First Impressions: Why All the Austen Haters Are Wrong

Maggie and Kristin present the second installment of their discussion of Jane Austen's Persuasion, a novel that is Austen-brand catnip for the romantic in all of us (yes, including a reluctant Kristin). We hope you enjoy it, gentle listeners. You pierce our souls, our hearts, our cheese, our mics, and our balloon animals.

The First Impressions podcast is a safe space for us to discuss our love for Jane Austen away from the haters, and perhaps even convert some skeptics in the process. Thanks for listening to our first episode, and if you enjoyed it, please spread the word and let us know what you think! We can be reached at [email protected].

Hello First Impressioners! We bring you part 1 of our discussion on Jane Austen's Persuasion. Kristin attempts to enlighten Maggie to the fact that (1) Fredrick Wentworth is a dick, and (2) the dismal worldview and the autumnal themes Austen employs in Persuasion make this novel a hard read for sensitive souls. As always, the psychological nuance of Austen's work is on display as she uses Persuasion to both illustrate the power of little gestures, and explore the stories we tell ourselves about other people's feelings. We are half agony, half hope, and all admiration for this work of romantic genius, and hope you will be too!

The First Impressions podcast is a safe space for us to discuss our love for Jane Austen away from the haters, and perhaps even convert some skeptics in the process. Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it, please spread the word and let us know what you think! We can be reached at [email protected].

Welcome back, First Impressions listeners! In honor of our one-year anniversary, we've got a special episode for you! Special guest (and longtime fan) Bethany C. is joining us to tell us fascinating facts about Regency fashion and its importance in Jane Austen's novels. Ever wonder about pattens, petticoats, spencers, shoe-roses, pelisses, and chemises? We've got all the information for you here. Enjoy bonus details about (slightly-creepy) hair jewelry, the "muslin disease," and Canadian beaver fur. Also: Mr. Darcy's pants were made out of buckskin. You're welcome.

Special thanks to Bethany C. for doing a tremendous amount of research so your lazy First Impressions podcasters didn't have to!

Welcome to episode 13, gentle listeners! In this episode, Kristin and Maggie begin their discussion of Sense and Sensibility.  The girls work their way through the plot of the novel by exploring the differences (and maybe similarities?) between the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, and take a deep dive into each character's reaction to love and loss. Kristin finds herself falling in love with Edward Ferrars while Maggie focuses on whether it's healthy for Elinor to always rely on her "sense." As usual, the discussion is fun, interesting, and goes places you might not expect!

Make sure to listen to the next episode, Part II of Sense and Sensibility, when Kristin and Maggie will focus on the secondary characters and the use of humor in the novel.

The First Impressions podcast is a safe space for us to discuss our love for Jane Austen away from the haters, and perhaps even convert some skeptics in the process. Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed it, please spread the word and let us know what you think! We can be reached at [email protected].