Jane Austen discussion

Jungin,I read P&P many years ago as it was the novel we were studying for our state exams.

I've no idea of the publisher,but it might be an idea to buy a copy with additional explanatory notes at the back.

I recommend P&P to children that I teach,I tell them it's my favourite book and that they should read it when they get older!!

I read or listen to P&P each year as it never fails to bring a smile to my face and I view it as visiting a dear friend!!

Hi, Jungin, nice to hear from a Jane Austen fan from the other side of the world! In the English-speaking world, Jane Austen is more popular than she ever was. Thousands of people continue to reread and enjoy her work every year. For me, one of the best things about her is that every time I reread one of her books (not just Pride and Prejudice), I always find something new to appreciate.

For someone trying to read the book in English for the first time, I would recommend the Norton edition: Pride and Prejudice. It has a fairly accurate text, a good but short introduction, and notes explaining things in the text that might be confusing. If you really get ambitious, the back of the book has a lot of essays about Pride and Prejudice written by literary critics over two centuries. The Norton edition is pretty widely available.

I've gotten eye rolls from a lot of people when I've recommended Pride and Prejudice. I don't think it's an assumption that the book is outdated. Rather, it's often categorized as romance and nothing else by many who haven't read it, and that's why they choose to ignore my suggestion. I've accepted it at this point. I can tell them they're wrong and keep recommending the book, but some people will never read it.

Pride and prejudice is timeless. I reread it every other year alternating with Sense and Sensibility. I believe that it's been somewhat overexposed in the American Hollywood pop culture romantic comedy scene and so most people view it as being just that. If they would only read it and see that it's so much more and the basic story continues to applicable today. I agree that the Norton edition would be a good first choice. I continue to meet people who are in their 40s and older and have read it and that is really sad.

I reread the book all the time! It's a truth universally acknowledged that a witty writer with insights into human nature will continue to be a bestseller long after her death. Here in America and I think to a certain extent Britain and the English speaking world, Jane Austen is a huge celebrity thanks to the numerous adaptations made of her works in the 1990s and 2000s. They range from the mostly strictly faithful, faithful to the text + sex appeal,faithful to the story outline but not the text, tongue-in-cheek, modern adaptations, Bollywood versions and YouTube series.

The truly dedicated Janeites read the books for the incredible language, witty humor, insights into human nature and some of us enjoy the happily ever after "romantic" plots.

Couldn't have said it better,QNPoohBear! 😊

I read P&P every year and every time I read it I appreciate it more and more. I've read several comments from readers who have said they didn't like it the first time, but after reading it again, changed their mind.

P&P is not a book to read quickly. As we go through the daily lives of the families portrayed... we need to slow down our modern mind and relax to a slower pace that we don't normally get to experience. Once I slowed my mind down and didn't try to speed read... I really touched into the spirit of the era. I love her work.

My particular copy is from the Barnes & Noble Classics series. There is an introduction and notes by Carol Howard. Those insights, and a timeline of her life in relation to what was going on in the world at that time, was really interesting.

I hope you enjoy your reading experience.

Let's let the late great screenwriter Nora Ephron answer this one:
"Confession, I have read Pride and Prejudice two hundred times. I get lost in the language, words like 'Thither. Mischance. Felicity.' I'm always in agony over whether Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are really going to get together. Ah! Read it. I know you'll love it!"
--You've Got Mail (1998)

I know exactly what Nora means!

Irrespective of how many times I read/listen to this book,a little part of me remains quite fearful about whether Darcy and Elizabeth will actually reach an understanding!!!!
Ridiculous,I know!!!! ☺️

I reread P&P nearly every year - until I joined GR. I would love to do a group read sometime (but I will be starting the Mansfield Park one very soon!)

Timeless writing.

I am always reading one of JAs books and I am always surprised to find new insights Best in the original Eglish langugue

My favorite adaptation is, of course, the BBC version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. It's top notch. I really enjoyed Lost in Austen as a fun, tongue in cheek version for fans. The 1940 adaptation was good in parts, aside from the ending and wrong costumes. I liked the 2005 version when I saw it in the theater but that was before I had read the book a million times. I came home and watched the BBC edition and realized that was much better. I didn't care for Austenland much. I really liked the first two Bridget Jones movies. I'm only about halfway through the modern Mormon version.

My hands down favorite loose adaptation is You've Got Mail. I love 90s romantic comedies and a good Nora Ephron comedy coupled with Jane Austen is my cup of tea! Plus I want to move in to Kate Kelly's Shop Around the Corner.

the 1985 BBc film is also verygood except for the Darcy character who is wooden and not very good looking but the rest are excellent and the film is close to the text (as much as a film can be . it is never as good as the book )

I have read P&P both English and Spanish my mother language and I loved it regardless of the language that is in. Favorite edition I don't have I collect older editions and love the pocket size ones. Sorry my favorite movie version is Mathew As Mr Darcy I know a lot of people like Colin but he is my second choice 🤓📚

I don't think it's considered outdated, it still seems to be very popular here. there have been several tv and film versions which probably helps. My favourite filmed version is the 1980 one, which I think had the characters closest to how they are portrayed in the books, but the most popular is the 1995 version. I don't recall if I ever recommended it to anyone. i mean, I'm quite old now and any of my friends who were going to read jane Austen probably read her when they young. i did once give a friend who was in the Napoleonic society and did talks on costume a little book about fashion in jane Austen's novels, which i think she found useful, but i don't know if she read any of the novels.

I have read "Pride and prejudice" in french and i'm planning on reading it in english soon.
I don't think it's outdated but maybe it could depend on the taste of the person that you'd reccomend it to.They might not like this book not because they think it's old but because they might not like the story or the genre.

I recommend the book, not only to readers, but also to writers. If you want to learn how to construct a plot, how to deliver in-depth characters with minimal text, how to illustrate character through dialogue, you're not going to find a better template than P&P.

I wouldn't recommend it. Now, I love P&P and yes, I reread it sometimes. However, I think that most people (at least here in the states) have heard of it and already made an opinion (educated or not) as to whether they like it or want to read it at all. I agree with the user who said she usually gets eye rolls when she suggests it. Imo, people either already know and love it, in which case, they are looking for something new to read and this ain't it, or they've already made up their mind that Jane Austen is not for them (their loss) and will just roll their eyes. Better off suggesting something a bit more obscure that maybe not everyone has heard of. That's just my opinion.