Any 18Th And 19Th Century Eng. Lit. Gluttons?

[love2travel]

Each year I read around 300 books as I am like a sponge and love to learn as much as I can about as many topics as possible. Favourite topics of mine include food, history, ancient archaeology, religions, travel, geogrpahy, horticulture and so on. However, I am now into 18th and 19th century English literature, both fiction and non fiction. The distinct class relationships betwixt servants and governesses and their masters intrigue me. The Bronte sisters (Emily, Anne and Charlotte) are brilliant. I really like Jane Austen when I am in the mood for lighthearted books. George Eliot's "Middlemarch" is my style. I also love Lisa Picard's books on Victorian (and other eras) London. Mrs. Beeton's books are amazing as well. Love Elizabeth Gaskill.

Anyone else share this passion? Who are your favourite 18th and 19th English Lit. authors (or contemporary authors on those topics) either fiction or non fiction?

ETA: I forgot about Wilkie Collins!

[luvs2eat]

I love all the authors you mentioned and have especially enjoyed many of their books on celiac disease. There's NOTHING like being read to!

[Harpgirl]

I am most certainly a glutton for this literary era! My favs are Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and Les Miserables. I'm currently on the 3rd book of A Tale of Two Cities. For me, this is sort of a re-read. I was supposed to read it my freshman year of High School, but I wasn't interested at the time. I had a lousy teacher and I was able to get by with just skimming it. I'm thoroughly enjoying it now, but I don't get as much time to read as I use to because of my 1 and 3 year old.

I had about 300 books in my physical library, but it was driving my hubby bonkers (he can't stand clutter), so I got an ereader and was able to eliminate about half of them so far. I'll never get rid of many of my hard bound ones however, even if they are on my ereader too. I've got a beautiful copy of The Secret Garden that my mom gave me for Christmas when I was 10. I must have read that story at least a dozen times growing up! I'll still read it from time to time. Too bad we don't have a daughter (yet!).

[luvs2eat]

HA HA HA... what I MEANT was that I love many of the books on compact disc... but when i used the initials ... celiac disease came up! Sorry!

[bartfull]

When 9/11 happened, I was in the middle of the sequel to The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. (Great book, by the way. Not in the same genre, but I just love anything having to do with King Arthur). Anyway, like many Americans, I couldn't concentrate well enough to read for a long time after that. When I finally felt up to reading again, I reached for Pride and Prejudice. That book is so sweet and soothing and comforting.

Have you read any of the new "Jane" books that have been coming out lately? I'm not talking about the zombie ones, but there is a series of mystery stories (can't remember the author right now), with Jane Austen as the "sleuth". Of course they could never match the beautifully written social satire that the real Jane achieved, but the writing is lyrical and soothing, and the stories aren't half bad.

[Harpgirl]

HA HA HA... what I MEANT was that I love many of the books on compact disc... but when i used the initials ... celiac disease came up! Sorry!

Hahaha! I was wondering about that! I thought that maybe English wasn't your first language and you didn't understand the topic.

Have you ever gone to librivox.org? Volunteers read all the classics there, and you can download them for free. I've listened to several books that way.