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Average customer rating:

Very fine accompaniment to the book
Transformative!
notes on annotaions
A most excellent, thorough and readable compendium
Jane Austen Fans

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
Manufacturer: Anchor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels
So You Think You Know Jane Austen?: A Literary Quizbook (Oxford World's Classics)
What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist-The Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England
The Making of Pride and Prejudice (BBC)
These Three Remain: A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman

ASIN: 0307278107
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Book Description

This first-ever fully annotated edition of one of the most beloved novels in the world is a sheer delight for Jane Austen fans. Here is the complete text of Pride and Prejudice with more than 2,300 annotations on facing pages, including:

• Explanations of historical context
Rules of etiquette, class differences, the position of women, legal and economic realities, leisure activities, and more.

• Citations from Austen’s life, letters, and other writings
Parallels between the novel and Austen’s experience are revealed, along with writings that illuminate her beliefs and opinions.

• Definitions and clarifications
Archaic words, words still in use whose meanings have changed, and obscure passages are explained.

• Literary comments and analyses
Insightful notes highlight Austen’s artistry and point out the subtle ways she develops her characters and themes.

• Maps and illustrations
of places and objects mentioned in the novel.

• An introduction, a bibliography, and a detailed chronology of events

Of course, one can enjoy the novel without knowing the precise definition of a gentleman, or what it signifies that a character drives a coach rather than a hack chaise, or the rules governing social interaction at a ball, but readers of The Annotated Pride and Prejudice will find that these kinds of details add immeasurably to understanding and enjoying the intricate psychological interplay of Austen’s immortal characters.

Customer Reviews:

Very fine accompaniment to the book.......2007-06-14

Many delightful and informative insights into the novel especially when referring to the social customs at the time that Jane Austen wrote this wonderful novel. And there are also some interesting insights into the main characters as well as references to what was happening in the world at the time of the novel. This is my second copy of the annotated version as I gave the first one to someone who loves this book as much as I do.

Transformative!.......2007-06-04

Mr. Shapard does a fair amount of gushing, but he gets it out of his system after about a hundred pages. What's left is historical context, balanced literary interpretation and elucidation of the subject matter. Overall, he's done a wonderful job.

Years ago, I read P&P and thought it was alright but nothing worth getting excited about. When I read this version, suddenly it wasn't just two people talking; it was Darcy digging himself a hole in front of the oblivious Elizabeth. Talk about something worth getting excited about; I couldn't put it down.

notes on annotaions.......2007-05-22

This is a thoroughly worthwhile undertaking completed with great enthusiasm, competence and erudition. It was an excellent idea to include maps, illustrations and a chronology of events.

Not sure though that I would want similar treatment to be meted out to other novels by Jane Austen. It could become a tad systematic which would detract from one's enjoyment.

A most excellent, thorough and readable compendium.......2007-05-13

Beyond serving as a dictionary of names, terms, and vocabulary appearing in Pride and Prejudice, the sociological observations-including each individual's 'place' within society-make for a more comprehensive understanding of what is NOT said yet understood by an indvidual of the time period. The diagrams and sketches graphically illustrate architecture, etc. which leads the reader 'inside' the household described. I prefer to utilize this most excellent, thorough, and readable compendium as a reference AFTER I have read several chapters rather than consult each note as it appears. Thus, I may read five chapters of prose at one sitting; then, read the notes for those chapters afterward. Would that such an annotated companion were available when I first read Pride and prejudice at university.

Jane Austen Fans.......2007-05-09

If you are a Jane Austen fan and obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, then this book is for you. It has text on one side and notes on the opposite. The notes explain words and terms that are either out of date or definitely British. It also helps with passages that seem inexplicable.

Jane Austen: The Complete Novels, Deluxe Edition (Library of Literary Classics)

Average customer rating:

Too many errors...
pure genius
Excellent collection
Complete work of beauty!
Nice enough for the price

Jane Austen: The Complete Novels, Deluxe Edition (Library of Literary Classics)
Jane Austen
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

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Charlotte & Emily Bronte: The Complete Novels, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics)
William Shakespeare: The Complete Works, Deluxe Edition
Charles Dickens Four Complete Novels (Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities)
Mark Twain: Selected Works, Deluxe Edition (Burlesque Autobiography/the Prince)
Lewis Carroll: The Complete, Fully Illustrated Works, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics)

ASIN: 0517147688
Release Date: 1995-09-03

Book Description

One of the great and ever popular masters of the English novel is represented here by every one of her novels. Includes Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, and the lesser-known Lady Susan. This Library of Literary Classics edition is bound in padded leather with luxurious gold-stamping on the front and spine, satin ribbon marker and gilded edges. Other titles in this series include: Charlotte & Emily Bronte: The Complete Novels; Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Works; Mark Twain: Selected Works; Charles Dickens: Four Complete Novels; Lewis Carroll: The Complete, Fully Illustrated Works; and William Shakespeare: The Complete Works.

