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Known for her cheerful, modest, and witty character, Jane Austen had a busy family and social life, but as far as we know very little direct romantic experience. There were early flirtations, a quickly retracted agreement to marry the wealthy brother of a friend, and a rumored short-lived attachment -- while she was traveling -- that has not been verified. Her last years were quiet and devoted to family, friends, and writing her final novels. In 1817 she had to interrupt work on her last and unfinished novel, Sanditon, because she fell ill. She died on July 18, 1817, in Winchester, where she had been taken for medical treatment. After her death, her novels Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published, together with a biographical notice, due to the efforts of her brother Henry. Austen is buried in Winchester Cathedral.
Author biography courtesy of Barnes & Noble Books.
Anonymous
Posted Fri Jan 09 00:00:00 EST 2009
I just finished reading this book and was captivated by the way the cahracters and plot was portrayed. I will never forget this book and it is one of my all time favorite books. I have found that even though there were hard times for the Bennets, I want to have something exactly like Elizabeth Bennet and be just like her. She is now my all time favorite fictional character. I highly encourage reading this book.
58 out of 82 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.After reading Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice", I wondered quietly to myself what exactly i took away from the novel. To be brutally honest, the answer to that question is this, not a whole lot. While Austen's writing style is clear and easy delve into, the actual storyline for the novel is severely lacking. Call it a matter of taste, but I prefer reading books where real events actually transpire, not a constant dialog between various pompous, egotistical rich people who are all trying to get a leg up in society. While this is an excellent method for developing characters, it does very little to actually develop the plot. Sure, there is the romance between Elizabeth and Darcy which is the novel's main focus, but as far as this reader is concerned there needs to be something else driving the plot as well. Many critics laud this novel as a clever commentary on society at that time, but seeing as I neither lived during nor cared about this time period, I don't include myself in the novel's target audience. Keep in mind that my poor opinions of the book do not necessarily constitute this novel as being awful, it simply doesn't appeal to people with tastes similar to mine. For those of you who think this book has potential but needs some more meat, try reading the revised version "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies", by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.
41 out of 128 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Alyssa2010
Posted Wed Apr 29 00:00:00 EDT 2009
I recently read Pride and Prejudice to relax, and I can honestly say that it is one of the best novels I have ever read. The characters of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are well developed and enthralling. Elizabeth is the classic stubborn and brazen heroine; a no nonsense kind of girl whose personality from their first meeting rubs Mr. Darcy the wrong way. Through several different personal struggles we see these characters grow as individuals, as well as closer to each other. It is a must read for all the hopeless romantics out there.
35 out of 44 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Aug 18 00:00:00 EDT 2008
'It is a truth universally acknowledged that any man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of...' a copy of Pride and Prejudice. I had felt guilty that I had watched many film versions of the book before actually reading it. That being said, I grabbed a copy at Barnes and Noble and ran home to read. I'll admit that the language of Jane Austen's day can be a bit confusing at first, but after the first three chapters, I was transported to eighteenth century England, sipping tea, and watching Elizabeth bedazzle Fitzwilliam while dancing at the Netherfield ball. This is a definite must-read for any, true booklover. Bon appetit!
27 out of 32 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2008
I do not inderstand why people LOVE this book so much. It is way too long and there are way too many details. Austen rambles on and on and on about things that have no significance to the story. The story is very boring and does nothing to capture your attention. This is probaly one of the worst books I have ever read.
27 out of 120 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Mar 24 00:00:00 EDT 2009
I have read 'Pride and Prejudice' at least fifty times, and I picked up this copy so that I could have an easy-to-carry one for my bag. However I didn't take a close look at it and didn't realize it had footnotes - which, at first glance, one would take to be helpful - but actually are so obvious that they are unneeded. The editor does explain some helpful things such as card games but some terms which need no explanation (really, who can't figure out that se'ennight means week?) just interrupt the flow of the text.
I also found the modernizations of spellings to be irritating and distracting - another unnecessary change by the editor.
I would not recommend this edition of 'Pride and Prejudice' but would certainly encourage anyone to read it in its original spelling and with more judicious editing.
23 out of 36 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Jul 12 00:00:00 EDT 2008
I saw the movie before I read the book. Actually, it was the movie that made me want to read the book. I'm a bit of a bookworm, and I started reading this at the end of my sophomore year (high school). I finished reading it during the summer, and I loved it. Sure, it was slow during some parts, but other than that, it was fantastic. Jane Austen was a fantastic author. I'm reading Sense and Sensibility next.
