The Bibliophiles discussion

Hello everyone!

For the month of love we are reading Pride and Prejudice by the wonderful Jane Austen! I must admit that this will actually be my first time reading this and I am very excited to finally get to it! Let us all know your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

Although I have read this so many times I am always excited to read this classic, so happy it made botm

I recently just read all her other books for the first time. I’m always happy to read Pride and Prejudice again. The BBC mini series is also really good and I seem to watch it every winter break. I like to joke with my sister that someday when we’re old we’ll be like Mrs. Bennet and her sister always gossiping.

I’ve never read it either and am looking forward to it!

I have just finished reading this again and it amazes me how, everytime I read it I find something different. does anyone else get that?

I agree Toni. It's fun to see how things look from a different perspective once you know the characters better. I also find myself more and more interested in the secondary characters with each reading as well. I'd really like some backstory on the Gardiners for example.

Also, just as a fun tidbit, I named my cat Bingley after the character from this book. He's a cute orange tabby, super friendly, and a bit silly. My husband didn't know what to think about such an odd name at first, but it suits him really well and is a fun name. He's pretty popular with the ladies at the vet too. lol

I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time and I actually never read any of the other books by Jane Austen. But I will definitely remedy that.

The characters are so well developed but, like you said Toni, I also think that I would notice many more things when I read the book a second or third time.
I can't wait to dive into other books by Jane Austen. Do any of you have another favourite by her?

Whitney, the story about your cat is quite amusing and from your description, the name seems to fit the cat pretty well:)

Seena wrote: "I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time and I actually never read any of the other books by Jane Austen. But I will definitely remedy that.

The characters are so well developed but, like you..."

I'd suggest "Emma", it is also humorous and lighthearted. If you've ever seen the movie "Clueless", it is spiritually inspired by the novel and quite funny as well.

I just recently read Sense and Sensibility and it comes in as a close 2nd to Pride and Prejudice, I'm going to work my way through a lot of the classics this year, some I have never read before and some I'll be re-reading, as I haven't read them since I was a teenager so it will be interesting to read as an adult.

I found a couple of the characters from P&P so much more infuriating this time around and a couple of them could do with a slap, and I forgot how humorous the scene with Lizzie and Lady C actually was on paper (as much as I love the tv adaptation, it doesn't do justice to that particular scene).

Thank you two. I will keep that in mind when choosing my next read.

I marked Pride and Prejudice as a re-read.

I finished re-reading Pride and Prejudice a couple of days ago and my opinions completely changed! The first time I read it was more than 5/6 years ago and it wasn't in English (it's not my first language). Now that I have a bit more confidence and a bit more knowledge, I was completely blown away but some sentences, how short and concise and elegant they were. The thing I liked the most this time around was the social commentary of the Regency era Austen did through her characters. It also made me think how differently we experience things in different periods of our life? I mean, I was aware of it but this really exaggerated it, as the first time I read P&P all my focus was to the romance and while there's definitely some, I don't think it's the primary focus of the book at all? Or am I viewing it wrong?

mara0b wrote: "I finished re-reading Pride and Prejudice a couple of days ago and my opinions completely changed! The first time I read it was more than 5/6 years ago and it wasn't in English (it's not my first l..."

Though I enjoyed the romantic conflict, I think P&P is more realism than romance. Irony is at the very core of the novel (the opening of the novel, for example, is written in an ironic tone). You should read Tony Tanner's introduction to P&P. It's brilliant!

mara0b wrote: "I finished re-reading Pride and Prejudice a couple of days ago and my opinions completely changed! The first time I read it was more than 5/6 years ago and it wasn't in English (it's not my first l..."

While I do love the romance of the book, I agree a lot with this perspective. The book feels like it comments a lot on how people choose to live their lives within a certain social circle. The more I read the book I also see just how much of an unreliable narrator Elizabeth is. I think a lot of Austen's books look at young adults and how they take a lot of what is in front of them for granted. Many of her characters seem to grow and learn how to look at people or issues as being more than black and white. I first read this book in high school, and it definitely makes a difference now reading it 15 or so years later.

Another book I really love that has a similar type of set up is North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. It has the same sort of love/hate relationship, but comments a lot on religion/traditions and the industrial revolution. While I love P&P for being lighthearted and hilarious, North and South takes the idea a lot further by showing workers rights issues.

Stephanie wrote: "mara0b wrote: "I finished re-reading Pride and Prejudice a couple of days ago and my opinions completely changed! The first time I read it was more than 5/6 years ago and it wasn't in English (it's..."

Haven't thought about reading any introductions or commentary on the book, I should definitely look into that since I am on P&P kick!

Whitney wrote: "mara0b wrote: "I finished re-reading Pride and Prejudice a couple of days ago and my opinions completely changed! The first time I read it was more than 5/6 years ago and it wasn't in English (it's..."

Yes, I agree! I can see that a lot (the learning that life is not black or white) especially in how different Charlotte's and Elisabeth's opinions on marriage are: while I agree with Elisabeth's desire to marry for love and not financial stability, I also see Charlotte's point of view, especially considering how women were treated.

I heard a lot about North and South! I am def gonna look into that!

What others Jane Austen's novels did you find interesting? I only read Northanger Abbey but it was so long ago I barely remember it!

I think the ones that stand out the most are Emma, and Sense and Sensibility. Mansfield Park is also quite noteworthy, but I find it a bit too serious in tone. Emma is lighthearted and fun because of the main character's obsession with matchmaking. Sense and Sensibility feels very similar to Pride and Prejudice in themes. Mansfield Park is nice in that it looks at more serious issues of morality. It reminds me a bit more of a Bronte novel. I liked Northanger Abbey because it was a parody of Gothic fiction. They each are pretty interesting in their own regard, it's more of a matter of what you are interested in. Entertainment wise Emma is my second favorite after P&P.