Customer Reviews:

Too many errors..........2007-05-30

This is a lovely volume of Jane Austen's work and I would've given it 5 stars if there were less typographical errors dotted throughout the entire book.

pure genius.......2007-01-05

I personally love all of Austen's works so when I saw that they were all compiled together in this book and at such a great price I could not let the opportunity slip away. My personal favorite novel is Pride and Prejudice which along with Sense and Sensibility and Emma are some of her most famous works having been made into movies as well. However nothing is better than the novels themselves. As a young woman I cant say I can exactly relate to the characters in Austen's novels but I feel a connection with them because I am a young woman. Her novels depict a glimpse into the world of the young women of her time and though we live in very different times now, there are certain feelings that reamin exactly the same. I difinetly recommend all of these novels to any young woman out there because each of the protagonists in these novels is a heorine in her own right even if at times we find they are greatly flawed. It is their flaws that make them so human. This is a great collection to give a daughter or a niece or any young female in your life because it is something that was written by an intelligent woman about intellegant women.

Excellent collection.......2006-11-29

This was a great book for the price and everything. It is fantastically layed out, and the pages are thin but no so much that you fear they will tear every time you turn the page. I was hesitant with the five starts only because there are SEVERAL typos throughout the book, which worried me a little as to the correctness of other points. But it is a very attractive book that includes a bookmark and very well worth the price. I would highly recommend this anthology over many others. Be on guard for the typos, however.

Complete work of beauty!.......2006-11-04

Jane Austen's "The Complete Novels" is excellent. The book is beautifully bound. The stories within it are also beautifully written. Jane Austen is a literary genius! You will go through every emotion as you read through her works. I recommend this book to all of those who want to read a REAL well written piece and within this book you will get seven! So enjoy! :)

Nice enough for the price.......2006-08-27

On first inspection, this is a very nice looking book. It has an elegant cover and the pages are gold on the edges and tissue-ish. It's a heavy book that will remain open to the page you are reading without having to hold it down. However, after a few weeks of being read and carried around, it's durability is not quite as impressive. The spine is beginning to break and the pages warp easily. Quite a few typos too if that sort of thing distracts you. For the price though, it's nice enough and I would buy it again.

Average customer rating:

A True Classic
My wife loves this movie
Pleased with Pride and Prejudice
Clearly a Classic
Read and re-read and re-read

Pride and Prejudice (Bantam Classics)
Jane Austen
Manufacturer: Bantam Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Emma (Penguin Classics)
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Persuasion (Tor Classics)

ASIN: 0553213105
Release Date: 1983-12-01

Amazon.com

Elizabeth Bennet is the perfect Austen heroine: intelligent, generous, sensible, incapable of jealousy or any other major sin. That makes her sound like an insufferable goody-goody, but the truth is she's a completely hip character, who if provoked is not above skewering her antagonist with a piece of her exceptionally sharp -- but always polite -- 18th century wit. The point is, you spend the whole book absolutely fixated on the critical question: will Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy hook up?

Book Description

For over 150 years, Pride And Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen herself called this brilliant work her "own darling child." Pride And Prejudice, the story of Mrs. Bennet's attempts to marry off her five daughters is one of the best-loved and most enduring classics in English literature. Excitement fizzes through the Bennet household at Longbourn in Hertfordshire when young, eligible Mr. Charles Bingley rents the fine house nearby. He may have sisters, but he also has male friends, and one of these -- the haughty, and even wealthier, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy -- irks the vivacious Elizabeth Bennet, the second of the Bennet girls. She annoys him. Which is how we know they must one day marry. The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and Darcy is a splendid rendition of civilized sparring. As the characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, Jane Austen's radiantly caustic wit and keen observation sparkle.

Download Description

Jane Austen's perfect comedy of manners--one of the most popular novels of all time--features splendidly civilized sparring between the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet as they play out their spirited courtship in a series of eighteenth-century drawing-room intrigues. "Pride and Prejudice seems as vital today as ever," writes Anna Quindlen in her introduction to this Modern Library edition. "It is a pure joy to read." Eudora Welty agrees: "The gaiety is unextinguished, the irony has kept its bite, the reasoning is still sweet, the sparkle undiminished. [It is] irresistible and as nearly flawless as any fiction could be."

Customer Reviews:

A True Classic.......2007-06-22

Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen's most popular novel and it is remarkable that it has sustained such a high popularity 200 years after it was originally published. The primary plot of the story follows Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in a highly contentious courtship that neither wants in the beginning but both can scarcely resist by the end. Other subplots involve her sister Jane and Mr. Bingley in a courtship of their own and the various doings of family and friends. This novel is almost certainly the one where Austen best displays her sharp-edged wit both through Elizabeth's dialogue and in the narrative voice describing some of the characters and their actions.

