This writeup about a new book coming out caught my eye, especially the title of the article, "Dating tips from Dickens, Austen and Tolstoy." I was hooked! The book, titled Much Ado About Loving: What Our Favorite Novels can Teach You about Date Expectations, Not-so-great Gatsbys, and Love in the Time of Internet Personals, was co-authored by journalist Maura Kelly and Jack Murnighan, a medieval lit scholar.
In the interview, Kelly dishes on her views on what we can learn about modern courtship from examples in Austen's novels:
"And even with Jane Austen — even with books written during an era when courtship was so much more formal — there’s a lot of philandering and a lot of wondering about where relationships are going that feels familiar. Maybe even more, with Austen, there are questions about finding the person who will help you become your true self, and your best self — about self-realization — which feel very relevant."
What do you think? Please leave a comment!