The Jane Austen Book Club Quotes
Six Californians start a club to discuss the works of Jane Austen, only to find their relationships -- both old and new -- begin to resemble 21st century versions of her novels.
Grigg Harris: What about me? Am I your friend? Or am I just some widget to help you make Sylvia feel better about herself? Why did you invite me to be part of your book club? What went through your mind the first time you saw me? "There's a man who is dying to read every book Jane Austen ever wrote." Is that what you thought?
Jocelyn: No.
Grigg Harris: But I thought, "What a beautiful woman. I hope she looks over at me." I thought if I read your favorite books that you would read mine. But, no, no, no, no... You just want to be obeyed. That's why you have dogs.
Jocelyn: No.
Grigg Harris: But I thought, "What a beautiful woman. I hope she looks over at me." I thought if I read your favorite books that you would read mine. But, no, no, no, no... You just want to be obeyed. That's why you have dogs.
Sylvia Avila: I was thinking just this morning about this book club we're in, Allegra and me. The first meeting was right after we separated, 'cause Allegra had just moved in. And I was realizing how different I feel. I don't think I'm the same woman that you left.
Daniel Avila: I can see that. I so see that.
Sylvia Avila: Well, it's probably the same for you. I guess that's what happens when you let go. We did a good job taking things apart. I'm kinda proud of us.
Daniel Avila: I can see that. I so see that.
Sylvia Avila: Well, it's probably the same for you. I guess that's what happens when you let go. We did a good job taking things apart. I'm kinda proud of us.
Prudie Drummond: [showing Dean a copy of Persuasion] Will you do me a favor? Will you read this?
Dean Drummond: Isn't that what you're special little book club's for?
Prudie Drummond: I really want you to read it. Please Dean.
Dean Drummond: Prudie, I feel like you want me to be something I'm not. I just walk around being me. I don't pretend to be anything else. You just set me up for a test, you don't want me to pass.
Prudie Drummond: No, no. This isn't a test. This is something to share.
Dean Drummond: Why don't you just tell me what it's about?
Prudie Drummond: It's about these two people who used to love each other. And they don't any more. And it's about how they persuade themselves to give it another try... Look I can get you started off. Okay?
[she begins to read the first page]
Dean Drummond: Prudie... Come on, you're not really going to read this all aloud... Alright, one page...
Dean Drummond: Isn't that what you're special little book club's for?
Prudie Drummond: I really want you to read it. Please Dean.
Dean Drummond: Prudie, I feel like you want me to be something I'm not. I just walk around being me. I don't pretend to be anything else. You just set me up for a test, you don't want me to pass.
Prudie Drummond: No, no. This isn't a test. This is something to share.
Dean Drummond: Why don't you just tell me what it's about?
Prudie Drummond: It's about these two people who used to love each other. And they don't any more. And it's about how they persuade themselves to give it another try... Look I can get you started off. Okay?
[she begins to read the first page]
Dean Drummond: Prudie... Come on, you're not really going to read this all aloud... Alright, one page...
Grigg Harris: One day, I'm like 10 years old, my dad takes me back to the shed and he shows me some magazines that he keeps back there. He says, "This is strictly guy stuff. It's top secret. Very private. Tell no one."
[he shows a sci-fi magazine and laughs]
Grigg Harris: So from then on... It was like... I don't know... It's like me and my dad and science fiction. These were the first books I fell in love with, and I never got over it.
[he shows a sci-fi magazine and laughs]
Grigg Harris: So from then on... It was like... I don't know... It's like me and my dad and science fiction. These were the first books I fell in love with, and I never got over it.
Jocelyn: Sex is messy. Maybe Mrs. Dashwood prefers a more well-ordered life.
Grigg Harris: Maybe that's why she's such a minor character.
Jocelyn: I think if you read Austen's novels...
Grigg Harris: Oh, I have. You wanted me to, and I did.
Jocelyn: I think you'll see she always writes in favor of order and self-control. Nothing unwise.
Grigg Harris: So what, this is a rulebook?
Bernadette: We could do worse.
Grigg Harris: Maybe that's why she's such a minor character.
Jocelyn: I think if you read Austen's novels...
Grigg Harris: Oh, I have. You wanted me to, and I did.
Jocelyn: I think you'll see she always writes in favor of order and self-control. Nothing unwise.
Grigg Harris: So what, this is a rulebook?
Bernadette: We could do worse.
Daniel Avila: I was just thinking about something Allegra said at Jocelyn's the other day...so we're talking about how we all need to have connection, you know, conversation, sex, companionship, and Allegra says, "Well, you get all that from Mommy." I have to tell you, it really made me sad.
Sylvia Avila: Aw, baby, she'll find somebody.
Daniel Avila: No, it made me sad for us, because I've been struggling with whether a marriage can sustain all of that over, uh, over 20+ years or if it's just inevitable that after a certain amount of time-- maybe being with somebody else can have a renewing effect, because for me-- I've been seeing a woman at work. We've been together 6 months now . . . We, we can't think of this as a failure. We have had a very successful marriage. We've had a long marriage, by any standard. We got 3 wonderful kids. They're grown, they're working, they're--
Sylvia Avila: Just open the damn door, Daniel, I need a tissue.
Daniel Avila: The kids, that's, that's all you, you know, you made all the sacrifices, I know. But there's a logic to us quitting while we're ahead, and I think they'll be able to see that, you know?
Sylvia Avila: I don't understand a single word of what you're saying, Daniel.
Sylvia Avila: Aw, baby, she'll find somebody.
Daniel Avila: No, it made me sad for us, because I've been struggling with whether a marriage can sustain all of that over, uh, over 20+ years or if it's just inevitable that after a certain amount of time-- maybe being with somebody else can have a renewing effect, because for me-- I've been seeing a woman at work. We've been together 6 months now . . . We, we can't think of this as a failure. We have had a very successful marriage. We've had a long marriage, by any standard. We got 3 wonderful kids. They're grown, they're working, they're--
Sylvia Avila: Just open the damn door, Daniel, I need a tissue.
Daniel Avila: The kids, that's, that's all you, you know, you made all the sacrifices, I know. But there's a logic to us quitting while we're ahead, and I think they'll be able to see that, you know?
Sylvia Avila: I don't understand a single word of what you're saying, Daniel.
Jocelyn: If we stay in this lane, we're going to be late.
Grigg Harris: Given that I have to convert donut grease into biofuel every time I fill up the tank, I try not to drive very fast.
Jocelyn: We're barely moving... Why are you getting off here?
Grigg Harris: I enjoy seeing the river.
Jocelyn: What are you, Mark Twain? Now we're gonna get stuck at every light.
Grigg Harris: Given that I have to convert donut grease into biofuel every time I fill up the tank, I try not to drive very fast.
Jocelyn: We're barely moving... Why are you getting off here?
Grigg Harris: I enjoy seeing the river.
Jocelyn: What are you, Mark Twain? Now we're gonna get stuck at every light.
Editor: Dear Ms. Corrine Mahern, we regret that we must decline to publish the three short stories you sent to us. 'Benny's Basketball' is strong narratively, but the depiction of your penis-waving retarded boy felt a little unkind. And isn't the title 'Separating Eggs For Flan' a bit obvious as a metaphor for your parents' divorce? Yet we confess that 'Skydiver' puzzled us most. Why would a beautiful, self-centered young lesbian jump out of a plane?