The two main characters are probably as well fleshed out as any you are likely to see. They are certainly complex and multi-layered and they both grow and change somewhat as the book progresses. The supporting characters are considerably less deep and are almost uniformly caricatures more than anything else. Some are good and kind like Jane and Mr. Bingley, and others are ridiculous and vain like Mrs. Bennet but none are remotely as substantial as Darcy and Elizabeth. So, does this ruin the book? Hardly. Pride and Prejudice is as much a satire of the time it was written as it is a romantic drama and these secondary characters are all part of the tapestry that allowed Miss Austen to skewer her contemporaries so effectively. There are a few times where I thought a character's behavior was over-the-top but the overall story is so riveting and the book so compelling that I just can't find any serious fault with it. Pride and Prejudice is deserving of its reputation and I highly recommend it to Austen fans and newcomers alike.

My wife loves this movie.......2007-06-21

She must have watched it close to 10 times since I got this for her. Something about that Mr Darcy. Anyway, I've never seen it but if you want to make your girlfriend/wife happy, get them this movie.

Pleased with Pride and Prejudice.......2007-06-01

I enjoyed this classic totally. I thought the way Jane Austen developed the characters personalities was incredible. I have reread it many times. I am amazed at how much an author can get across without the overuse of sex and violence (that we see way too much of today). I have also enjoyed her other works Emma and Sense and Sensibility. I have not read the others.

I have found the Pride and Prejudice movie from A&E with Collin Firth to be one of my favorite movies and I think is an excellent addition to have. The Annotated Pride and Prejudice is very helpful and enjoyable by David Shapard. The World of Her Novels by Deirdre Le Faye is also very helpful though at times seems a bit heavy. It gives you a real feel for the era and thus the settings of the book.

A word of caution. When you enjoy something you don't want it to end. Of the countless spinoffs of the original I totally disliked one and am in the middle of another. Mr. Darcy takes a wife is unbelievable and totally devoid of character. Seems there are sex scenes on almost every page in the beginning. I grew disgusted. The account of things from Darcy's point of view by Pamela Aidan has been enjoyable. I am only half way thru the first book, however.The Annotated Pride and PrejudiceJane Austen: The World of Her NovelsMr. Darcy Takes a Wife: Pride and Prejudice ContinuesAn Assembly Such as This: A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman (Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman)

Clearly a Classic.......2007-05-17

It took some adjusting to get used to the 19th Century writing style - authors were much more subtle then (and there were different societal norms). Once I did, I was richly rewarded with this tale of mistaken intentions. For those of you on the edge, take the time to appreciate the style, you wont regret it.

Read and re-read and re-read.......2007-05-16

I hesitate to assign such titles but this is my favorite book of all time. Austen is so witty and subtle that each re-reading garners more laughs and more cringes as the Bennet family unconsciously embarasses themselves in polite society. Darcy is an ideal, a supremely satisfying hero for the headstrong, opinionated, and likeable Elizabeth. The A&E miniseries adaptation is also excellent (a nice excuse to curl up on the couch for several hours on a rainy day), as was, to my surprise, the later Keira Knightley version.

Average customer rating:

I take my hat off to you, Amanda Grange
Loved it!
Fun!
It was ok
Comfortable as an old slipper

Mr. Darcy's Diary
Amanda Grange
Manufacturer: Sourcebooks Landmark
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Mr. Darcy Presents His Bride: A Sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
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Duty and Desire: A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman (Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman)
The Second Mrs. Darcy: A Novel

ASIN: 1402208766
Release Date: 2007-03-23

Product Description

Mr. Darcy's Diary presents the story of the unlikely courtship of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy from Darcy's point of view--sharing his innermost thoughts and feelings. This graceful imagining and sequel to Price and Prejudice explains Darcy s moodiness and the difficulties of his reluctant relationship as he struggles to avoid falling in love with Miss Bennett. Though seemingly stiff and stubborn at times, Darcy s words prove him also to be quite devoted and endearing qualities that eventually win over Miss Bennett s heart. This continuation of a classic romantic novel is charming and elegant, much like Darcy himself.

Customer Reviews:

I take my hat off to you, Amanda Grange.......2007-06-19

I am a real P&P fan. And I once picked up a book where someone--who shall remain nameless--actually buchered the characters. Therefore, I was reluctant to try again. But you, Amanad Grange, actually hit the mark. Your book is charming, and you gave respect back to the wonderful characters in P&P. A truely enjoyalbe read. Thank you for another walk through a gracious time when honor and truth meant something

Loved it!.......2007-06-12

This book is well written and loyal to Austin. The author uses excellent tone and voice through which Darcy expresses himself to the reader. This book, better than any of the others on the market, captures Mr. Darcy in the spirit given him by Austin. I am an ardent fan of all Austin novels and highly recommend this book. It is an enjoyable and easy read. Finally there is an author who can do justice to Austin's original characters, and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for Mr. Knightly!

