came in a big set with Stevenson reading 5 novels, Emilia Fox reading P&P and several actors taking the parts in Lady Susan. I picked up Stevenson's P&P separately).

I love this video Katie! You're making me rethink reading S&S in print this year. Andy read his first Jane Austen on audiobook and plans to do the same with his second (both the Rosamund Pike versions of course).

I started listening to Jane Austen last year on audio and I could not agree with you more about the listening experience. I think for me, part of it is that language has changed since the 19th century, and for those of us who are not British, we are one step further removed from the stories. Hearing a great narrator can really bring any book alive and in the case of classical literature, audio becomes a great invitation into reading more of it.

I’m listening to Pride and Prejudice on Listen with Audrey audiobook. It’s narrated by Emilia Fox and comes with an expert guide who provides notes and additional resources.

I started listening to Sense and Sensibility today.

The last audiobook I tried to listen to as my hearing loss was progressing was Persuasion, which I hadn't read yet at that time. It was so frustrating not being able to hear well enough to keep track of the story. No idea who the narrator was. Sorry to post a negative experience. I just wonder how much access deaf people would have had to literature in the 19th century, and I'm feeling grateful for the access I do have (literacy, videos, technology in general).

I am planning on reading Mansfield Park mostly as an audiobook this year. I agree audiobooks work particularly well for a reread. I am delighted to hear you rate the Frances Barber as that's the one I have.

My library has Emma on audiobook. I'll try it out.

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I love the Juliet Stevenson audiobooks, every year I would use a credit to get the next one I wanted to read till I have them all. I love listening to classics on audio as sometimes its easier for me to pick up on some of the nuances of humour or critique when I hear someone else say it so to speak.

You're the one who really got me back into audio books. I had this old school idea that it was somehow "cheating" not to physically read the book first. But especially with classics, it helps to bring the story alive! And as you point out, so many novels written prior to radio and TV, were written with the intention and expectation that they would be read aloud. I had tried so many times to read "Mansfield Park," and it wasn't until I listened to it that I really understood it. Altho--my favorite line is from your husband who said it was "one woman's journey to marry her cousin." Ha! Last summer I listened to "The Jane Austen Collection: An Audible Original Drama" (of all 6 novels). Claire Foy & Emma Thompson were two of the narrators. As I recall, the stories were abridged but they had different actors and even sound effects. Fun!

Katie, I totally understand your love of audio books, because I love them too! I don’t like reading from a computer screen, but on those occasions, I read along with a narrator so my eyes don’t have to catch every word. Mil Nicholson and Peter John Keeble have read many of Dickens’ novels to me. I’ve listened to Great Expectations numerous times and like it more each time. Thanks for reminding the viewers there’s more to reading than meets the eye if instead it meets the ear!

Sense and Sensibility is the only one of the big six that I haven't read yet, I'm planning to fix that this #JaneAustenJuly, most likely with the Rosamund Pike audio, although I agree that the audio is often amazing for rereads. I see though that Nicola Coughlan has also done an audio version (only released Nov 2023), but while I love Nicola Coughlan narrating Irish books, I find her quite distracting on the sample at least. Have you listneed to this one as yet?

I agree with you that 19th century literature is better on audiobooks. It also brings back wonderful memories when my parents read to me as a child and me reading to my children. xo

I listened to Persuasion read by Greta Scacchi that was my first Jane Austen. I should thank Netflix for that dreadful adaptation. That was what got me reading Jane Austen and watching the 1995 Persuasion adaptation.

Many congratulations Katie So lovely to see Wishing you every success

Thanks for this! I did Hard Times in school and while I enjoyed it, it didn't inspire me to read any more Dickens, which I think was a shame. I enjoyed A Tale of Two Cities and A Christmas Carol. I've also heard a radio adaptation of Our Mutual Friend with Michael Kitchen, which was excellent and the TV adaptation of The Old Curiosity Shop with Gina McKee, again excellent. You have definitely inspired me to read more Dickens!

Thanks for explaining this, and yes, it's good to wish one of the originators of Jane Austen July "Happy Jane Month" (HJM). I used to think it was a gender thing or even a Scottish/Celtic thing of being mulish and stubborn (rather than modern and English), but I fear it is more personal. I don't appear to have the attention span to gain much benefit from audiobooks. I can listen to one of your fast-talking videos and have no problem following along, but if I tried to fold laundry or put up my hair in curlers (joke) while listening, one task would suffer. I sit watching while you (or anyone) talks, and if I wander off (like Our Dear Joe) and contemplate my shuffling shoes, pour coffee or watch the cat eat his breakfast, I miss something. I can listen to music and do something else (the music suffers only a little) but carrying on conversations is beyond the pale for me. It's called a one-track mind. That's not to say that listening to someone read is unpleasant (in fact, I very much enjoy it). I simply have to pay attention to ONE TASK, and paying attention to a text (for me) is a very good thing.

