Pride & Prejudice: A Riveting Tale of Love and Marriage Regency Era Societal Norms a Classic Love Story English Literature Timeless Classic British Society and Culture

I am a great fan of Jane Austen, and Pride and Prejudice is my favourite of all her novels. Although I have the book, and the 1995 BBC series on both DVD and in my tablet, I thought it would be enjoyable to listen to it in the form of an audio book. I chose this Naxos edition for a number of reasons. Firstly, for me, it had to be an unabridged version. I also needed to hear an English voice. The fact this is read by Emilia Fox, who played the part of Georgiana Darcy in the 1995 television series, also swayed me. This was my very first audio book so I did not quite know what to expect. However, I was not disappointed in my choice. I have to say that I was surprised at how much Emilia brought the book to life. It is more like a dramatisation than a mere reading. I don't know if this is typical of audio books in general but it was a surprise to me. There are distinct shades of the 1995 BBC series cast as Emilia takes on the strident voice of Mrs Bennet, the noisy petulance of Lydia and the soft tones of Jane. Likewise, the unctuous manner of Mr Collins and the haughty condescension of Lady Catherine de Bourgh are done justice to. On my first listening of the audio book, I felt that Elizabeth, being a more natural and less extreme character, sank into the background of this welter of characterisation, and that even Mr Darcy, portrayed with the necessary aloofness and restraint, failed to come forth as a great and powerful presence. On a second listening, I felt none of these reactions. I could discern Elizabeth and Darcy's place in the mix and was able to detect other nuances that escaped me the first time around. How much of my initial reaction was due this being my first audio book experience, I don't know. However, I am completely hooked now and I do greatly admire Emilia's narration. I converted the discs so I could listen to the recording on my mp3 player using headphones. It may well be that the true power of the recording is to be appreciated by hearing it resounding in a room. I will try this the third time around. I am very happy with my purchase and will be enjoying this version of Pride and Prejudice for many years to come. Emilia Fox is exemplary as a reader and I thoroughly recommend it.

Pride and Prejudice, in its enchanting and beautifully designed edition, is an absolute gem that belongs in every book lover's collection. The elegance of this version, aptly titled Gift Classics, is apparent from the moment you lay eyes upon it. This book is a literary masterpiece by Jane Austen, and Gift Classics has paid homage to its brilliance with a stunning cover art, reminiscent of the Regency era in which the story is set. The detailing, embossed gold lettering, and carefully chosen font create an unparalleled aesthetic that instantly captivates. Beyond its visual appeal, this edition of Pride and Prejudice proudly upholds the essence of Austen's work. The pages are of exceptional quality, thick and crisp, ensuring a smooth reading experience. The font is well-sized and easy on the eyes, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the world of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy without any distractions. One delightful aspect of this edition is the inclusion of insightful annotations and footnotes, which shed light on the era, language, and historical context woven into the story. These explanations enrich the reading experience, making the dialogue and societal norms of Austen's time more accessible and relatable. Gift Classics' meticulous attention to detail extends to the binding, which is sturdy and built to last. This is a book that can withstand multiple readings, a true heirloom to be passed down through generations. As a classic that has been adapted countless times into various media forms, Pride and Prejudice continues to captivate and enchant readers with its timeless characters and the exploration of love, identity, and class divisions. Gift Classics has truly done justice to this beloved novel, presenting it with utmost respect and care. Whether you are a devoted Austen fan or a newcomer to her works, Pride and Prejudice (Gift Classics) is a treasure that will adorn your bookshelf and provide endless joy in revisiting or discovering Jane Austen's world.

I'm continuing my quest to read (or re-read in this case) all of Jane Austen's novels, here is her second book published first in 1813 but probably written much earlier. I loved this story, it was total escapism. I loved every sentence, every twist and turn, every witticism from Lizzie. I must admit I was totally re-playing the 1995 BBC series (starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth) in my head. It was glorious. If you don't know the plot, this is the story of the Bennets, a family with 5 daughters (Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Lydia and Catherine). A handsome stranger rents the local mansion and brings with him an even more handsome friend. The first stranger (Bingley) falls in love with Jane, the second stranger (Darcy) falls in love with Lizzie but doesn't tell anyone for most of the book. In typical boy-meet-girl style, Bingley then waltzes off to London and doesn't contact Jane for months. Jane takes it on the chin. Darcy then declares his love for Lizzie and she tells him where to go (in a delicious way) as she hates him (in a love/hate kind of way). Obviously they all get back together in the end but how they do and what happens in between is just amazing. I love Jane Austen's writing, she captures the characters so well. They could be in a modern-day film, the situations are timeless and I love how much I'm willing the characters to declare their love for each other. This book makes me smile. If you haven't read this, read it! It's really readable and not at all hard work, it really was a gorgeous way to spend an evening, to slide back in time and sit in the Bennet's sitting room listening to them chatter away. I will also highly recommend the 'Lizzie Bennet Diaries' on YouTube. An excellent adaptation which brings the story bang up to date and I was hooked on for many weeks. Oh and also read 'Longbourn' by Jo Baker (my review here) which tells the story of the servants at the Bennet house. Apparently you should be able to read the two books side by side and track the servants come into one book and out of the other.

Love it. Great format for travelling with. The story is full of clever social commentary on the ridiculous behaviour of the characters. 1 star dropped as I don’t feel the illustrations add anything.