18 out of 28 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu Jun 25 00:00:00 EDT 2009
When i first heard of the book, i was under the assumption that is was an adult novel and that i wouldn't enjoy it. However, after reading it, as an 8th grader, for a challenge, i fell in love with it. I will be the first to admit that it took me 2 whole weeks to read this as where i usually only take about 2 days. It was a bit hard to understand at first, but eventually you got used to the writing and words she used. Overall, it is an epic love story and of course a classic. I recommend this book to anyone over the age of 12. It is simply amazing :)
15 out of 21 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Jun 06 00:00:00 EDT 2009
I Also Recommend:
It is simply the greatest book ever. What else can I say?
15 out of 22 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.omg this book is absolutely fantastically amazing!!!!!!
JANE AUSTEN IS THE BEST WRITER IN THE LAST 200 YRS!!!!!
my mom read the book and she said it was really good!!!
i also saw parts of the movie w/ keira knightley in it!
I HAVE 2 WORDS 4 ANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T YET READ THIS:
GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
13 out of 25 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat May 23 00:00:00 EDT 2009
I Also Recommend:
The book was pretty boring and eh-ish, until Mr. Darcy proposed to Elizabeth and she, in return, told him off about his devilish and rude nature. When Elizabeth found out how wrong she was, and Mr. Darcy wrote a letter back to her, with no traces of contempt, I was touched.
It was so romantic, how they ended up together again <3
I'm reading 'Persuasion' now, and so far, I'm having the same outlook as I had with 'Pride and Prejudice' (boring at first, then good).
10 out of 22 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sun Dec 11 00:00:00 EST 2011
This is a scan of the 1894 George Allen edition. There are a lot of problems with the scanner software not being able to recognize letters, or maybe the document was just dirty, but you have to do a lot of guessing as to the words. A difficult read and not for those who have not read Pride and Prejudice before this.
9 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Just when I thought I had more editions of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE than I should ever own up to, I will freely admit to just one more. After all, what Janeite could resist this tempting package? An unabridged first edition text; Annotations by an Austen scholar; Color illustrations; Over-sized coffee table format; Extensive introduction; And, supplemental material - all pulled together in a beautifully designed interior and stunning cover. *swoon* Where are my aromatic vinegars?
This new annotated edition appeals to modern readers on many levels beyond being a pretty package of a beloved classic. Austen is renowned for her witty dialogue and finely drawn characters, but not for her elaborate physical descriptions or historical context. When PRIDE AND PREJUDICE was originally published in 1813, this brevity was accessible to her contemporary readers who assumed the inferences, but after close to two hundred years words have changed their meaning, insinuations and subtle asides have become fuzzy, and cultural differences from Regency to twenty-first century are worlds apart. Anyone can read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and follow the narrative, but it is so much more enjoyable if you can read it on an expanded level understanding it in social, cultural and historical context. Editor Patricia Meyer Spacks has not only added extensive notes on plot, characters, events, history, culture and critical analysis from a vast array of Austen and literary scholars, but added her own personal insights and observations from years of reading Austen and her experience as a college professor. From shoe roses to Fordyces Sermons to military floggings to the 19th-century meaning of condescension, readers will be informed and enlighted on every aspect related to the novel, the author and her times. In a nut shell, she has vetted great resources, gathered nuggets of knowledge and placed them at our feet.
As with all of Austen's characters, this new annotated edition of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE has its own charms, "frailties, foibles and follies." Weighing in at over three pounds, and encompassing 464 pages of unabridged text and fine print margin notes, this book easily reigns as the most all-inclusive and well-researched edition of Jane Austen's masterpiece that I have ever encountered. Considering that the elaborate annotation classifies it as a reference work in addition to a full text, it is quite puzzling that it lacks an index. In addition, the illustrations are expertly selected but sadly lost some of their refinement in the printing process, coming across dark and murky in places. However, I was pleased to see a list of further reading and illustration credits listed in the back of the book to encourage readers to "add something more substantial, in the improvement of [their] minds by extensive reading."
Beautiful, sumptuous and satisfying, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: AN ANNOTATED EDITION is a monumental achievement that should be on the top of your holiday wish list and considered one of few editions available to be esteemed truly accomplished.
