If you enjoyed our Pride and Prejudice: The Scenes Jane Austen Never Wrote (or P&P200), you’ll be happy to learn we’re doing it again! This time we’re taking on Persuasion, Austen’s touching story about second chances for love. As a tribute to this amazing story, which began 200 years ago this summer, the authors of Austen Variations are planning to retell Persuasion in ‘real time’ by writing the book’s missing scenes. Some will be new scenes and some will be existing scenes from the book but told from a different character’s point of view.
Just to add to the fun, we’ll be creating more than a dozen prequel scenes such as Captain Wentworth’s original proposal to Anne, their broken engagement, and major events from the dashing Captain’s naval career. One or two prequel scenes will be posted each week on Austen Variations starting April 17th with the main story commencing in June and running through early 2015. We’ll also have special historical features focusing on real places, events, and customs related to the book.
If it’s been a while since you read Persuasion, I encourage you to give it another look, or if you’ve never read it, take a first look. It’s a wonderful, romantic story with a heroine who learns to follow her heart over the advice of others who are trying to tell her what she should do. Plus it has one of the most romantic love letters in all of literature. So dust off your copy of Persuasion and get busy reading or at least check out one of the movie versions. I suggest the 1995 BBC movie starring Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds as it follows the original fairly closely. There are also other BBC productions from 1971 and 2007.
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So looking forward to this project! I adore Persuasion, and as for that letter… THUD! <3
Looking forward to it. 🙂
So are we!
Fantastic, I loved the P&P version and just had to buy a copy. Look forward to reading this version as well.
How exciting! I look forward to this. Thank you all!
Many of the Austen Variations team are participating. I can’t wait to read everyone’s scenes!
Can’t wait! I’ve been looking forward to this ever since one of you lovely writers mentioned it in a post earlier this year.
I shall have to dig out my book from storage (been having a MAJOR reorganisation in the house) and get reading. And my copy of the 1995 TV movie is only on VHS, recorded at the time of original transmission. It’s showing its age now, so a visit to an online retailer is well overdue, I think. Ciaran Hinds is MY choice as Captain Wentworth, definitely. I always hear his voice when I’m reading the love letter scene.
You can watch if for free if you’re an Amazon Prime member. You might also check Netflix streaming if you have that. It’s relatively inexpensive to purchase, too. Who knows? You might want to watch it more than once!
Hi Susan, thanks for the info but we can’t have Amazon Prime or Netflix as our TV isn’t that clever. However, I’ve checked the online retailers and a new copy is really quite reasonable so I’ve got one ordered!
I’m thrilled as Persuasion is my favorite love story! Can’t wait. Thank you so much.
I agree. What could be more romantic than a naval captain?
Persuasion is my favorite! I cant wait.
Definitely one of my favorites, too.
I was so fortunate to win an e-book pdf of the P&P200, and have loved reading it so much that I now have to have the real book with it’s beautiful cover, and have it in my basket to purchase! I shall look forward to this Persuasion version as well! You all do an amazing job!
So glad you enjoyed P&P200. We’re all brushing up on the Persuasion story and hope to make it just as good as P&P200.
Well that should be fun!
We’ve been talking about this project since last summer. I can’t believe it’s finally starting!
Love Love Love Persuasion. My second favorite. I am all anticipation!!!! Thank you for doing this novel next. Can’t wait.
I’m looking forward to it too especially the prequel scenes. These are scenes that occurred before the start of the story but are referenced in some way in the book. It should be fun!
THANK YOU! (Sorry, shouting is so unladylike, but it must be done on occasion!)
I just can not wait for this one! The P&P version was wonderful! I am certain you will all do The handsome Naval man and his lady love justice and answer some questions in the mean time. What fun!!!
Shouting is allowed when it comes to anticipation of something good!
I’m excited! Looking forward to it!
Thanks, Monica!
