Emma [Naxos Edition]

Initially I struggled to read all the details of relationships and drama and the like... but as the book progressed to the end it was as fascinating as usual and very satisfying with good character lessons to learn from and grow from as usual. It's interesting reading a book at 40 compared to having read it as a teen... I recall being endeared to Emma as she is a similar personality to me but now I deeply respect and admire Mr. Knightley throughout the book instead.

Title: Pride and Prejudice with Songs from Regency EnglandAuthor: Jane AustenRead by: Alison LarkinPublisher: British Classic AudioLength: Approximately 13 hours and 29 minutesSource: Review Copy from author Alison Larkin - Thank-you!A perfect book for the Valentine’s Day holiday this month, Pride and Prejudice is one of the most romantic novels that have ever been written. What a delight it has been to listen to the audiobook version of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen wonderfully narrated by Alison Larkin. It made my daily commute much more enjoyable. Alison Larkin has a perfect voice for narration and had unique “voices” for the individual characters. As I’ve said in other reviews of audiobooks of Austen’s novels, I feel they translate particularly well to the audiobook format as Austen would read them herself to her family and I feel they were written to be read aloud. I enjoyed the piano music between each chapter.My favorite part of this audiobook version was actually the regency songs at the end. Alison Larkin sang four regency era songs and had them in a scene where Mr. Darcy and others are listening to the singing. It was magnificent and humorous at the same time. I could listen to an entire CD of Alison Larkin singing regency era songs. They were beautiful.Why is Pride and Prejudice such a romantic novel? I think it is because of the unique relationship between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. They don’t both meet, fall in love, and ride off into the sunset together. Mr. Darcy insults Elizabeth’s looks and his snobby behavior infuriates her. She is afterwards willing and able to believe the worst of him including any and all malicious rumors. As Darcy gets to know Elizabeth better, her sense of humor, and no nonsense observations on life attract him. She is unlike any other woman he has known, she is not afraid to tell him exactly what she thinks. Which is what she does when he proposes and she refuses. Things seem at an end until Elizabeth visits Pemberley with her Aunt and Uncle. She meets Darcy again and he has changed the way he treats everyone. Elizabeth also sees how he treats the staff and his sister and is impressed by his goodness. I believe it is because Elizabeth and Darcy have to work through their first misunderstandings to find true love that makes this such a romantic novel? What do you think? I also think watching Colin Firth as Darcy in a wet shirt in the 1995 mini-series helps to make this a romantic classic.I was struck again while listening to this audiobook on how financial stability is one of the driving forces of the novel. Who has what living or money is the talk of everyone in the novel With Longbourn entailed away to Mr. Collins, Mrs. Bennet has a real concern that if Mr. Bennet dies, she and her daughters will have no way to support themselves. I like when in the novel, Mr. Bennet reflects on how the only money they will have is what Mrs. Bennet brought to the marriage and that he probably should have been saving money all along. He then shrugs it off and thinks it’s too late now. That is why my British novel instructor in college said that Mr. Bennet is the real villain and Mrs. Bennet is the real heroine when you look beyond the comedy of the novel. Elizabeth Bennet holds out for love, but her friend Charlotte is more practical and marries Mr. Collins knowing that their marriage will provide a secure future for herself.Pride and Prejudice is full of some of my favorite quotes of all time. Listening to this audiobook was like listening to an old friend tell my favorite story. Here are just a random sampling of some of my favorite quotes:“For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?”“You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”“She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me, and I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.”“They walked on, without knowing in what direction. There was too much to be thought, and felt, and said, for attention to any other objects.”“How little of permanent happiness could belong to a couple who were only brought together because their passions were stronger than their virtue.”Overall, Pride and Prejudice with Songs from Regency England by Jane Austen and read by Alison Larkin is a beautiful version of one of my favorite books. Alison Larkin is a wonderful narrator and I love the unique rendition of the regency songs at the end of this audiobook. It’s a perfect audiobook to listen to, especially when you want to relax and escape from the daily grind or daily news.