Fun!.......2007-06-09

I thought this was a great fun read.

I was kept in suspense, even though I obviously knew the outcome.

I recommend it to anyone who loves Jane Austen.

It was ok.......2007-06-01

The book wasn't bad. I just wanted to hear more about Mr. Darcy's intimate feelings. They retold a lot of what we already knew from the original book and movies.

Comfortable as an old slipper.......2007-05-24

This book is a fun read for anyone who is a fan of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." The characters feel like old friends, and it is very enjoyable to visit that world again. Mr. Darcy is one of my favorite characters in fiction, so hearing an interpretation of his thought processes was entertaining to me.

Average customer rating:

Jane Austen - a great read
Jane Austen: The Complete Novels
Fine print
Jane Austen Is Timeless
Jane Austen: The Complete Novels

Jane Austen: The Complete Novels
Jane Austen
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Charlotte & Emily Bronte: The Complete Novels, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics)
Pride and Prejudice - The Special Edition (A&E, 1996)
Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife: Pride and Prejudice Continues
Charles Dickens Four Complete Novels (Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities)
Jane Austen Collection (Sense & Sensibility / Emma / Persuasion / Mansfield Park / Pride & Prejudice / Northanger Abbey)

ASIN: 0517118297
Release Date: 1994-06-01

Amazon.com

Collected together in one volume, The Complete Novels show the development of Austen as a writer and social commentator. From the early optimism and youthful energy of Northanger Abbey to the quiet and subtle art of Persuasion, this collection reveals the breadth of one of the best loved novelists of all time.

Book Description

Jane Austen wrote in the eighteenth century, but her novels are timeless. This complete anthology is unique among single-volume editions of her work because it includes the obscure but delightful Lady Susan, along with the six better-known novels and thirty of Hugh Thomson's irresistible drawings.
All of Jane Austen's novels are love stories, all are stories of country gentry, and all end happily, one way or another. Her plots have the complexity of life and her characters are described with inimitable style and wit—whether caustic or warmly affectionate.
The novels contained in this anthology are Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, and Lady Susan. The nineteenth-century illustrations of Hugh Thomson capture the flavor of Jane Austen's characters and enhance this extraordinary collection of the complete works of one of the greatest novelists of all time.

Customer Reviews:

Jane Austen - a great read.......2007-04-24

I didn't expect to like Jane Austen, but this was a great set of stories at a great price. Happy endings and well written stories.

Jane Austen: The Complete Novels.......2007-03-15

Great book, especially for all Jane Austin fans. Also great for anyone who enjoys 19th century "trashy" romance novels (like I do!) A little more expensive than the paperback edition, but well worth the money. Put together much better and will last longer.

Fine print.......2007-03-12

Print much to small for an enjoyable read and I'm not ready for bifocals.

Jane Austen Is Timeless.......2007-02-12

I love the writing and the wit of Jane Austen,her novels are timeless and very entertaining to read.
The mark of a great writer is the ability to transport the reader into the pages of the book, in essence bring the book to life, Jane Austen accomplishes this feat with me.
I enjoy this era in history, the romance, the innocence, the language, the nuances.
I can't begin to explain how much I'm enjoying myself reading Jane Austen:The Complete Novels, I've wanted this book for so long and finally
I treated myself and bought it and it is so satisfying.

Jane Austen: The Complete Novels.......2007-01-19

This book is very easy to read, and the artwork and printing remind you of engravings, etc. of long ago. The edition is an easy size to read, although it is a rather large hardback edition. It is an excellent book for your library and would make a well appriciated gift.I had not read all her books before and I must say I found it a very enjoyable experience. The book arrived in perfect shape and came in a timely manner. I would not hesitate to purchase volumes in this manner in the future.

Average customer rating:

My favorite Austen introduction
The Fascinating World of Jane Austen
More plot than we need!
A bit on the disappointing side
Delightful glimpse into Jane Austen's world

Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels
Deirdre Le Faye
Manufacturer: Frances Lincoln
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Annotated Pride and Prejudice
So You Think You Know Jane Austen?: A Literary Quizbook (Oxford World's Classics)
What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist-The Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England
Jane Austen's Letters
Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners: Compliments, Charades & Horrible Blunders

ASIN: 0711222789

Book Description

Austen scholar Deirdre Le Faye first gives a met- iculously researched overview of the period, from foreign affairs to social ranks, from fashion to sanitation. She goes on to consider each novel individually, explaining in detail its action, its setting, the reaction of public and critics and Jane's own feeling about it.

