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Pride and Prejudice Paperback – December 31, 2002
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Few have failed to be charmed by the witty and independent spirit of Elizabeth Bennet in Austen’s beloved classic Pride and Prejudice. When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows us the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life. This Penguin Classics edition, based on Austen's first edition, contains the original Penguin Classics introduction by Tony Tanner and an updated introduction and notes by Viven Jones.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
- Print length480 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPenguin Books
- Publication dateDecember 31, 2002
- Reading age18 years and up
- Dimensions5.1 x 0.75 x 7.7 inches
- ISBN-109780141439518
- ISBN-13978-0141439518
- Lexile measure700L
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Nobody has ever been slyer with characters than Austen.” —Marlon James, “My 10 Favorite Books,” in T: The New York Times Style Magazine
About the Author
Vivien Jones is a senior lecturer in English at the University of Leeds.
Tony Tanner was a Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge and a professor of English and American literature at the University of Cambridge. He died in December 1998.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
"My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?"
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
"But it is," returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it."
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
"Do not you want to know who has taken it?" cried his wife impatiently.
"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."
This was invitation enough.
"Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week."
"What is his name?"
"Bingley."
"Is he married or single?"
"Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!"
"How so? how can it affect them?"
"My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them."
"Is that his design in settling here?"
"Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes."
"I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might like you the best of the party."
"My dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be any thing extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty."
"In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of."
"But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood."
"It is more than I engage for, I assure you."
"But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general you know they visit no new comers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not."
"You are over scrupulous surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying which ever he chuses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy."
"I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference."
"They have none of them much to recommend them," replied he; "they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters."
"Mr Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves."
"You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least."
"Ah! you do not know what I suffer."
"But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood."
"It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come since you will not visit them."
"Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all."
Mr Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develope. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information and uncertain temper. When she was discontented she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.
Product details
- ASIN : 0141439513
- Publisher : Penguin Books; Reprint. edition (December 31, 2002)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 480 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9780141439518
- ISBN-13 : 978-0141439518
- Reading age : 18 years and up
- Lexile measure : 700L
- Item Weight : 11.5 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.1 x 0.75 x 7.7 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,283 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #30 in Regency Romances
- #69 in Classic Literature & Fiction
- #343 in Women's Literature & Fiction
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Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2020
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Be forewarned, I have watched the BBC version of this story many times for somewhere in the ballpark of 15 years. This means the story as a whole was not new to me, though the particulars were.
I did realize before reading this book that there were bound to be aspects which seemed odd to me, or that I may dislike, that would be considered part of the time period and other such nonsense. Basically, in stating what I did not take pleasure in, I hope not to draw criticism in the form of "Well, that's part of what makes it a classic." or "That's the way stories were told back then and is beyond critique."
I'll start with my minor annoyances, since they were so few and far between as to hold little impact on the whole and should not take much time to convey.
Early on I noticed a penchant for -- certain words either partially or in their entirety. At first I thought Austen was too lazy to type out those words and therefore just expected me to know what went there, but then I thought, "If she was perfectly content writing out this long of a book, I highly doubt she'd lower the quality of the story by being lazy on a few words." So yes, I did some research and found it was a habit of writers of the time to dash words so as not to offend people who may live on those streets, or in those towns, or who were part of those militias, etc.
Though I know understand the reason behind the "dashing", it was still an irritation and I think omitting a word, or part of one, so as not to offend the sensitivities of someone who might feel slighted that an author is casting any sort of undesirable traits to an area a person may be connected with is silly. And I read what is before me so every time I'd come upon one such instance I'd go, "The (blank)shire" or "the something that's in Hertfordshire." I wouldn't make up my own town, or street, or whatever I was supposed to supply.
I winced at every "chuse" and "shew". I get it. It was most likely the way to spell show and choose at the time, but ugh, my mind wanted to slay every usage of the two.
And really, that was all the negative I have to say.
The story itself didn't hold much mystery, as I am very familiar with it. I can't speak on the storyline, the characters, or any other such aspect which I feel best qualified to judge when the story is new to me.
I was most pleased that the tv miniseries was, for the most part, faithful to the novel. I felt some hesitancy in reading this initially, in case it did lessen my enjoyment of a long time favorite movie.
Some conversations were moved, or shorten, or even omitted. There were scenes that didn't exist in the movie. The greatest alteration that I detected was from the point where Lizzy meets Darcy on his property until the end of the book. There was a great deal that'd been altered or added, deleted. Things such as Darcy diving in the lake and appearing half-dressed, Lizzy and her family continuing their tour of the grounds after that meeting, and lots of little things. Georgiana was much more a background character in the sense that I didn't really get a feel for her. In truth the movie did a much better job of highlighting the secondary characters such as Mary, Kitty, Georgiana, Louisa, etc. Not that all secondary characters need such illumination, but I enjoy getting a sense of them.
Despite a fair bit of differences in the last part of the book from what I'm used to, the story was engaging and I maintain that the BBC version did capture the essence of the book.
I particularly found the conversations that I wasn't privy to in the movie to be the most interesting aspect. My favorite part of the story has always been the dialogue. I love the banter that goes on between the characters. The subtle jabs that can be seen, even wrapped though they are in politeness and proper manners. The embarrassment Lizzy must of felt by the actions and speech of her family was so apparent because the sense of the time and what was proper was so thoroughly portrayed throughout the book. I found several little pieces here and there of where Lizzy is ruminating on something that I found particularly delightful because I've been in a position to think something along those lines myself.
I feel like the mortification surrounding Darcy and his actions to her, and hers to him, and the impact her family had, came through much stronger in the novel than in the movie. I enjoyed getting more into Lizzy's head with that.
Jane was much more annoying to me as her insistence on seeing no evil was so much more dwelled upon that I wanted to smack some sense into her.
The father, I always knew, had several faults and had done the family many a disservice by his actions or rather lack of action, but with the book it was much more blatant and I think above all the characters, his was the most changed in my estimation upon conclusion of the story.
Overall, yes, this is a book that you need to slow down and savor to get the full effect of what lies inside. It is a story that focuses on the everyday life of a family and can be slow in terms of plot if you're not stopping to smell the roses. It won't be for everyone, and as a reader who primarily enjoys fantasy, I can understand that, but this is one of those historical pieces that engaged me throughout and never did I find myself skimming or bored. I loved how the ending wrapped up everyone's lives more tightly than the movie did, and I shall now be able to see I've seen both the movie and read the book and enjoyed both. Rather than diminishing my pleasure of the former, the latter has only increased the depth of it. I'll now watch and now what is going on that I do not see.
Pride and Prejudice (1813) is Jane Austen's novel of manners - it thoroughly explores the ins, outs and economics of nineteenth-century courtship. The novel's central character is Elizabeth Bennet, one of five daughters, whose family lives in a country village. Two wealthy, eligible bachelors move to town, and romance, confusion and animosity ensue.
Austen populates her novel with all manner of flawed characters. Many of them are annoying - that is, they behave badly and are antagonistic toward the main characters - but they all show at least some depth. No one here is without flaw, but no one here is without virtue, either (except Mr. Collins, the most ludicrous of them all). And this is why the novel works: because Austen treats her characters and their social milieu gently, delicately (well, except Mr. Collins). If she had done otherwise, if she had been more cutting, she would have lost the sympathy in the reader that many of these characters engender.
To the modern audience, Austen's plotting is rather sluggish, although it must be recalled that novels moved at a rather more leisurely pace then. At any rate it often seems that there is one too many side plots, or perhaps one too many visits to relatives, and there are patches that can be quite hard to get through. But you don't go to Austen for plot - you go to her for clever dialogue, for a delightful turn of phrase. That is what she thrives at, and that is what she is best remembered for. And in spite of the novel's overlength, Austen delivers a full and completely satisfying payoff. Rarely is a happy ending so fulfilling, and it may not be until the last few pages of the book that it becomes evident to the reader how masterfully Austen has set it up. And this is a large reason why the novel has such enduring appeal.
Much of the nuance in Pride and Prejudice may be lost on casual modern readers. For example, the character of Mrs. Bennet is the object of great scorn from many readers, and this has only been exacerbated by the film adaptations of the novel. But while marrying for love is the norm today, then, it was not; Mrs. Bennet is the only one looking out for the Bennet family's financial future.
Pride and Prejudice is, on the whole, a satisfactory and clever novel, and, at present, one whose merits are diminished mostly by readers too far removed to understand it in its fullness, or whose tastes have diverged too far.
Top reviews from other countries

