Jane Austen

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I really love her books.

>>By Jolsen   (Monday, 5 May 2003 18:01)



As do i Jolsen... she is amazing... but i must admit that i was a little shocked and appalled when I seen the novels of her as an Angela Lansbury figure trying to solve crimes and conspiracies because that completely collides with my vision and understanding of her... I still cannot get over it

>>By mirabar s   (Friday, 13 Jun 2003 03:03)



I absolutley adore Pride and Prejudice. It is one of my very favorite books. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's relationship develops in such a realistic way.

>>By Aravwyn   (Saturday, 18 Oct 2003 03:46)



Pride and Prejudice is by far one of my favorite books. It's not only romantic, it also has a completely satire outlook on life in the 19th century. Elizabeth Bennet is undoubtedly the wittiest female character ever devised and the very personification of Jane Austen's own personality. Her eloquent humor and sentimentality are the very essence and heart of some of the classiest novels ever written

>>By Farie Child   (Wednesday, 29 Oct 2003 04:57)



for a detailed and "different" interpretation of "Pride and Prejudice" see Elizabeth Wurtzel's "Bitch"

>>By papatya   (Monday, 3 Nov 2003 12:00)



I really liked Pride and Prejucice. I have recently started reading Emma but I find that it is not nearly as good. Jane Austen was a wonderful writer for her time and it is amazing that her books are still amazing to this day. By the end of Pride and Prejudice, I found myself wishing that the book would never end.

>>By erwin   (Tuesday, 4 Nov 2003 04:52)



do you know that austen herself never married and virginia woolf remarked on this as "she was not profitable enough for the marriage market" this may explain why she is obssesively interested in the issue
fun to read though

>>By papatya   (Tuesday, 4 Nov 2003 13:08)



My favourite Jane Austen novel is "Sense and sensibility". I do not really know why I like it better than "pride and prejudice", perhaps because the girls are less silly than Elizabeth's and Jane's sisters.

>>By Kara   (Wednesday, 28 Jan 2004 20:27)



A lot can be learned about women and men's social condition with Jane Austins writings. I believe she was the original womens rights champion, and used the written word as her medium. Since this is coming from a man, I may not know the female perspective. But she did use her words to, say, give the gentler sex a much needed boost. Am I correct?

>>By noname1   (Friday, 30 Jan 2004 06:25)



She certainly advocated very skillfully the women's rights to have a mind and will of their own. I believe that is why her novels still are appreciated and characters, like Elizabeth Bennet so fascinating, even in the 21st century.

>>By Kara   (Friday, 30 Jan 2004 22:07)



Jane Austin is a top writer. Her wit and social commentary are her trademarks as evidenced by Pride and Predjudice. She gives a very accurate reflection of the time period in which she lived. She is a very astute and intuitive writer. People are still making her books into movies.

>>By noname1   (Sunday, 1 Feb 2004 19:44)



Love Pride and Prejudice of course, but for anyone who hasn't read it, Northanger Abbey is great fun. She really takes the p... out of the gothic novels which were so fashionable at the time of writing and it is a wonderful read.

>>By pollyfuffles   (Thursday, 21 Dec 2006 00:38)



My friend Jane's just completed a course where they examined the the film & TV adaptations of Austen's works. (And finally had to complete an essay about it!)
Jane reckons that Austen was a very early "chick-Lit" writer.

>>By nonyeb   (Friday, 22 Dec 2006 19:47)



There's a Jane Austen Centre in Bath where she once lived. That's worth a visit.

>>By nonyeb   (Wednesday, 10 Jan 2007 19:32)



I love Jane Austen's writing. She describes a gentile way of life and uses such rich language. There are not many books that I can re-read over and over

>>By Millicent123   (Tuesday, 12 Jun 2007 18:44)



i have read pride and prejudice four times ... i have a habit of doing it every winter.

>>By hypatia   (Wednesday, 20 Jun 2007 05:37)



Pride and Predjudice.......!! Say no more, unarguably the best work of romantic fiction ever written. Of course Sense and Sensibility comes a close second. Then there's Emma, and who could dispute it's merits! I just love her work and re read her all the time. I was appalled when they tried to write a sequel to Pride and P !!! Also that Stinky movie version they did, Miscast horribly and not at all like the novel, Kiera Knightly is NO Elizabeth. The A&E BBC collaboration was by far the best movie version of the novel produced. Those who have read the novel know that the movie follows the book very truthfuly! Jane Ehle and Colin Firth were brilliantly cast as was the whole of it. Emma has been made into several film versions as well. My favorite version once again done by A&E starred Kate Beckinsal, who was and is an amazing actress. Much as i love Gwyneth Paltrow, i was not impressed with her portrayal, of Emma she was too american for the role. I look forward to the release of Becoming Jane supposedly based on Jane Austens life, loosely no doubt. Unfortunately many details of the authoress's life are lost to history. I was shocked to hear Anne Hathaway was playing the lead! they couldn't cast a native Britt! Anyway i will reserve judgement until august 10th when the movie is released.

