18th and 19th Century Women Writers

Challenge: 4 to 12 books, published between 1700 – 1899 by a female writer from the 18th or 19th centuries.

1. Middlemarch, George Eliot

This book has been on my shelf for a long time, and I even attempted it a few times, but couldn’t get past the first fifty pages or so. I really want to finish it, so it’s #1 on my list

2. Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen

I bought a ‘complete’ set of Austen books, but arrived home to find that Northanger Abbey was missing. (Pride and Prejudice was missing too, but I managed to find a separate edition) As a result, I’ve been re-reading every Austen book quite frequently, except for this one. And from memory, I really liked it, so I’m going to read it again.

3. The Mysteries of Udolpho, Ann Radcliffe

This wasn’t on my original list, but I’m going to read it to complement Northanger Abbey. I admire Austen so much, and this is a book she satirised, but I have a feeling I’m going to enjoy it. Gothic horror rarely strays onto my reading lists - Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Wilkie Collins’ The Woman in White is just about all I’ve ever read – so this should be quite interesting

4. Cecelia, Madame d’Arblay (aka. Frances Burney)

Never read Frances Burney before, although I’ve heard a lot about her. Don’t know anything about this book either, except that Austen quoted it in Pride and Prejudice. Yay! First completely new book.

5. North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell

And another. I’ve heard about this book before, but I was never curious enough to read it. I know I shouldn’t rely on others’ opinions (People of the Book), but again, I’ve heard this is a really great book so I’m looking forward to reading it.

6. Agnes Grey, Anne Bronte

While I claim to ”love anything by the Bronte sisters”, I’ve never actually read Anne Bronte. I’ve read a lot of Charlotte’s work – Jane Eyre, Villette, Shirley etc – and of course I’ve read Wuthering Heights, but quiet Anne Bronte always escaped my reading lists. Just from the title, I think I’m going to like this book.

7. Persuasion, Jane Austen

It’s hard to say which Austen book I like the best, but if I were to try and choose one, I think it would be Persuasion. It’s actually been a while since I’ve read this one, so I’m looking forward to re-reading it (mm, I love Captain Wentworth)

8. Ormond, Maria Edgeworth

This one’s from 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die – I figured I might as well cross-read, since there’s so many books I haven’t read from that damn list

9. Adam Bede or The Mill on the Floss, George Eliot

Despite being less than enamoured with Middlemarch, I want to give George Eliot another go, so it’s going to be either Adam Bede or The Mill on the Floss, depending on what’s available at the bookstore. Actually, in that case it’ll probably be The Mill on the Floss.

10. Amelia Opie, Adeline Mowbray

Another completely new book; this time the author’s name is new to me as well. I found a review of it on the blog Of Books and Bicycles and decided to add it to this list.

If I have time:

• The Awakening, Kate Chopin
• The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman
• The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bronte