Pride and Prejudice (Dover Thrift Editions: Classic Novels)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Recently I went on a drive home to California and back. It's about 7 1/2 hours each way (because I actually go the speed limit!!!) and I wanted to try something new while driving. So, I decided to try an audio recording. I found one from my local library of Pride and Prejudice. : Why not go with a classic book for the drive home? So, I listened to Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is the story of the Bennet sisters, Elizabeth and Jane. Both are of marriageable age but do not come from the wealthiest of families. However, they live in a time when marriage to someone with wealth is of utmost importance. Since they have no brothers, when their father dies his estate will go to another male relative, as they are unable to inherit. One summer a new family comes to live nearby, and Mrs. Bennet, their mother insists that Mr. Bennet make an acquaintance with Mr. Bingley, the new bachelor who is very wealthy. At a ball one evening he is immediately taken with Jane Bennet who is admittedly beautiful, of a sweet nature, but perhaps below the standard of wealth into which he is expected to marry. But the problem really is his friend, Mr. Darcy. A haughtier more proud man has never existed, and though that same night at the ball many women did not have partners as men were few, Mr. Darcy makes it clear that he thinks pretty negatively of Elizabeth Bennet. He is cold, unfriendly, and seemingly unkind . . . Mrs. Bennet is determined to see her daughters married and encourages Jane and Mr. Bingley, but is desperate to make a match for Elizabeth, including pushing her to accept the proposal of marriage from her most insipid cousin. We follow the story of the Bennet family as others do everything they can to keep Jane and Mr. Bingley apart, and Elizabeth is forced into close proximity with the awful Mr. Darcy repeatedly. Will Jane and Elizabeth ever find true love that others will accept? Or will their less wealthy state be their destruction? Read Pride and Prejudice to find out! This is a total and complete classic. There are over 2 million copies sold worldwide, hundreds of editions, and quite a few different audio recordings, not to mention TV and movie versions of this story. If you haven't actually read Pride and Prejudice you simply must! It's a beautiful, wonderful story full of lively characters with personality oozing from them. Mrs. Bennet is incredibly silly, a trait which seems to have rubbed off thoroughly on several of her daughters. But Jane and Elizabeth took far more after their father with much more sense. It's the story of how pride and prejudice can keep you from truly seeing another's character, and how opinions can change when someone is given a true chance. I highly recommend this book to everyone! 5 out of 5 stars!

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." That's probably one of the most famous opening sentences of a novel, along with Moby Dick. Pride and Prejudice is also probably one of Jane Austen's most famous novels. I certainly liked it much more than Northanger Abbey. It is the story of Elizabeth Bennet, who lives with five sisters, and an odd pair of parents at Longbourn. Her mother is constantly scheming about marrying off her daughters to wealthy young men, so when Netherfield Park is let to the rich Mr. Bingley, she is very excited indeed. (Mr. Bennet's estate will be entailed away from the immediate family upon his death, so at least one of the sisters has to marry well to provide for them.) And Mr. Bingley brings his very proud friend, Mr. Darcy. The book is about the courtships, and, of course, has many twists and turns. Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Wickham, and I suppose, the detestable Mr. Collins (who the estate will be entailed to) are the main men of the story. I really loved this one; it had humor and wit in it, and great characters. I enjoyed Mr. Bennet and his sarcasm very much, though Mrs. Bennet and Lydia are really too silly sometimes. So stupid. And of course, Elizabeth. She is really a very smart and spirited young woman, who will not be ordered around. I also watched the 1995 TV series from BBC, and I must confess, Mr. Darcy...never mind. Anyway, all the characters were well portrayed, and while the TV series is wonderful, it doesn't quite have the subtlety of the conversations in Pride and Prejudice itself. The TV series did have excellent casting though; all the Bennets, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Collins were portrayed very well. (Yes, I suppose this is sort of a double review.) I would say though, that Caroline Bingley should have been a little prettier; she was just hideous, and Mr. Bingley was kind of silly-looking. But everywhere else, they did very well. Back to the book. As I said, there were many twists and turns which made this one a thoroughly enjoyable read. And really great characters. Though she is certainly less descriptive and florid than Dickens, Austen still manages in this one, to portray everyone extremely well. Mr. Collins really is detestable, Bingley overly-cheerful and positive, and Darcy stiff and stern (though he has his reasons, of course.) Mrs. Bennet is an extremely foolish woman, as is Lydia, the youngest Bennet. The pride and prejudice of the story refer, I believe, to Mr. Darcy's pride and Elizabeth's prejudice (though it is certainly debatable.) Mr. Darcy is very proud indeed at the beginning of the story, and Elizabeth's prejudice prevents her from seeing his true character for a while. I will just add that I read the Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition from 2009, and while it has a very nice design, it does not have any analysis or introduction, so if you want that you'd be better off reading the Penguin Classics regular edition or Oxford World Classics. However, my Penguin Classics Deluxe edition arrived slightly damaged on the spine, which was a disappointment. [...]

Amazing book, beautiful edition.

Très beau comme sur la photo.

One of the classics and only bought it because I like the embossed hardback cover!

El libro es pequeño, pero cómodo para llevar en bolso, es preciosa la edicion, los detalles, la letra pequeña pero se lee bien. Se ve de excelente calidad el libro. El único detalle y que no me gustó es la elección de papel, es muy blanco y con el contraste de las letras, llega a ser un tanto molesto, a diferencia de otros tipos de papel. Aún así recomiendo mucho esta colección de clásicos.

Livraison rapide et livre intact, c'est parfait !