Laurel Ann, Austenprose
8 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sun Oct 26 00:00:00 EDT 2008
I Also Recommend:
Pride & Prejudice was an unexpected jewel. The novel is so much more than you would expect.I loved this book the first time I read it, and then watched the mini series with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. I reread the book and I am sure that I will read it many times again. Austin is brilliant!
7 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Mon Apr 14 00:00:00 EDT 2008
Will they fall in love, or loath each other for all eternity? This was the question I asked myself when I was reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I was captivated by the sense of authority in her words. She (Austen) explains the simplicity and hardships of love in a very graceful way. She laced this idea of love into a young woman's everyday life. This her second novel, and by my personal choice, the best. ¿It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.¿ There, she explains the subject of her novel. She said the main subject of the book is marriage and love, and it focusses you to know that the book will include someone looking for a wife, or vise versa. In the early 1800¿s, Elizabeth is a very regular girl. With her fast reactions and wits, she can give the rudest insult without losing her light hearted tone and good nature. She and her four sisters listen anxiously as their mother, Mrs. Bennet, persuades their father, Mr. Bennet, to go meet the new men in town. That is where new characters come into the book. Of course, any girl would be anxious to marry a wealthy man. Austen wrote the book in a very controlled manner. A scene such as when Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth, is an example. She (Austen) doesn¿t set Elizabeth into hysterics, or crosses the line of how she refuses him. It is almost funny to read. Mr. Collins, through his arrogance and stubbornness, doesn¿t stop asking Elizabeth to marry him. He keeps asking even though she refused him in the best manner over and over. The quote below shows the control Austen writes into her characters. ¿I (Elizabeth) do assure you... I would rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere. I thank you again and again for the honour you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible... Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female intending to plague you, but as a rational creature speaking the truth from her heart.¿ The Bingely¿s (a new family in town), along with Mr. Darcy host a ball celebrating their arrival. The whole Bennet family goes, dressed in their best apparel. Elizabeth immediately talks to Mr. Bingely, and is naturally repulsed at Mr. Darcys actions. Tightlipped and non-talkative, Elizabeth soon stops conversing all together around him until she is asked to dance by one of the men. Will Mr. Darcy get jealous and ask her to dance? Elizabeth is the main character, but Austen doesn¿t tell it from Elizabeth¿s perspective. She does this on purpose. It hides any strong or sudden emotions Elizabeth may have had. Austen¿s style of writing is slightly confusing. She jumps from one character and shoreline to another. It gave you multiple views of the story, and what can be happening all at once. It was better that she wrote this way, for one because the book shows multiple people who are in love. Instead of writing from how just one character sees how other people act, and ignorant of the characters own actions, she writes how each character acts a reacts to the situations they are placed in. ¿To Mr. Darcy it was welcome intelligence.... She attracted him more than he liked.... Particularly careful that no sign of admiration should now escape him, nothing that could elevate her with the hope of influencing his felicity..... His behaviour during the last day must have material weight in confirming or crushing it.... He scarcely spoke ten words to her.... and though they were at one time left by themselves for half an hour, he adhered most conscientiously to his book, and would not even look at her.¿ In this passage Austen shows Mr. Darcy¿s strength to resist, and his stubborn character to like anyone but himself. The writing style of the book is different than modern writers. For example: ¿When that business was over, he applied to Miss Bingley and Elizabeth for the indulgence of some music. Miss Bingley moved w
7 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu Jan 08 00:00:00 EST 2009
I read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and I thought it was a great book. It was brilliantly and beautifully written. Some of the characters were based upon people that Jane Austen¿s own life. The setting is in the 18th century and old English style writing and is historical fiction. Pride and Prejudice is a story about a poor family with five girls who are still not yet married. Mrs. Bennet very much wants her daughters to get married. When two handsome rich men go to their town there are balls and love is everywhere. Elizabeth Bennet is the second eldest girl and she is a happy and proud girl who loves to read books. Jane Bennet is the eldest of the girls and is shy and has a big heart. Mr. Darcy is a handsome rich man and is very stubborn and disagreeable. Mr. Bingley is Mr. Darcy¿s best friend and he is a complete opposite of him. He is sweet and respectful man and has a bid heart. This book is for young adults and adults. I recommend this book to you if you liked The Note Book. Pride and Prejudice was published in 1894, and has 371 pages. Do not just rush through this book; take your time to really think about the characters and the themes of love class and marriage. If you are looking for a great love story Pride and Prejudice is a great book to read.
