Lady Susan, you saucy minx:

"I have made him sensible of my power, and can now enjoy the pleasure of triumphing over a mind prepared to dislike me, and prejudiced against all my past actions. His sister, too, is, I hope, convinced how little the ungenerous representations of anyone to the disadvantage of another will avail when opposed by the immediate influence of intellect and manner. . . . 

He is quite agreeable enough, however, to afford me amusement, and to make many of those hours pass very pleasantly which would otherwise be spent in endeavouring to overcome my sister-in-law’s reserve, and listening to the insipid talk of her husband."

This is really delightful. Lady Susan is a calculating bitch on wheels - the Scarlett O'Hara of regency England, absolutely bent on capturing the attention of every eligible (and ineligible, if it comes to that) man within a 50 mile radius.

Superficially sweet:

"She is delicately fair, with fine grey eyes and dark eyelashes; and from her appearance one would not suppose her more than five and twenty, though she must in fact be ten years older, I was certainly not disposed to admire her, though always hearing she was beautiful; but I cannot help feeling that she possesses an uncommon union of symmetry, brilliancy, and grace."

with a backbone of tempered steel and a bellyful of nastiness.

This is just an estimate, since I am reading it on my kindle as part of a bundle. But Louisa Musgrove just jumped off what seems to be some sort of a small retaining wall and somehow knocked herself into a coma (it's best not to try to figure out what medically has occurred in classic novels in order to cause young ladies to go into declines (and die) or into a coma (and die) or into despair (and die), since it seems that the slightest bit of adversity is quite capable of bumping them off). She's a gigantic pain in the ass, so this is all to the good as far as I am concerned.

Chapter 9 of Persuasion and Anne Elliot is breaking my heart.

On one other question which perhaps her utmost wisdom might not have prevented, she was soon spared all suspense; for, after the Miss Musgroves had returned and finished their visit at the Cottage she had this spontaneous information from Mary: — “Captain Wentworth is not very gallant by you, Anne, though he was so attentive to me. Henrietta asked him what he thought of you, when they went away, and he said, ‘You were so altered he should not have known you again.'"

My August Rewind (up late, but better late than pregnant... Err, never. Better late than never.

THE BOOKS:

The Fairest of Them All | Carolyn Turgeon [review]

Mansfield Park | Jane Austen (obvs)

Among the Janeites | Deborah Yaffe [review]

The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. | Adelle Waldman [review]

Austentatious | Alyssa Goodnight [review]

I am so excited to participate in "Austen in August".  I have enjoyed Jane Austen's work in the past, but still have several of her books to read.  Plus, this is social and you know that I am ever so social.

The Goal: To read as many of Jane Austen’s works (finished or unfinished) as you want or are able to, during the month of August.  Biographies, audiobooks, spin-offs, and re-reads also count.  I will post throughout the month on different subjects, as well as with my own reviews of the Austen books I finish.  We will be offering giveaways, guest posts, and other shenanigans, all of which are meant to inspire a great, interactive event.

If you are going to participate, you can read any of Jane Austen’s novels, a biography about her, or any contemporary re-imaginings (such as Austenland or The Jane Austen Book Club, for example). All posts will help you qualify for prizes, which I’ll explain in a later post!

We will be using hashatag #AustenInAugustRBR

A big thank you to Roof Beam Reader for hosting.  For more details, visit the sign-up post.

What I will be reading:  I will be reading Emma for sure.  I have a beautiful penguin clothbound classic and can't wait to crack it open.  Beyond that, I am not sure,