>>By chuzzle   (Monday, 30 Jul 2007 20:54)



I myself haven't branched out much w/in the realms of Austen's work but based on contrasts I've noted to other authors I'm familiar with, obviously her reputable standing, and some of the comments I've read here I definitely feel that her work is worth my time at this point ha ha. Something I wanted to ask anybody here would be how she contrasts with Nathaniel Hawthorne. What's prominently similar about their writing and what's prodigiously different; would the latter be enough to dissuade a big Hawthorne fan from checking out her works or...? Anyway, I'd definitely appreciate those answers, because if I find they're extremely similar I know the next classic fiction book I purchase will be by Jane Austen; thanks!

>>By OmnipotentNormality   (Friday, 3 Aug 2007 22:58)



I think there work is very dissimilar, male authorship versus female authorship aside. Nathaniel Hawthorne like most american male authors wrote in a heavy wordy style. His work in my opinion is pretentious even for the era in which he wrote. However i do not discount his remarkable storytelling ability, ' The House of The Seven Gables' is a very readable novel. His style is true american gothic, i would compare his work more with Edgar Allen Poe, Melville, and Henry James. Jane Asten's style was more lighthearted, witty and fun. Although every bit as clever, perhaps more so, than her male contemporaries. Her novels have none of there same pretention. Her words mirror a humanity which is truth itself, therefore relevant for any era and gen. That is perhaps why her and Charles Dickens are so much more widely read than there contemporaries.

>>By chuzzle   (Monday, 6 Aug 2007 20:35)



Why favor the timeless then? Essentially it's almost like reading contemporary lol. A lot of the modern "literature" out nowadays is complete, extraneous, garbage. Personally I'd rather go for a truly classic feel like Hawthroen rather than a pseudo one if what you say about Austen is true. Needless to say, I think I'm still going to check out more of her work. I appreciate the feedback regardless of my opinion though Chuzzle, TY.

>>By OmnipotentNormality   (Wednesday, 8 Aug 2007 10:57)



I completely agree with your opinion of modern "literature". That is excatly why i "favor the timeless". The term "classic feel" is completely subjective. I once had a friend who read F Scott Fitzgerald, because it made her "feel classy", it was a very honest statement. I do not read fictional literature to extol or gratify my intellect. I simply enjoy a good story well told. I would be one of those personages sipping wine , wearing an ugly tie, and discussing, what Hemingway "REALLY" meant to say in that ONE paragraph otherwise. I can understand your high opinion of Hawthorne as he is a regional author, and no doubt his tomb is much visited. However you must READ and stretch your mind do not discount your own imaginings or thoughts, for the mindlessness of those "superiors".

>>By chuzzle   (Thursday, 9 Aug 2007 05:59)



I really like Jane Austen's books, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility are both great, but hardly anyone ever mentions Persuasion or Mansfield Park. I'm studying Persuasion right now for my A-levels and am really enjoying it! It was harder than the others to get into, which is why most people probably don't like it so much, but once Austen has captured your interest it becomes more intriguing... Anne is probably the most realistic of the heroines because she has had to cope with the inability to marry the man she loves for many years and, unlike the other younger heroines, she has constantly loved him throughout her life instead of just falling in love and getting married shortly after like the others, though, Marianne's affection for Colonel Brandon grows through the book. Anne and Marianne are commented on being of similar minds, though, both enjoying the nature of the Autumn and poetry...

Enough said........... you should really read Persuasion if you haven't already, and compare it to Austen's earlier works...she did, after all, finish it shortly before she died, so had a lot to contemplate about her life. It is an interesting read...

Beebee_bloo

>>By beebee_bloo   (Thursday, 7 Feb 2008 00:25)



I love all of Jane Austen's work, its difficult to decide which I like best. Its either Emma or Persuasion. I have no idea why people think Emma is one of her worst books, I love it!

>>By Ctina   (Saturday, 2 Jan 2010 00:32)



these days I'm reading pride & prejudice
it's fantastic,the cahracterization of some like Eliza,mrs bennet, mr collins &..makes them so real that I like the book would have no end.

>>By fariba   (Saturday, 10 Dec 2011 16:43)



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