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Which Jane Austen book to start?
I suggest that you start with Pride and Prejudice, that way you could become an avid fan of Jane Austen like we are. ....
Pride and Prejudice, in my opinion, is the best. Get ready, because it does start a little slow, esp. if you are not familiar w/British literature of the 1800's. But, stay with it, it's worth it. Esp. if you are a hopeless romantic.:)
I just started reading them a year or two ago, Ikiwiki, so don't feel bad. I haven't read them all, but so far, I would recommend P&P also.
I haven't read one either, Ikiwiki. Just picked up Mansfield Park at the thrift store. Planned on starting with that one but the responses here make me feel I need to re-think that.
I'm reading Sense and Sensibility this month for the Rory Gilmore book club. I love the movie so I'm excited to read this one. This will be my first Jane Austen too, you're not alone!
Pride and Prejudice is probably the one to start with, but I have to say that I love Northanger Abbey! I was surprised by how funny that one was. The heroine does a lot of imagining herself in a creepy, gothic novel and it really struck me as funny and modern in a very meta way. I think that's such a common thing for people to do these days, even imagining ourselves in Jane Austen books!, so it tickled me that one of her characters would have that same sort of fantasy.
Sense and Sensibility was my first Austen, and Pride and Prejudice is my favorite of her novels.
I'm reading s&s right now...it's my first Austen book too. After that I'll read p&p.
I also recommend Price and Prejudice as the first to be read. Followed by Sense and Sensibility.
Don't feel bad I haven't read any of hers either.I have been meaning to but there are so many contemporary reads and series I enjoy.I haven't been able to read a older novels much.
Thanks, everyone! I knew I could count on this group to steer me in the right direction.Okay, so it sounds like P&P followed by S&S. Is there a GR book club for Austen? Sounds like there are a few of us that might want to check it out... If not, would any one here be interested in joining me in some P&P discussion? When do you want to start reading?
Anytime you want - I can't get enough of Austen. Do you want to make a new topic in the Book Discussions area?
I would read Pride and Prejudice followed by Sense and Sensibility. I loved Persuasion, but I would read it after these two.
Yup there is a Jane Austen group on here. It's pretty lively. If you are a Jane Austen fan, you should also check out:pemberley.com
It's chock full of all kinds of great stuff... if you go definitely check out Catherine & Co where literary characters give themselves advice a la Dear Abby.. lol
As for which to start with... I looooooooove Pride and Prejudice.. and Emma is really fun too! =)
Pride and Prejudice.Sense and Sensibility is personally my favorite, though.
Emma is also excellent.
I read all her books just a few years ago! Loved them all. My Fav is P&P,I am also parcial to Northanger abby and persuasion.I have problems with emma. It took me the longest the read. I had the others done in a matter of days. (I have chldren so I can't just sit and cruze) I just could not really relate at all to her. I really just wanted to smack her.
I would put it down for weeks and even months at a time. I would even begin and finish another book during the time period. It is a very good book but of all of Jane's works emma is the only one I struggled with.
I enjoy the movie of emma sometimes and fast forward when I can't take it any more. I love Mr. Knightly! But in the book he has a lesser role or at least less time with him in it and I found this a dissapointment.
If I could have any of the Jane men I would choose first Mr. Darcy second Mr. Knightly third Captin Wentworth. the others are good but this is my top three in order.
love love love Jane!
Gail, I'm glad I'm not the only one who wanted to smack Emma! I was a little afraid to say it!
Is it wrong that I've never been able to read Emma because I already feel like I know the story so well from watching the movie "Clueless"?
^It's not the same, Starlight. They just took one simple idea and adapted it greatly to 20th century society. And that idea is not that original anyhow, so I suggest you read the book. It's not as happy go lucky as the movie, but it's worth it. It's still funny and entertaining (in a 19th century kind of way). I loved 'Emma'. And P&P and 'Persuasion'. Austen's books are also recommended if you want to brush up on your vocabulary *lol*
^It's not the same, Starlight. They just took one simple idea and adapted it greatly to 20th century society. And that idea is not that original anyhow, so I suggest you read the book. It's not as happy go lucky as the movie, but it's worth it. It's still funny and entertaining (in a 19th century kind of way). I loved 'Emma'. And P&P and 'Persuasion'. Austen's books are also recommended if you want to brush up on your vocabulary *lol*
JG I too am glad someone feels the same way about her as I do!Starlight I have not seen clueless but would recomend reading emma all the same if you do like jane. I would not say it is wrong that you have not read it but would say you should not let a current movie disuade or lead you to not reading the book. Books are usually better in the origanal form and with detail then any movie.
I just struggle with the personality of emma. She is deffanetly no lizzy bennet! But this is good we can not all be fantastic.
I only meant the "Clueless" comment half-seriously, but I do hate the feeling of knowing how the plot is going to unfold, even if the movie and book are vastly different experiences. It goes along with my horror of spoilers and reading series of books out of order. Of course, I do intend to read Emma someday. I've still not read Mansfield Park or Persuasion, either. There's a part of me that feels the need to dole out her books to myself slowly since there aren't many. (Sad memories of finishing J.D. Salinger's alarmingly short ouevre spring to mind ...)
