Books - The Works of Jane Austen

Elithraniel · 02-21-2005, 09:03 PM

Jane Austen

Author of the novels: Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Persuasion, Northanger Abby, and Pride and Prejudice. A discussion for anyone who has ever enjoyed the elegance of the writing that penned memorable stories and beloved characters.

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My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice--hands down. How can one not

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy?? And Lizzy Bennet is my favorite heroine of all time! Honest and steadfast meets Wit and beauty in this story that is unfolded with the realness of pain, struggle and of course, love.

xallyx · 02-21-2005, 11:30 PM

I've only read Pride and Prejudice and Emma. P&P is definitly one of my favourite novels, but I didn't really enjoy Emma that much. I just didn't really like the main character.

Mirli · 02-22-2005, 06:20 AM

I've read several books of Jane Austen and also made some presentations of her life and work for school. Of course, reading Jane Austen in English for me is quite hard, nonetheless I tried it( I'm Austrian, by the way). I love the way she expresses moments, feelings,.... everything. Isn't there a bit for everyone of us in the books of Jane Austen. Normally I read Pride and Prejudice at least once a year, it's my favorite book of J.A.

But I also like the others. It's impressing how a woman in that time was able to write books of that level.

Did anyone watch the movies based on her books? I liked them, but they are not comparable with the books.

Sometimes I wish I could live in that time. That's what J.A. made with me

Elithraniel · 02-22-2005, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mirli

Isn't there a bit for everyone of us in the books of Jane Austen. Normally I read Pride and Prejudice at least once a year, it's my favorite book of J.A.

But I also like the others. It's impressing how a woman in that time was able to write books of that level.

Did anyone watch the movies based on her books? I liked them, but they are not comparable with the books.

Sometimes I wish I could live in that time. That's what J.A. made with me

I know exactly what you mean!! Part of the appeal of her characters is that I think the reader can really identify with them. I think we all secretly hope we get to be Lizzy in some great romance

And yes, I would love to live in the early 19th century with gentlemen galore!

Jane Austen had to hide her identity during her life as the author of some really wonderful literature because she was a woman. But the themes she chose to write on, and the simplicity of her stories are universal so people now know exactly how it feels to be in love, or rejected, gossiped about and shunned, you know? I think she was really talented and the level of human emotion in her books is just remarkable.

I've only read P&P, Emma, S&S and parts of Mansfield Park (I really couldn't finish it, mainly because Fanny started to bug me

)

I have seen P&P the BBC miniseries (I actually own it and love me some Mr. Darcy/Colin Firth

), I haven't seen Emma but have seen clueless (haha), I watched Mansfield Park--liked it better than the book, and I've seen S&S with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. I know they're coming out with a new P&P movie that stars Keira Knightley. I hope hope hope it turns out well. Anyone know anything about it?

Lady_Primrose · 02-22-2005, 04:51 PM

I just bought P&P from Amazon. I look forward to reading it, from all the good reviews I have complete confidence that I'll enjoy it.

**Quarterley** · 02-22-2005, 05:32 PM

I tried reading Jane Austen once. I think it was Emma...but I couldn't get into it.

Maybe I'll try again.

*Shetan* · 02-23-2005, 08:27 PM

I Love PP... I agree who couldn't resist Darcy?

Shetan

Elithraniel · 02-23-2005, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quarterley

I tried reading Jane Austen once. I think it was Emma...but I couldn't get into it.

Maybe I'll try again.

I hope you do! I know it can be a bit hard to get into some of JA's books, but in the end it's worth it (at least I think so

)

P&P is classic and is by far my fav. book--"light and bright and sparkling"

maybe you'd have better luck with it than Emma--the story starts to unfold from the first line... "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in posession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" <<the humor and satire is amazing.

Resisting Darcy--I seriously don't know how those 2 words fit together in a sentance

He is such a man

Shetan, I like your av, is that michelle kwan?

Crossbow · 02-24-2005, 11:55 AM

I could resist Darcy. I thought he was a brat. I didn't like P&P. I guess it would have been OK if it had been a short story, but I didn't think there was enough plot to support a whole novel, and it was just generally too cute for my taste.

*Shannon* · 02-26-2005, 09:41 AM

I loooove Pride and Prejudice. I'm reading Sense and Sensibility right now.

froukje · 02-27-2005, 10:40 AM

Jane Austen's books are on my "to read as soon as you graduate" list....until then i'm stuck with reading the victorians and some other theme-class listed books.

I recently got to read Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights though, I loved it!!

**madelen** · 02-28-2005, 02:42 AM

I love Jane Austen's books! Pride and Predjudice is my favourite. Though I liked Emma and Sense&Sensibility too. And Persuasion is wonderful too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mirli

Did anyone watch the movies based on her books? I liked them, but they are not comparable with the books.

Yeah, I've seen Sense & Sensibility, Persuasion, Emma (two versions of it, the other with Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma, the other with Kate Beckinsale), and the P&P black and white movie, and the BBC series...

I've actually liked all of them. The only one that I didn't like was Mansfield Park, though I liked the book.

It'll be fun to see how the new P&P turns out. Though I somehow can't imagine Keira Knigtley as Lizzy. And no one can play Darcy as good as colin Firth did!

Crossbow · 02-28-2005, 08:19 AM

Movies:
Actually, so far, my favorite movie based on an Austen book was "Clueless."

fallfromgrace · 02-28-2005, 10:38 PM

I've read all 6 of her novels and have read bits of her unfinished works as well. My favourite by far is P&P, but I also love Emma and Persuasion. I like S&S but didn't enjoy Mansfield Park or Northanger Abbey.

UnbirthdayGirl · 03-01-2005, 01:07 AM

I've read Emma and P&P. My copies are well-loved and dog-eared.
The A&E adaption of P&P lives in my tape player. I recite the damn thing in my sleep. I tried to watch an earlier film adaption but their Mr Darcy was such a poor substitute for all that FIRTH-Y goodness that I couldn't see it to the end.

Has anyone read any austen sequels?