Jane Austen
- Courtenay
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Re: What other author are you reading at the moment?
Sense and Sensibility is indeed another brilliant one, Poppy - I remember being on the edge of my seat (almost literally... I was waiting for a train at Oxford Station) as I read those last few chapters! Jane has a great way of building up to a suspenseful climax in which things seem to be going horribly wrong and there's apparently no hope for the heroine to get the man she loves... but of course it all ends happily. I'd love to hear your thoughts on any further Austen books you read, too.
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: What other author are you reading at the moment?
I've always liked Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, in which fiction books read by the characters (especially lurid Gothic novels) play an important part.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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- Courtenay
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Re: Jane Austen
I find Northanger Abbey a little different from the rest of Austen's works - it was actually the first full-length novel she completed, I believe, although it wasn't published until soon after her death, and her style is perhaps a little less developed than in her later books. Jane was quite a fan of Gothic novels herself, but was well aware they presented a wildly unrealistic picture of life, and in Northanger Abbey she has some fun portraying a naïve and impressionable young heroine who starts to take what she reads too seriously!
Another Austen novel I particularly like is Mansfield Park. It's her longest and slowest-moving to begin with - the main character starts out as a very shy, timid girl who observes the action more than taking part in it at first. But she gradually matures and becomes a quiet yet strong character who determinedly stands up for what she knows is right - even when caught painfully between a man who is in love with her but whom she doesn't trust, and the man she's always loved but who is in love with someone else. It's a little hard to get into, as I said (or so I found), but well worth persisting with.
Another Austen novel I particularly like is Mansfield Park. It's her longest and slowest-moving to begin with - the main character starts out as a very shy, timid girl who observes the action more than taking part in it at first. But she gradually matures and becomes a quiet yet strong character who determinedly stands up for what she knows is right - even when caught painfully between a man who is in love with her but whom she doesn't trust, and the man she's always loved but who is in love with someone else. It's a little hard to get into, as I said (or so I found), but well worth persisting with.
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
Re: Jane Austen
Why is it when a thread is merged, on viewing new posts, it takes you back, not to the beginning, but say the 2nd or 3rd page. I never notice this until I see at the bottom of the page that there are several more pages to read. I then look at the date, and see I am in 2010 or some other early year!
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- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Jane Austen
I never use "View new posts", but that does sound odd. Perhaps the system gets confused by a thread containing posts with different titles (following a merge)?
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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- Daisy
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Re: Jane Austen
I always use "View new posts"! It seems to be the quickest way to see what's arrived since the last time I looked.
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.
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- Eddie Muir
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Re: Jane Austen
So do I, Daisy. It makes sense.
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.
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- Poppy
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Re: Jane Austen
The end of Sense and Sensibility was indeed gripping, Courtenay. A throughly enjoyable book, perhaps even better than Pride and Prejudice? I only prefer the locations however: the cosy Barton Cottage, and beautiful surrounding countryside. A greater bond was made between the reader and the characters in P&P.
So I've started (and am very much enjoying) Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D.James. I love the spooky and cosy text and the hooking events before the night of the ball. So original and mysterious. I have a feeling this book will be making a regular appearance in my Christmas reading list, just for such a cosy, hooking story!
I have bought all six of the Jane Austen books now from Charity Shops for the grand total of £3.20 for the lot! Got a lot of great reading ahead, no doubt!
So I've started (and am very much enjoying) Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D.James. I love the spooky and cosy text and the hooking events before the night of the ball. So original and mysterious. I have a feeling this book will be making a regular appearance in my Christmas reading list, just for such a cosy, hooking story!
I have bought all six of the Jane Austen books now from Charity Shops for the grand total of £3.20 for the lot! Got a lot of great reading ahead, no doubt!
"Beware of young men with long hair - that's what dad says, isn't it?"
Pat, Holiday House
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- Courtenay
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Re: Jane Austen
Ooh, don't give away any spoilers for Death Comes to Pemberley - I'm hoping to read that one some time! I promise not to give away any spoilers for the rest of the original Austen works in return. (There are a few from others earlier in this thread we're now part of, so be careful if you look back at the start of it.)
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
- floragord
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Re: Jane Austen
Great to hear you're thoroughly enjoying this, Poppy, I very much liked the wayPoppy wrote:So I've started (and am very much enjoying) Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D.James. I love the spooky and cosy text and the hooking events before the night of the ball. So original and mysterious. I have a feeling this book will be making a regular appearance in my Christmas reading list, just for such a cosy, hooking story!
P D James, apparently a keen J A fan, had linked PRIDE AND PREJUDICE to her whodunit, most original and as you say, a cracking good read!
"Its a magic wood!" said Fanny suddenly.
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Re: Jane Austen
I have read Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility till now. I have heard that Jane Austin sold Pride and Prejudice to the same publisher as she sold Sense and Sensibility to for 110 euros. The publisher's name was Thomas Egerton.
- Poppy
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Re: Jane Austen
I also think it is wonderful how P.D.James links her profession into her personal enjoyment of Jane Austen books. She obviously highly understands Jane Austen's characters very well to be able to tackle a sequel so accurately and well. Very much enjoying it (but I'll say no more, Courtenay! )floragord wrote:Great to hear you're thoroughly enjoying this, Poppy, I very much liked the way P D James, apparently a keen J A fan, had linked PRIDE AND PREJUDICE to her whodunit, most original and as you say, a cracking good read!
"Beware of young men with long hair - that's what dad says, isn't it?"
Pat, Holiday House
Poppy's Best of Books
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Pat, Holiday House
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- floragord
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Re: Jane Austen
Absolutely, Poppy - its not everyone who can tackle following up on a well known and much loved book with such outstanding success. One of my old favourites is Daphne du Maurier's REBECCA, and I approached the sequel MRS DE WINTER cautiously, even though Susan Hill who wrote it is a fabulous author. I greatly enjoyed it, but would the secret of what happened have been better kept - secret? The jury is still out on that one
"Its a magic wood!" said Fanny suddenly.
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Re: What other author are you reading at the moment?
I agree Anita. Northanger Abbey is a lovely book. All the excitement, and then the disappointments felt by Cathrine, can be felt by us. One of her best works, I think.Anita Bensoussane wrote:I've always liked Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, in which fiction books read by the characters (especially lurid Gothic novels) play an important part.
However, I happen to be reading "Pride and Prejudice" nowadays.
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