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Perhaps the most significant influence on The Silver Petticoat Book Club is the works of Jane Austen. Just like we don’t see this as a strictly romance-themed book club, neither did Jane Austen write straightforward romances herself.
We select books with love stories from all genres with Jane Austen-like romances included. So, we felt it was time to give Jane Austen her due. For this month’s classic pick, we officially selected Jane Austen’s most famous novel!
Before we go into the book reveal, however, we have a couple of fun announcements.
INTRODUCING DOWNLOADABLE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
From now on, during the final week of each month, we will post the discussion questions here at The Silver Petticoat Review on a separate post. That way, you can print and keep a copy of the discussion questions for your personal use.
We will still post discussion questions on our social media accounts, so this is just a bonus. It is not eliminating online discussion.
This addition is to hopefully allow people to read and engage with the discussion questions more easily. But there is an even better reason for this:
GATHER YOUR OWN SILVER PETTICOAT BOOK CLUB
That’s right! You don’t just have to discuss the book club picks with us online. Want your experience with The Silver Petticoat Book Club to be even more fun? Gather and recruit your own extension of the club (crediting us, of course) and discuss each month’s pick with smaller gatherings with family and friends – whether in person or virtually!
You’ll be able to download the questions, add some of your own, and turn the book club into the “entertaining” and “social” experience it’s meant to be!
If you do start your own group, remember to use the hashtag #TheSilverPetticoatBookClub and share with us some pictures from your group. We would love to see how members of the book club are participating!
Book club gatherings can be simple (discussing with your family and close friends on ZOOM) or more complex – like meeting in person (once you feel safe) and having a Jane Austen-inspired tea party while discussing the book, for example.
The sky’s the limit on what you can do.
As we have already shared numerous book club picks, we will be posting past discussion club questions soon. So, you can also discuss past books!
We hope this addition to the book club will be helpful and fun.
THE SILVER PETTICOAT BOOK CLUB REVEAL (YOUR APRIL 2021 READ!)
Now, on to the book club reveal! The April 2021 read is…Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Yes, the famous love story of the witty Elizabeth Bennet and the seemingly snobbish and prideful Mr. Darcy has gone on to influence the modern romance genre as we know it – both in publishing and in entertainment.
Categorically, however, it’s not just a love story. Pride and Prejudice is a domestic novel and a comedy of manners with satirical elements and brilliant insights into Jane Austen’s time. It’s also a beautiful book about the powerful love between sisters and the bonds between women.
We also selected Pride and Prejudice because to truly appreciate our book club choices in The Silver Petticoat Book Club, reading or being familiar with Ms. Austen is essential. So, we’re starting with her most famous work for our April 2021 read. And just for your information, In this book club, we plan to cover every Jane Austen book eventually. Over time, of course.
If you’ve never read Austen, you’re in for a treat! The sparkling novel of prejudices and misunderstandings will leave you spellbound.
BOOK SYNOPSIS OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (FROM PENGUIN CLASSICS)
Few have failed to be charmed by the witty and independent spirit of Elizabeth Bennet in Austen’s beloved classic Pride and Prejudice. When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind.
When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows us the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.
BUY THE APRIL 2021 READ – OUR BOOK CLUB PICK:
Numerous Pride and Prejudice editions exist (probably more than the number of Pride and Prejudice adaptations – which is many), so whatever edition should be fine! From an ebook to a paperback to even a fancy edition with gilded designs! The number of options available is plentiful.
Now, suppose you’re already a fan or have an interest in special editions of books. In that case, you may also want to check out two recent releases of Pride and Prejudice, which we are personally excited about ourselves. Here are the official descriptions.
Official Synopsis of Pride and Prejudice: The Complete Novel, with Nineteen Letters from the Characters’ Correspondence, Written and Folded by Hand
This deluxe edition brings to life the letters exchanged among Jane Austen’s characters in Pride and Prejudice.
Glassine pockets placed throughout the book contain removable replicas of 19 letters from the story.
These powerful epistles include Lydia’s announcement of her elopement, Mr. Collins’s obsequious missives, and of course Darcy’s painfully honest letter to Elizabeth.
- Nothing captures Jane Austen’s vivid emotion and keen wit better than her characters’ correspondence.
- Each letter is re-created with gorgeous calligraphy.
- Letters are hand-folded with painstaking attention to historical detail.
Perusing the letters will transport readers straight to the drawing-room at Netherfield or the breakfast table at Longbourn.
For anyone who loves Austen, and for anyone who still cherishes the joy of letter writing, this book illuminates a favorite story in a whole new way.
- Step inside the world of Pride and Prejudice, one of the most beloved novels of all time.
- Great Mother’s Day, birthday, or holiday gift for diehard Jane Austen fans
- A visually gorgeous book that will be at home on the shelf or on the coffee table
- Add it to the shelf with books like What Would Jane Do?: Quips and Wisdom from Jane Austen by Potter Gift, Jane-a-Day: 5 Year Journal with 365 Witticisms by Jane Austen Edition by Potter Gift, and The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things by Paula Byrne
Official Synopsis of Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austen with Illustrations By Marjolein Bastin
Gems of literature in a luxurious and unique design by Marjolein Bastin.
The Marjolein Bastin Classics Series is a chance to rediscover classic literature in collectible, luxuriously illustrated volumes. For the first time ever, the internationally celebrated artwork of Marjolein Bastin graces the pages of a timeless classic, Pride and Prejudice, the enduring story of the Bennet sisters and their quest for suitable marriages.
Beyond bringing these stories to life, Bastin’s series adds elaborately designed ephemera, such as four-color maps, letters, family trees, and sheet music. Whether an ideal gift for an Austen or Brontë devotee or a treat for yourself, The Marjolein Bastin Classics Series, as a set or individually purchased, is perfect for anyone who feels a connection to these enduring literary gems.
JOIN THE SILVER PETTICOAT BOOK CLUB
(A Book Club Focused on Sweet or Sophisticated Love Stories From All Genres.)
For those new to the book club, we rotate between choosing more recent books and “classics,” meaning every other pick will alternate between contemporary and classic choices.
We define any book published before the year 2000 as a classic. New books are everything published afterward. If you’re new to the club, make sure to check out our past book club picks.
This month’s pick is a classic book, first published on January 28, 1813.
HOW THE ONLINE BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION WORKS
We discuss our book club pick the month’s final week (or the second month if a two-month book club pick) on the three social media channels listed below. However, the main discussion questions will be on Facebook and Goodreads. We will also post downloadable discussion questions on The Silver Petticoat Review for personal use.
In short, after we announce a new book club pick, you’ll want to get a copy of the book (buy the book, borrow it from the library, etc.) and read it. Come prepared online to discuss when we post book club discussions on our social media channels during the month’s final week. (If you want, as discussed above, you can also gather your own group to discuss in person.)
We may include live video book discussions or virtual events from time to time. Right now, however, most conversations are online and in forums/posts.
You can stay up to date on the book club by following our website, The Silver Petticoat Review (subscribe to our newsletter for updates). You can also follow the #TheSilverPetticoatBookClub on our social media channels.
Also, please feel free to join in and use the hashtag to show how you’re participating. Share fun photos, your favorite quote, and more! We’d love to hear from you.
Read more about The Silver Petticoat Book Club HERE.
Have you read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen before? Did you like it? Are you ready to re-read it this month? If you’ve never read it before, do you plan to check out our April 2021 read with us? Discuss below!
(NOTE: If you’re a publisher, publicist, or author with a new book that fits The Silver Petticoat Book Club and would like us to consider it for future picks, please send us an email!)
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