What comes to mind when you thinking of classic literature?
Do you picture a stack of well worn leather bound volumes edged with subtle gold detail?…
……. Or perhaps an antique library that is just waiting to be discovered?
I know that Fanny, (from Sense and Sensibility) never liked the smell of books, but I disagree. There is nothing quite like the smell of a new book….with smooth paper and a perfect hard cover waiting to be opened and you, the first reader are about to do so.
I have complied a few quotes from some of my Jane Austen books were the ladies mention books, or the act of reading. I know there are many more quotes, but these are the ones I could remember at the time.
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On entering the drawing-room she found the whole party at loo, and was immediately invited to join them; but suspecting them to be playing high cards she declined it, and making her sister the excuse, said she would amuse herself for the short time she could stay below with a book. Mr. Hurst looked at her with astonishment.
“Do you prefer reading to cards?” said he; “that is rather singular.”
“Miss Eliza Bennet,” said Miss Bingley, “despises cards. She is a great reader and has no pleasure in anything else.”
“I deserve neither such praise nor such censure,” cried Elizabeth; “I am not a great reader…and I take pleasure in many things.
- Pride and Prejudice
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“Emma has been meaning to read more ever since she was twelve years old. I have seen a great many lists of her drawing up at various times of books that she meant to read regularly through–and very good lists they were–very well chosen and very neatly arranged–sometimes alphabetically and sometimes by some other rule.
The list she drew up when only fourteen–I remember thinking it did her judgment so much credit that I preserved it some time; and I dare say she may have made out a very good list now. But I have done with expecting any course of steady reading from Emma. She will never submit to anything requiring industry and patience and a subjection of the fancy to the understanding.”
Mr. Knightley discussing Emma with Mrs. Weston.
Emma, volume 1, chapter 5
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Why might I be mentioning reading? Well, reading was a way that many young ladies could further their knowledge, however one must be careful with the kinds of books you read. No lady wants to end up like Catherine Morland, from Northanger Abbey.
However, if you are looking for a good read…I would suggest Jane Austen’s Novels. I have also written the date they were published, it is amazing that novels published so long ago can still be so popular and relevant today.
Sense and Sensibility (1811)
Pride and Prejudice (1813)
Mansfield Park (1814)
Emma (1816)
Northanger Abbey (1818)
Persuasion (1818)
If you have read them, which is your favorite and why?
I would love hear what you think…
My favorite….oh, this is hard to choose. I think I would have to say Pride and Prejudice is my first favorite, but then I do so enjoy Sense and Sensibility as well as Emma and Persuasion.
This article is a part of the Jane Austen Tour 2010 that is being hosted at here from July 19th to August 3rd. Find more info here.
About The Author
I love ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Emma’! I’m halfway through ‘Sense and Sensibility’…and think I’ve found a new favourite :)
God bless.
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I’ve loved reading your Jane Austen articles :) Keep it up!
I like to make lists of books, too, though they are lists of books I’ve already read. Perhaps I should start a list of books *to* read :)
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Miss Brielle's reply:
July 31st, 2010 at 10:22 pm
Greetings Jessica,
Thank you, you are so sweet to say so.
I am working on a few more also…
Yes, I like to make book lists too.
Oh really? I do that too with classics etc..that I have read. :)
have a lovely day!
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Persuasion has always been my favorite. There is something about a love lost and then found that just speaks to my heart. I love Anne, she is a kind of person I would love to be.
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I have read all of those listed, except Mansfield Park, which I’m currently in the process of reading. I believe my two favourites of Jane Austen’s novels were Pride and Prejudice (a very beautiful story, and I identify a lot with Elizabeth Bennet) and Emma. I also like Northanger Abbey, because I could relate to how Catherine Morland had to be in the presence of people who were a little.. coarse. She had to learn how to retain her positive, pure mindset amidst the ills of the world, so to speak, and she learned how to avoid those that she could.
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Wonderful series! I’ve read all Jane Austen’s novels, and Northanger Abbey is my favorite for several reasons. The first is that Catherine is the most like me of any of the books–only thankfully, my parents brought me up very wisely, paying close attention to the books I read.
So my first reason is Catherine, my second is…Mr. Tilney. :-) Nuff said?
But I also like Northanger Abbey because it is the only one of Jane Austen’s novels to feature a heroine with two parents–both live, and neither hopelessly silly–and a family of so many children. :-)
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