Welcome to season FOUR of Pod and Prejudice! Today, we're diving into Persuasion, starting with the first three chapters. We meet the Elliots, get ready for a trip to Bath, and the navy comes to town.

Topics discussed include: family history fans, our first certifiable DADDY, eternal life cults, the tale of William Walter Elliot Esquire, the Elliots' money problems, Elizabeth's gay romance, the Croft family and their connections to the area.

Glossary of Terms and Phrases:

Engrafted (v): incorporated in a firm or permanent way.

Retrench (v): to reduce costs or spending in response to economic difficulty.

Glossary of People, Places, and Things: 23andMe, Gilderoy Lockhart, Hugh Grant, Jenna Maroney (30 Rock), Jerry (Parks and Rec), Toby (The Office), Gwyneth Paltrow, Nobu, The Napoleonic Wars

Patron Study Questions:

From Joanna: Why does Austen focus the reader's attention on the Baronetage?

From Megan R: What do we think of the use of narrative voice in these chapters?

From Emily: Best guess so far on who the villain of the story is / will be?

Becca's Study Questions: Topic discussed include the Elliots' status and what Austen is getting at by showing them in their fallen state, the status of the navy, how the stakes are changed by the age and marital status of our main characters, and who HE is.

Funniest Quote: “A lady without a family was the very best preserver of furniture in the world.”

Questions Moving Forward: Why does Anne hate Bath? Why was William Walter the worst? What is wrong with Mrs. Clay?

Pod and Prejudice is sponsored this week by the Ballarat National Theatre in Australia. They've created a 13-episode audiobook version of Persuasion featuring a cast of 20 actors, plus original music and sound design. It's made entirely by volunteers, and it's available for free on all major podcast platforms. You can find all links at www.bnt.org.au.

Our show art was created by Torrence Browne, and our audio is produced by Graham Cook. For bios and transcripts, check out our website at podandprejudice.com. Pod and Prejudice is transcribed by speechdocs.com. To support the show, check out our Patreon!

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