Customer Reviews:

My favorite Austen introduction.......2007-05-29

As a longtime student of Jane, this book absolutely riveted me. you learn so much about her life, her times, her works, and her influences, and the style of this beautiful book is enchanting. LeFaye skillfully weaves together pieces of biography, history, and plot to create a fascinating Austen portrait. It is also lavishly illustrated and printed on lovely paper, which helps make it one of my favorite books, period. A must have for any Jane lover.

The Fascinating World of Jane Austen.......2007-05-07

Jane Austen's novels are endlessly layered and this book does a fascinating job of peeling the onion so we have full understanding of her world.

More plot than we need!.......2007-03-22

On the one hand, this book is very useful because the writer is a top expert on Austen. But while she gives a lot of information on Austen's culture, she spends too many pages givng long plot summaries. I recommend JANE AUSTEN FOR DUMMIES as a great alternative: the author of that gives a great sense of the culture, characters, and Austen, herself, in a witty, clear style.

A bit on the disappointing side.......2005-02-20

Being a bit of a Jane Austen magpie and already owning other books by Le Faye, I looked forward to gaining more background to the time period with this book. While there was much of interest, I'd have to say that overall I wouldn't recommend it. There were some inaccuracies in the plot summaries (minor, but there all the same), but the biggest problem for readers who may be new to Jane Austen was the lack of delineation between the real people (family members, friends) mentioned and characters from the books. I could see this becoming fairly confusing for someone who hasn't already read other biographical material. Still, it's a decent read and the information presented may stimulate a person's interest enough to want to find out more.

Delightful glimpse into Jane Austen's world.......2003-08-22

Such a nice book! This is a cozy volume, filled with background information on Jane's life, her novels, and the Regency era. Excellent pictures, interesting and well-written text. A perfect book to peruse while you drink a cup of tea on a winter's night. Would make a great gift for any Jane Austen lover.

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist-The Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England

Average customer rating:

Fun and Interesting
What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew
Cute but glib--and wrong!
that's what they meant
Disappointing

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist-The Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England
Daniel Pool
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Everyday Life in the 1800s: A Guide for Writers, Students & Historians (Writer's Guides to Everyday Life)
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Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England
Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels

ASIN: 0671882368

Book Description

For every frustrated reader of the great nineteenth-century English novels of Austen, Trollope, Dickens, or the Brontës who has ever wondered whether a duke outranked an earl, when to yell "Tally Ho!" at a fox hunt, or how one landed in "debtor's prison," here is a "delightful reader's companion that lights up the literary dark" (The New York Times).

This fascinating, lively guide clarifies the sometimes bizarre maze of rules, regulations, and customs that governed everyday life in Victorian England. Author Daniel Pool provides countless intriguing details (did you know that the "plums" in Christmas plum pudding were actually raisins?) on the Church of England, sex, Parliament, dinner parties, country house visiting, and a host of other aspects of nineteenth-century English life -- both "upstairs" and "downstairs."

An illuminating glossary gives at a glance the meaning and significance of terms ranging from "ague" to "wainscoting," the specifics of the currency system, and a lively host of other details and curiosities of the day.

Customer Reviews:

Fun and Interesting.......2007-06-11

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist-The Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England, by Daniel Pool, is a nice book that is full of fun facts and answers to questions that come about from the reading of some of the great English writers. The book needs to be taken for what it is... entertainment, rather than relied upon as a historical textbook of any kind. I find the book an interesting diversion occasionally, and fun for picking up a bit of the Victorian period. Enjoy. Three stars.

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew.......2007-05-13

That's a perfect book. If you want to know anything interesting about the 19th century in England, you should read it.I teach English as the second language and it's sometimes too difficult to draw students' attention through the whole lesson. There are many interesting and unknown things, that help students to imagine this time in England. On the other hand, the book is written by clear and easy English so I could not stop reading till I finished.

Cute but glib--and wrong!.......2007-03-30

This is an error-ridden, foolish little book that is just fine for casual consumption but is a terrible place for anyone serious about history to try to learn anything. I write Victorian-set novels, and I really think that books like these are a major problem with my genre as they fool would-be writers into believing that they actually have actually done "research."

*sighs*

Read through George Eliot, Trollope, Austen, Dickens, the Eyres, and Thackeray. Then read articles from popular newspapers and real histories of the period. And then collect fashion plate images and discriptions. Buy copies of Mrs. Beeton and Mayhew. THEN you will have done some research about the 19th c.

that's what they meant.......2007-03-16

i am a dickens, austen, bronte, hardy, wharton, etc. reader. this book relates the conditions of the times and the reasons things were done as they were. eye-opening, fun to read, very informative. even a glossary at the end of the book.