I am eager to get started on this b/c I love, love, love Persuasion. I have the good fortune to be married to a man who would wait eight years for me to return, and I’d wait forever for him.
Now that’s romantic!
Looking forward to it. Persuasion is my 2nd favorite (after P & P).
I’m hoping before this is over more people will agree with you – or perhaps make it a tie between the two.
Yay! I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. Here we go, and I’m up first. I’ve was just working on the my post about Lady Elliot’s parting words to 14-year-old Anne.
In case I didn’t mention this, Shannon is working on coodinating P200 with me. Thank goodness!
Hooray! I absolutely love Persuasion! I would have to say that the 1995 version is one of my favourites! My husband gave it to me for Christmas and it came with the book! Ciarin Hinds was brilliant as Captain Wentworth. I also thoroughly enjoyed the 2007 version which I also own. Thank you and can’t wait for it all to begin!
Persuasion is my second favorite after Pride and Prejudice so I am looking forward to this!!! 🙂 And Carole in Canada – Have you seen the 1971 BBC Persuasion? Personally it’s my favorite as I feel it’s the version most accurate to the book. I intensely dislike the Anne running around Bath scene at the end of the 2007 version. I love the 1995 Version!
I’m with you Megan about 2007 (Anne running back and forth, out of breath with saliva strings forming… yuk!) not to mention that they took major liberties with the story in that version! Thumbs down.
No Megan, I haven’t. I have had my eye on the BBC box set for some time. I have the vhs of Pride and Prejudice from that whole collection so I will have to upgrade and get all of them! Thanks for your endorsement! Yes, Anne running around in Bath in the 2007 version did seem so out of place for the time.
Just discovered that the 1971 version is available on YouTube, which is a version I’ve not yet seen (got the two most recent on VHS or DVD). I’ve only watched the first 10 minutes or so at the moment and haven’t had time for more due to a succession of house guests. It looks to be very much a product of its time in terms of budget and production values, especially the women’s hair!
I HATE when they have her running about Bath!
How exciting! I’m especially looking forward to some prequel scenes. I have always wanted to understand the early days of her romance with Frederick, and have a weird fascination with Anne’s bizarre family, so I wondered if they were ever normal before! I will have to look into the BBC Persuasions you’ve mentioned. I don’t like the 2007 one either — funny how everyone agrees the running was totally ridiculous.
I agree with all the comments about the 2007 version. No young lady would be caught dead running around Bath like that! And no matter how wonderful Rupert Penry-Jones is to look at, he’s not my idea of Captain Wentworth. Sigh!
So looking forward to getting to work on this!!
It was great fun having an excuse to reread Persuasion 😀 .
I am SO looking forward to reading this. I own 3 DVD’s of this story plus I have read the Scenes That Jane Austen Never Wrote and shared it with friends. Marvelous job on that one. And I agree about that letter – so very romantic and I hear Ciaran’s voice and see his face when reading it. But will have to re-read the book now.
I’m enjoying rereading the book and I think it’s time to watch all three versions of the movie again. Great for a rainy day in Seattle!
Persuasion is one of my favourite Jane Austen novel besides Pride and Prejudice. I’m very happy that you are planning to start this project. I can’t wait to read the prequel scenes and your stories especially the courtship and short engagement between Wentworth and Anne.
I dearly hope that when you have finish the project, you all will publish the book like what you did in P&P: The Scenes Jane Austen Never Wrote.
The plan is to put the scenes together into a book just like we did for P&P! So glad you’re looking forward to it!
This is perfect timing as my Jane Austen book club will be discussing Persuasion in July. I will mention this project to the group so folks can follow along with the prequel scenes leading up to our discussion. Looking forward, as always, to the creativity of all the authors on this project,
I’m delighted to hear there’s so much interest in Persuasion! “Perfect timing” was my thought too, when we decided to do this project, since I had already started work on a Persuasion tie-in novel. I’ve had my head in that world for months now and am not ready to leave!
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