Oh wow. I can't believe just how my feelings for this book turned round. I went from feeling so indifferent to it at the start that I kept finding excuses not to read to wanting to read it slowly in order to make it last. I wanted to slap some of the female characters hard to start with. My head could tell me that the ladies would have behaved that way in 1813 when the novel was first published, but my heart couldn't stand the way they were so pathetic! However, I soon got over that and warmed to them. I especially loved the characters of Lizzy, Mr Darcy (despite never having seen P&P on the TV, I still pictured Darcy as Colin Firth - which is no bad thing!) and Mr Bennet. Oh, and Jane. I wanted to slap Lydia for being so selfish, and give Mrs Bennet a damn good shake by the shoulders for being such an embarrassment. It had humour in spades. It was sad too. Mr Bennet being trapped in such a loveless marriage was a tragedy considering his lovable and amiable nature. I have quite a few 'favourite bits', but I think the one that stands out for me was where Jane stood up to Lady Catherine when she came to dissuade Elizabeth from having a relationship with Darcy - this bit showed just how strong the character of Lizzy really was. As a `modern' woman, it seems very strange to me how society worked back then. For Charlotte to marry someone after only knowing them for such a short time to secure a future for herself seems very alien! I don't think a book has caused so many different emotions in me for a long, long time. After feelings of total indifference I simply grew to love this book.

This is one of my all-time favourite books and I recently re-read it to see whether its magic could still enchant. I was not disappointed. The story is as riveting and satisfying as it ever was, two love stories, mingled with a witty and satirical depiction of society's norms as they were in Jane Austen's day. The story is well known, a delightful take on a familiar theme - girl meets boy, girl loses boy, girl and boy get back together again. But in this case there are two `girl meets boy' stories, those of the only two sisters with, in their father's estimation, any sense. The pride is Elizabeth Bennet's, the prejudice Mr Darcy's. Good-looking but haughty, he is seemingly disdainful of any class below his own and determined not to demean himself by dancing with Elizabeth, or any other young lady of her class, no matter how captivating she might be. Jane Austen's characterisation is superb. The five Bennet sisters are so different from each other and so real: Jane, the eldest, pretty and full of goodness, seeing only the best in everyone; Elizabeth, sensible and feisty; Kitty, the sister we know least; Lydia, frothy and fluffy-headed, who brings shame and almost ruin to her family; and staid, disapproving Mary, who has no idea that she is so dull and tedious. Mrs Bennet's sole ambition is to avoid the ignominy of seeing any of her daughters unmarried, to the point where it seems any potential husband will do. Their father is a quite, sensible, man, eminently likeable, unlike the repulsive Mr Collins, a cousin with claims to their property. These are just a few of the many characters who, between them, make this such a delightful read. It is at times funny, at times serious. I have seen it described as the perfect novel and in many ways it is - a thoroughly rounded, satisfying whole.

I have loved this book for more than 60 years I cannot count how many times I've read it ., it was the book for my a level and I have never tried of it. Seen many tv adaptation s but none of them capture the beauty

I first attempted this book when I was much younger and desired to ‘improve’ my education. The prose style defeated me and I gave up after a few chapters. What’s helped in the intervening years is viewing the adaptations on screen. That’s helped me navigate the plot without having to tease apart the text. I laughed aloud at some points which I found surprising as the writing is as dense as it always was. It is palpably a novel from another age and some of its sentiments are quite at odds with modern thinking. One of the aspects which I find hard to reconcile is that these are all rich people by the standards of the time. To translate their standards of living into the current era is quite eye watering. Servants, an independent income etc. The underlying logic is very hard nosed and the oft quoted opening lines state it precisely. It’s still a hard book to read.

I was going to use this book to an art project, I was not going to make it unreadable, I was just going to make a new cover, since I paid 4 dollars for the book I was expecting it to be in really poor shape and conditions but the book looks so good right now that I can't find courage to redo anything! My mom didn't believe it was used, the pages have a good quality and besides being a 2005 edition the pages are not yellow at all, the cover is cute and the spine also looks perfect, so I'm kinda dissapointed for my arts project but kinda happy because I love pride and prejudice and didn't had any physical edition and now I have this super cute one! Anyway, I would recommend the purchase!

At times I thought I was glad I was not born back in those days. I want to read more

Amazing book, beautiful edition.

you know the game where you use google translate to change something from English and then feed it back again ? This version of the book is like this. its terrible and nothing like the original .

It is a truth universally acknowledged.... that you must read ‘Pride and Prejudice’ many times in your life! I have a physical version of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ that is tattered, old, loved and quite honestly a book I adore. I can not count the number of times I have read it or watched the movie (or the many versions of TV series) so I felt it was time to buy the kindle version. Well sure it was not the same as there is so much information on it that I won't review all of the content here, except to say read it at least once in your life!! The characters are wonderful and stand the test of time -the mother is a cringe worthy twit, the cousin is an swarms ass, Jane is so wonderful, in beauty and disposition and the father is aloof, yet caring. It is however the incredible Elizabeth Bennett is intuitive, magnificent, witty, irreverent and empathic. While Mr Darcy takes a while to warm to, when he warms he is a men of men. As for the annotations in this Kindle Edition, they are of immense help to the Austen novice as the integrated "in-text" notes are useful explanations as to the meaning of certain words/ phrases not commonly used today hence they enhance the readers enjoyment marvellously; they are the chief reason this edition is so special. ‘Pride and Prejudice’ has stood the test of time because of its wit and humour. While there are good film adaptations, including one with Colin Firth (perfection) and Keira Knightly (very good), actually reading the original work is not to be missed. Over-all, it seems like a modern fairytale where love prevails after overcoming hardships. It’s fun, sweet, and romantic Yet a literary masterpiece (have I convinced you yet?).