I’m an American who loves listening to a Jane Austen novel on audiobook because that enables me to hear it with a British accent. For me, that makes a huge difference in the way I experience her works. I also like to listen to other British authors as I follow along with their books. In this way, I can hear the various class accents as a good audio narrator acts out the dialogue.😊

Yay for July 1st and Jane Austen July! I've been participating since the beginning and it is definitely a comforting tradition. I am celebrating in two ways: 1) purchasing a beautiful edition of Pride and Prejudice from Chiltern Publishing (highly recommend this company. Their classic editions are GORGEOUS, gold leafing and exquisite covers) and drinking a cup of Jane Austen tea from Simpson and Vail, another great company with cute tins with literary themes. And as is my tradition, I'll be listening to Pride and Prejudice on audio book, read by Elizabeth Klett on Librivox

I've been listening to the bbc radio jane austen on Audible at night. Relaxing.

Jane Austen is the Taylor Swift of Booktube. In her "Forever loved" Era. I will not elaborate.

I reread Shakespeare often though, oddly, I seldom listen to recorded performances (there's a good Hamlet starring Richard Burton). Generally I do enjoy audiobooks, Hartwick Hall for example, or David Copperfield ("donkeys, donkeys!") so you would expect I would listen to them more often than I do, but somehow they seem to work better for me on the stage. Thx; happy J.A. July!

Just started Sense and Sensibilities with the Rosamund Pike narration. I could say, as a first time reader of S & S that it is very immersive. I couldn’t stop listening

I love Karen Savage's audiobooks. Not just her Jane Austen but also her Anne of Green Gables.

WOW! I am that "someone"! Many thanks 😊

I'll be re-reading Sense and Sensibility on Audio book this year. I love Juliette Stevenson, and I have not heard her reading it before. 😊

My comfort audiobook for when I have insomnia is any Harry Potter book narrated by Jim Dale. Not nearly as literary as Jane Austen, but it works for me. I do love any of Jane’s books on audio.

with me I like reading better than listening to audio books. I know people love them,but for me not so much. But I will give it a try and see if i like it. I joined for one day on audio and found i didn't like it. but I will give it a go. Like always great video! thanks for sparking my interest in audio books to listen instead of reading .

Jane Austen’s language, almost has a musical quality to it.

I agree it is wonderful to hear a professional narrator read the books. I also like listening to different readers address a book because you often get a different take on the scenes. I also rather like Nadia May as a narrator and you might give her a try. Her Adam Bede is wonderful and she has done some other great classics. I will try Francis Barber for Mansfield Park as I am not mad keen on the novel so need a good narrator to "sell" it to me.

Do you read your own books aloud to family and friends as Jane Austen did?

I mostly listen to audiobooks at night and I know I’m going to fall asleep listening, so I usually set the audible timer for a short time. Just like you mentioned about when you’ve got a migraine, I prefer listening to well known books this way because it doesn’t matter if I miss some of the story when I fall asleep. (My absolute comfort book to listen to is Jane Eyre, but that is also my most re-read physical book too)

_First!_ 😂 I'll be reading (and _listening_ ) to _Persuasion,_ this July 😊 Love that she read aloud from her work, first, to her family.

Lord , are you on a time limit? Talk slower!

Congratulations! The book cover is stunning. Wishing you every success. 🍀🍀

Such a good idea to have the characters listed at the beginning. It saves searching backwards to remind yourself of how someone links into the story, which I have to do a lot with some books.

Love libraries! 💖

Have you read any Balzac? If not, you must read Old Goriot or Cousin Bette. I'm sure you would like them.

Your book looks so lovely! I'm so excited to receive my copy that I ordered back in December from Blackwell's and yes they are great for shipping to the US. Please don't hesitate to order if you live in the states. Congratulations Katie!

I'm excited to take part this year! My possibilities are Sense and Sensibility, The Watson's and Sanditon, Jane Austen and the Clergy by Irene Collins, Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley, Venetia by Georgette Heyer, and The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray. I'd love to rewatch Sense and Sensibility again since it's been awhile and maybe Scents and Sensibility since I've never heard of that one.The possibilities are really endless! Thanks for co-hosting Katie. 📚❤