Disappointing.......2007-01-05

This was a really, really disappointing purchase. The information is scrappy, and the time-span spread over to olong a period. You canjust baout guarantee that any information you really want ( when did the huting season begin? what did Jane Austen eat?) won't be there. It's quite fun to read, but it's trivial.

The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen (Six Volume Set)

Average customer rating:

Titles
wanting to order, but would like to know....
One of the best of the complete editions

The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen (Six Volume Set)
Jane Austen
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Jane Austen's Letters
The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen (Cambridge Companions to Literature)
Jane Austen Collection (Sense & Sensibility / Emma / Persuasion / Mansfield Park / Pride & Prejudice / Northanger Abbey)
Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners: Compliments, Charades & Horrible Blunders
A Memoir of Jane Austen: and Other Family Recollections (Oxford World's Classics)

ASIN: 0192547070

Book Description

This complete set of the novels of Jane Austen is now reissued as a shrink-wrapped package with handsome new jackets. Using the definitive text established by R.W. Chapman, with later revisions by distinguished scholars, the set presents the most authoritative and comprehensive edition available - invaluable for students and enthusiasts of Jane Austen's work. Each volume contains notes and appendices, and indexes of characters, and the set is illustrated with a charming selection of early nineteenth-century plates.

Customer Reviews:

Titles.......2007-04-20

The 1988 edition included the following six titles: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, and Minor Works all edited by R. W. Chapman. Minor Works, a collection of all Jane Austen's minor works printed from her manuscripts, includes three volumes Lady Susan, The Watsons, and Sanditon. I assume that this edition includes the same six.

wanting to order, but would like to know...........2007-02-03

I'm wanting to order this set, as it definitely looks and sounds like a great one to have----the jackets look great. However, I am curious as to the titles of the six books. The description doesn't say, nor can you see the titles in the product image. Anybody?? Thanks!

One of the best of the complete editions .......2005-10-27

Not long ago (once upon a time), one might correctly have declared Chapman's edition of Jane's complete works as 'the definitive collection.'

And today, although one might find more 'meat' in the Norton editions, these books remain a pleasure to pick up and hunker with for a bit of a read. The size of each volume fits my hand comfortably enough and the weight is light enough to allow the other hand the freedom to grasp a petite glass of red wine (with, perhaps, a bit of sliced fruit siddled comfortably on the side).

Each volume has a small bundle of bonuses (not unlike an expanded DVD!). I like the pictures of various buggies on which folks jolted around way back in the '90s (the 1790s, naturally). And for you fashion freaks, Chapman gives a couple of nice sketches of proper attire for a ball.

Fun stuff.

But the essence remains the words of Jane Austen. And these volumes offer you just that and in a nice package, too.

You won't go wrong with these books.

So You Think You Know Jane Austen?: A Literary Quizbook (Oxford World's Classics)

Average customer rating:

Test your knowledge of Jane Austen books
Intellectual Fun
Get your pencils ready!

So You Think You Know Jane Austen?: A Literary Quizbook (Oxford World's Classics)
John Sutherland , and Deirdre Le Faye
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels
Jane Austen For Dummies (For Dummies)
Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners: Compliments, Charades & Horrible Blunders
A Memoir of Jane Austen: and Other Family Recollections (Oxford World's Classics)

ASIN: 0192804405

Book Description

How well do you really know your favourite author? Ace literary detective turned quizmaster John Sutherland and Austen buff Deirdre Le Faye challenge the reader to find out. Starting with easy, factual questions that test how well you remember a novel and its characters, the quiz progresses to a level of greater difficulty, demanding close reading and interpretative deduction. What really motivates the characters, and what is going on beneath the surface of the story? Designed to amuse and divert, the questions and answers take the reader on an imaginative journey into the world of Jane Austen, where hypothesis and speculation produce fascinating and unexpected insights. Whether you are an expert or enthusiast, So You Think You Know Jane Austen? guarantees you will know her much better after reading it.

Customer Reviews:

Test your knowledge of Jane Austen books.......2007-06-27

Defininately for any Jane Austen buff. This quizbook is broken down into 4 levels ascending difficult questions per each of Jane Austen's 6 books. The first level, "Brass Tacks", contains purely fact based questions.

For example in Sense and Sensibility, 'what are Willoughby's last words to Elinor?'

The second level, "Factual but Tricky", contains slightly harder fact based questions.

Such as in Emma, 'why does Harriet hate Italian singing?'

The book says that the third level, "Very Tricky--and Occasionally Deductive," 'approaches mastermind difficulty in terms of factual reference and involvees some interpretative deduction as well.'