I have always loved "Sense and Sensibility" and wanted to expand into more of Austen's works. This one did not disappoint! It is a fantastic tale with all the usual Austen humor and wittiness that work so well in her stories! In fact, it is now up there with "Sense" as my favorite Austen work!"Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her."The first sentence in the novel really sets the stage for all the mistakes the main character makes throughout! This novel tells the story of Emma Woodhouse, a privileged young lady who, with nothing else to occupy her time, loves matchmaking among her friends. She loves it so much that she doesn't pay any attention to her true love right under her nose! Of course things don't go the way Emma would like and there are the usual misunderstandings but things work out in the end and everyone ends up with who they are destined to be with.This had been called one of Austen's best works and I can agree with that. I really loved this story. This certainly is the "lightest" of Austen's novels as you will not find any lives ruined or huge scandals that ruin reputations. It is simply (and wonderfully so) the story of a small, English village where the inhabitants really have nothing substantial to occupy their time; none more so than Emma. I think one of the things Austen is so marvelous at is her ability to really focus on her characters and their everyday lives and none of her novels do this as well as Emma. As there is no serious "action" the story must therefore focus on everyday occurrences. You could call this a comedy of manners as the characters revolve within a very strict code of behavior and etiquette where everything should move along very smoothly but of course, because of meddling (mainly Emma's) things always go completely wrong! The novel is full of the usual, heavy Austen dialogue and description which I'm sure can get tedious for some readers (I did find myself skimming over some of Miss. Bates' extended ramblings) but, as in her other novels, it does not get in the way and can really help the reader come to terms with a time very foreign from our own. Many modern readers find the "elitist" attitudes in Austen's books a turn off and condemn the novels. However, Austen is not intending to make these attitudes seem wonderful; if some readers would look closer they would realize that she is really satirizing these attitudes and showing them for the silliness they really were. The main character, Emma, can be a bit annoying at times, but she is so open about her own faults and weaknesses that its hard to dislike her. In fact, you do see her acknowledging in several places her mistakes and is able to laugh them off and learn from them. Austen herself said that Emma was a character that nobody would really like but herself; I disagree.Yes, she can come across as snobbish, arrogant, and overly conscious of her place in society but what can you expect from a girl who has been raised by a doting father and governess? Mixed with those slightly irritating qualities, though, is a sweetness and a true desire to be helpful which really makes her endearing. I highly doubt Emma's personality is that much different from other young ladies of the time. I think the true shining star in this novel, though, is Mr. Knightley, Emma's close friend and true English gentleman (supposedly this was Austen's favorite hero as well and created her ideal gentleman in him; his name is no accident). He is kind and thoughtful, witty and intelligent, but blunt and always ready to bring Emma back down to Earth. Their bantering back and forth is really charming. I only wish we knew more about Mr. Knightley's background and that we could see more of him in the novel! The rest of the characters in the novel are all brilliantly drawn and even though they are not the focus of the story, you come to know them as well as the two mains: the eccentric and hypochondriac Mr. Woodhouse, sweet and naive Harriet Smith, the kind Westons, slightly foppish Frank Churchill and the very reserved Jane Fairfax, the kindly Miss. and Mrs. Bates, and the exceedingly arrogant Eltons.This is a wonderful and delightful story and I would highly recommend it to anyone. It is a light and charming story about a slightly flawed but kind young lady (and who among us is not flawed?) who, through a series of blunders, grows and matures. It is also a humorous story poking fun at the strict code of behavior and the social classes of the day.

Ottimo e consegna sempre puntuale

阿部先生訳の素晴らしさを実感しました。

Not my favourite Jane Austin as it is hard too like the main character

Prezzo minimo, ma il libro è davvero ben fatto.C'è anche il glossario alla fine, ottimo per chi studia inglese e legge molti classici.

The type-setting is terrible, makes the book very hard to read. No top header margin. Does not do a good novel justice.