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sun Dec 14 00:00:00 EST 2008
The plot of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen revolves around, well, pride and prejudice. This novel tells the tale of the convoluted romance of Mister Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss Elizabeth `Lizzy¿ Bennet. Basically, Darcy¿s pride prevents him from showing his true feelings for Elizabeth, and Lizzy¿s prejudice against men keeps her from truly falling in love. Many people have often speculated that Austen¿s inspiration for this story came from one of her own experiences. <BR/> I decided to read Pride and Prejudice after seeing the 2005 version of the movie in eighth grade. I loved the movie, but I loved the book even more. It has become one of my favorites! I would definitely recommend it to my friends. However, men might not be particularly enthralled by it because it is mostly a romance. Also, I don¿t recommend it to people who don¿t like slow or wordy books. I personally don¿t like books that are incredibly fast-paced, and one of the things that appeals to me about Pride and Prejudice is the fact that it moves fairly slowly. Still, this is not a boring book by any means. So much happens in its 61 chapters! <BR/> This story may also appeal to anyone who has ever been in an awkward or uncomfortable situation with someone that they are somewhat attracted to. Readers can practically feel the uncomfortable atmosphere in several of Elizabeth and Darcy¿s early encounters. For example, while at a ball, Lizzy remarks, ¿It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy. I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room, or the number of couples¿ (Chapter 18). Darcy responds by saying that they can talk about whatever she chooses, but he makes no effort to stimulate the conversation, so they remain silent. <BR/> The protagonists of the story are Charles Bingley, Fitzwilliam Darcy, and the Bennet family. The leaders of the Bennet family are rational Mr. Bennet and foolish Mrs. Bennet, who thinks only of finding wealthy men for her daughters to marry. This is the tale of the courtships of the Bennet girls: beautiful and gentle Jane, clever Lizzy, reclusive Mary, silly Kitty, and headstrong Lydia. The story begins with the incorrigible Mrs. Bennet demanding that her husband introduce the family to wealthy Mr. Bingley, who has just moved to Netherfield Park, in the village of Longbourn, where the Bennet residence can also be found. Mrs. Bennet hopes that Bingley will marry one of her daughters. The Bennet family forms a friendship with Mr. Bingley, his sister Caroline, and their friend, Mr. Darcy. In the mean time, the Bennets also become acquainted with one George Wickham, Darcy¿s estranged childhood friend. The novel is filled with twisting and turning courtships, and deceitful schemes to both separate and unite various couples. <BR/> Personally, Jane Austen¿s Pride and Prejudice, is one of my absolute favorite books. I know that few teenagers share my taste in literature, but I recommend it to everyone. I would rather you at least give it a try and put it down because you hate it than not try it at all. Who knows, you just might like it, and it could become one of your favorite books! <BR/><BR/>Check out this and other reviews by high school students at www.notrequiredreading.com!
6 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2008
Everyone has told me that this book is the best book to read. I really disliked it. It was a real disappointment. The story was dragged out to much, and the font was tiny. i would not reccomend reading it if you are under 16, you will get bored out of your mind.
6 out of 33 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Jan 31 00:00:00 EST 2009
This was an amazing book!! It is one of my favorites. It is about a girl named Elizabeth Bennet who takes PRIDE in her good judgments. She judges a rich, handsome, rude, new-to-town guy named Mr.(Fitzwilliam) Darcy. (Mr. Darcy has alot of PRIDE which is what I believe to be the main reason for the pride part of the title.) Through Elizabeth's PREJUDICE, she misjudges Darcy and Darcy writes all of these truths in a letter. She reads it and finds out about everything she thought. Darcy changes his attitude by becoming kind and caring. He ends up saving Elizabeth's family from disgrase and Elizabeth falls in love with Darcy. (Darcy had loved Elizabeth for at least months now and has already proposed to her once, she declined.) Darcy proposes a secound time and Elizabeth accepts. This was a really great book and it was alot better than i thought it would be. My only suggestions is to either keep notes of the characters or use an online character chart and to keep some form of a dictionary around because there are alot of uncommon words. Hope this was usefull!!!!!!!
5 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book is a novel detailing the life and trials of a young girl and family. She is trying to find love and happiness in a world where people marry for money and status. This woman endures many trials and errors dealing with the dark sides of people and also the surprising good that is hard to find in some individuals. The book is heartwarming and carefully written, a difficult read for some, but well worth it.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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