For example, in Pride and Prejudice, 'why does Elizabeth take such a tender interest in Jane's marriage affairs, and so little in those of her younger sisters?'

Last but not least, the fourth level questions, "The Interpretative Zone", are mostly deduction and spectulation.

One of these questions in the Persuasion section is 'We learn, in the last pages, that William Elliot has been playing a very cunning double game. What is that game, and why is he playing it?'

Then the answers to these questions are in the back of the book.

Intellectual Fun.......2006-04-24

If you love Jane Austen's work as much as I do, then this is a nice way to spend your time testing your perception of her novels and even seeing things you may not have noticed before. I do not recommend it to those students who like to read notes instead of the actual work, they'll surely end up just memorizing facts and not really getting to know the work.

Get your pencils ready!.......2005-09-11

This is a delightfully fun book for anyone who loves the novels of Jane Austen! The book is based on a teaching method the authors refer to as "Quiz and Questionnaire"; that is, some of the questions are posed purely to test factual information while others depend upon the readers use of deductive and interpretive skills. The book is divided into two sections. All of the quizzes are in the first half of the book and then all of the answers follow, so it's possible to read through the questions without accidentally cheating and seeing the answers.

Each of the six Jane Austen novels are dealt with individually and there are four types of quizzes: Level 1 -Brass Tacks, Level 2 - Factual but Tricky, Level 3 - Very Tricky and Occasionally Deductive and Level 4 - The Interpretive Zone. Here is a sample of questions for "Pride and Prejudice":

Level 1:

What relation is Mr. Phillips to Elizabeth, and what is his profession?

Level 2:

When Lady Catherine asks, "Are any of your sisters out, Miss Bennet?", what does the old battleaxe mean?

Level 3:

What should we read into the fact that Lydia is both the youngest and the tallest of the Bennet girls?

Level 4:

What are the salient features of Pemberley that so delight the judicious Elizabeth?

SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW JANE AUSTEN? is an informative, entertaining and humorous quizbook that would make an excellent gift for any Austen fan. So get your pencils ready! On your mark, get set, go! ;)
--B. Edens

Average customer rating:

Vintage Austen But Not Her Best
The most ascerbic of Austin's novels
Refreshing!
Great timing!
Quintessential Austen

Persuasion (Penguin Classics)
Jane Austen
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Sense and Sensibility (Penguin Classics)
Mansfield Park (Penguin Classics)
Emma (Penguin Classics)
Northanger Abbey (Modern Library Classics)
Pride and Prejudice (Penguin Popular Classics)

ASIN: 0141439688
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Book Description

New chronology and further reading.

Customer Reviews:

Vintage Austen But Not Her Best.......2007-06-28

This is one of Jane Austen's six novels. As with five of the other six, it follows the same formula of a financially disadvantaged young woman who meets and marries a wealthier man. The exception is her novel "Emma" where the protagonist has her owns means. There are no axe murders in an Austen novel or any nasty elements. Her stories take place in small English towns and they all have a variety of characters including a few willful women and usually one male rogue. As background information, I have read all of Austen's novels, and I have read various analyses of Austen's work.

"Pride and Prejudice" is Jane Austen's finest novel. That book is the perfect balance of story, prose, structure, and characters. It evokes many emotional responses in the reader. The novel is among the greatest novels of all time on par with for example Flaubert's "Madame Bovary" or Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina." From a strictly literary point of view, "Mansfield Park" is the most complicated and sophisticated literary work penned by Austen.

So, where does that leave "Persuasion" among her novels? The present novel is good. It has a good story and good characters. I liked her treatment of Captain Wentworth. The primary character, Anne Elliot, is vintage Austen writing and story telling. But overall it does not quite reach the heights of those other two great Austen novels. Still, I rate it somewhere between 4 and 5 stars. It is more a question of whether you like the story or not, since it follows the Austen formula. All of her novels share a certain fixed writing style and a common structure, or the Austen formula as mentioned above. She uses the early pages to introduce the families, and other characters, and give start the story. She moves characters around from place to place in part for time shifting. She does a wrap up in the last few chapters.

Those opening chapters are an obstacle for most readers. She uses her own vocabulary and has an unusual way of structuring her prose. That structure is a trademark of Austen's writing. Also, she manages to work in a lot of drama and social issues with some humor and irony.

Austen wrote the novel based on contemporay life in England from approximately 1814 to 1815, in the post Napolean period, and it was published in 1816 after her other works. Overall I would rate it as excellent but not her best. It is similar to "Sense and Sensibility" or "Northanger Abbey" in terms of literary sophistication and the characters, and it ranks behind the two novels mentioned above and "Emma." Those three (Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Mansfield Park) are her finest works.

Most Austen fans will love the book, and I would recommend the novel.