^Then, let me tip you in on something: all Jane Austen's books have happy-endings! *lol* There's your spoiler. You just don't know how they are going to come to that conclusion. And the plot is hugely different. Just start reading the book and you'll see for yourself. If I hadn't read somewhere that "Clueless" was based on 'Emma', I wouldn't have recognized it myself. Like I said, it's not the most innovative idea in the world.
Okay, lovelies! I picked up P&P. Not entirely sure where it lands in my TBR pile, but it's close to the top. Thanks for all the advice and recommendations.
YEAH!!! I hope you love it. Darcy and Elizabeth are just so great. Enjoy.
Well, I HAVE to read Emma! Hehehe, I own both Pride and Prejudice and Emma, and I'm planning to get into them very soon!
The first Jane Austen book I read was "Pride and Prejudice" and afterwards I was completely hooked on everything Jane Austen for months and months. I never even picked up another book by another author! Although I must say, due to personal preference, that even though I love all of her books, they paled in comparison :)
Although I love all of Jane Austen's novel and have read the full complement of them repeatedly since I was a teenager. I have found over the years that my favorites have changed. Starting out Pride and Prejudice was defiantely at the top and although I still like it, I have developed a greater appreciation for Mansfield Park and Persuation.Also, on first reading Emma I had a dificult time relating with the character but again with each new reading of it I still find her difficult to tolerate but I find a degree of understanding and sometimes compassion for her as a character.
Pride and Prejudice. Its the slyest of Austen's books and that perhaps gives it the edge over the almost-equally-wonderful Sense and Sensibility (and the rest).
Lynlee, I actually started with Mansfield Park, and I have to say, I have mixed feelings about that decision! In a way, I'm glad I did because I truly loved the story, and wasn't constantly comparing Fanny to other Austen leading ladies, so I think that was a definite plus.
On the other hand, Mansfield Park has the single most difficult start of any of her books, and I've since read them all except Northanger Abbey and Love and Freindship. Jane introduces so many people right up front that I had to keep notes! But once you are past that, the story is wonderful.
:)
The first one I ever read was Pride and Prejudice, and now I have read all of them except Mansfield Park. Emma is by far my favorite, though. So I think I would say start with p&p, because you definitely have to read that, it is excellent, and then read Emma.
Just so long as you don't start with Northanger Abbey which is not at all representative of Austen's writing, although it was the first book she wrote. Essentially its a parody of a Gothic novel and quite funny, quite good too but not like her other books at all.
MY taste on books have change with time but i still love Emma
Petra X wrote: "Just so long as you don't start with Northanger Abbey which is not at all representative of Austen's writing, although it was the first book she wrote. Essentially its a parody of a Gothic novel an..."Haha, Northanger Abby was my first Austen book. I read it because of an episode of Wishbone (anyone else remember that show?). I'd definitely say P&P is a good safe beginner novel.
As a side note I'm about a third of the way through Persuasion and think it is absolutely stunning and would also suggest that if you just want to dive in.
I agree that P&P is a great Austen to start with, but I'm also a huge fan of Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. The latter is my favorite book of all time, though, so I'll always recommend it.
Jane Austen is a great classic english writer but for some reason my heart and mind is on IRAN.
I started with P&P because my cousin recomended it to me.
I did read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE years ago
Pride and Prejudice hands down!
Yup, Pride and Prejudice first, Sense and Sensibility second, and maybe Emma third.
I have never read Jane Austin before now either. In high school I was forced to read some books that I really disliked that I associated with her genre (whether or not that was accurate) like Jane Eyre and Tess of D'urbervilles. But when I loved the Kiera Knightley movie that came out, decided to give her a chance. I am currently listening to P&P on audiotape and I love it. I think the audio tape brings it to life for me in a way the text itself might not. Now that I am liking this I intend to add some her others to my reading list.
Just to echo everyone else, I recommend you start with Pride and Prejudice; it's a brilliant book and perfect if you're starting with Austen because it's so witty and the characters are all intriguing and well-drawn out. It was also my first Austen =) I also suggest you follow Sense and Sensibility afterwards; some people found it dry, but I actually love it more than P&P. I just love that struggle between sense and sensibility (didn't mean to borrow the title in my sentence, but it's true) and I totally emphasize with Elinor for pretty much the entire novel, lol.
But my personal favourite Austen novel is Persuasion. It has to be the only novel from her where I really had to finish it in one sitting because I was terribly excited and wanted to know what was going to happen next. The story is wonderful and, to borrow a sentiment I read elsewhere, it's a lot more mature in some ways than her previous novels. =)
I also have a soft spot for Northanger Abbey---hee hee, Mr. Tilney! =D
Manday wrote: "I have never read Jane Austin before now either. In high school I was forced to read some books that I really disliked that I associated with her genre (whether or not that was accurate) like Jane ..."I would really recommend watching the BBC version of P&P. It's much, much closer to the book.
I'm with Grace on that one.
*covers ears from "boos" and ducks from pillows being thrown"
Which one should I start with? Which is your personal favorite? Why?
I have seen the movie Pride and Prejudice (the older one and the remake, and I really like them both), and I think I saw Sense and Sensability. I know books are usually better than the movies, and I did really enjoy both of these. Just a quick FYI...