The most ascerbic of Austin's novels.......2007-06-26

Readers of Jane Austin will immediately recognise the basic plot of Persuasion: single women/girls being courted by men of various levels of eligibility. Two sisters (a third is already married) and their father, a minor noble, have fallen on hard times. Sir Walter Elliot has been widowed, they have lived beyond their means, and now they must rent out the family estate and live in diminished circumstances in Bath. The putative heir to the estate, cousin William Elliot, is vain and arrogant, refusing any interaction with the family.

The main character of Persuasion is Anne, the disregarded middle Elliot daughter. She is kind, gentle, and tolerant, which puts her is rigid conflict with the rest of her family who are pompously jealous of rank and privelege. In fact, the rest of the Elliot family supplies much of the satire for the novel: their scheming to arrange meetings with their betters and the scorn they show to their lessers. This reviewer might even go so far as to say that the humour is not so much satirical as it is ascerbic - nowhere else does Austin seem to dislike her characters so much, and to make them the objects of such ridicule. This is not a criticism, as this ascerbic wit sets up many funny moments and observations; more, I think, than any of her previous works.

Unfortunately, I found this to be the most confusing of Austin's works: I had trouble keeping track of all the characters. Confusion is increased because all the men seem to be named Charles! Luckily, a thorough knowledge of all the characters is not required to follow the main storylines (although the reader might miss a few subtle jokes).

I'm not an expert on Jane Austin, nor on English literature. However, I have read most of Austin's works, and this layman's opinion is that Persuasion is enjoyable and the funniest of Austin's works.

Refreshing!.......2007-06-12

In Jane Austen's last novel, Persuasion, we meet the Elliot family: Sir Walter and his daughters, Elizabeth, Mary and the youngest daughter Anne. Over 8 years ago Anne became engaged to Frederick Wentworth, a man with no one to recommend him. After much persuasion from a family friend, Lady Russell, Anne breaks off the engagement. When the reader meets Anne it is more than 8 years later and circumstances have brought her and the now Captain Frederick Wentworth back into each other's lives. Will they be able to rekindle their relationship or did Anne's initial refusal ruin all hope for them to be together...?

Reading Jane Austen is truly refreshing! The subtleness with which Austen delves into the relationship between Anne and Captain Wentworth among other characters is beautifully done. A great read!

Great timing!.......2007-02-20

Thank you for the fast deliver. I was impressed. The book is great.

Quintessential Austen.......2006-12-11

Certainly one of the greatest literary minds of all time is that of Jane Austen, an author who has been much-maligned by her unfair modern association with "chick-lit" (it's nice that "Bridget Jones' Diary" was based on "Pride and Prejudice," but that should not reflect unduly on Austen's work). The trick is that while Austen's novels do tend to center on a romantic plot they are imbued with many other facets that make them so much more than trifling entertainments. Sharp social commentary is particularly prevalent in all of her novels, perhaps none more-so than her final work, "Persuasion" -- with its deft handling of a woman's place in society and of the difficulties imposed by class barriers. Its focus is on Anne Elliot, middle child of the pretentious Sir Walter, who has no use for her in his life -- choosing to favor his eldest daughter Elizabeth (who, truly, takes after her father in all selfish respects) and to offer regard to his youngest, Mary, at least as a woman who has fulfilled her purpose by marrying satisfactorily. Years earlier Lady Russell, a family friend who became a sort of surrogate parent to Anne after her mother's death, persuaded Anne to break her engagement to her beloved Frederick Wentworth, believing him to be an inferior sort of person who would only make Anne miserable in time. Now, eight years later, Wentworth is a successful captain in the British navy who has proven that he would have been a more than worthy match for Anne in situation as well as affection. But when he comes back into her life, Anne must live with the consequences of her earlier decision as Wentworth appears to have moved on -- actively seeking a wife right under Anne's nose. Anne also finds herself being courted by her cousin William, who would be a perfectly sensible match for her, but since her heart still belongs to Captain Wentworth she cannot bear to consider it. The plot conventions will be familiar to fans of Austen, but that does not detract from the sharpness and enjoyability of the tale in the slightest. The keen observations are on target, and "Persuasion" has the added benefit of having some of the best characters in the Austen canon this side of "Pride and Prejudice". Anne proves to be a heroine worthy of Elizabeth Bennet's approval, and Captain Wentworth an amiable counterpoint to the steelier Mr. Darcy. Mary's histrionics are reminiscent of the wailings of Mrs. Bennet, providing blissful comic relief without becoming too overbearing. Best of all, naturally, is the omnipresent Austen wit -- an incomparable achievement in all of her novels, on fine display here in "Persuasion". Anyone who has not yet experienced Jane Austen is missing out on some enjoyable and delightfully thought-provoking reading, and should get started as soon as possible.

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