Now as for book and printing - very nice. The font used is Sabon instead of something ghastly like Times New Roman. Text size is quite comfortable. Paper quality is nice and has a smooth texture to it, although people accustomed to the bright off-white pages might be a bit disappointed at the not so bright pages. So my suggestion is to buy the penguin edition.


Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on June 11, 2018
Now as for book and printing - very nice. The font used is Sabon instead of something ghastly like Times New Roman. Text size is quite comfortable. Paper quality is nice and has a smooth texture to it, although people accustomed to the bright off-white pages might be a bit disappointed at the not so bright pages. So my suggestion is to buy the penguin edition.







Jane Austen wrote one of the most famous opening lines in English Literature. The dialogue and writing are like the delicate keys on a piano or Earl Grey being being poured into a china cup. Light delicious and fragrant. Lizzy is an intelligent, inspirational and engaging character, who doesn't bow down to the social expectations of the time. This novel certainly deserves its place in the Top 10 of the BBC Big Read.

This is a sparklingly witty, beautifully written and cleverly composed story which is a pleasure to read from start to finish. Elizabeth Bennet is a wonderful creation; Darcy is suitably arrogant, difficult and complex; Mrs Bennet is an absolutely awful, but brilliantly conceived character, who could give masterclasses in how to embarrass one's children; Lady Catherine de Bourgh is wonderfully snobbish and horribly condescending; Elizabeth's cousin, Mr Collins, is a toe-curlingly ingratiating character; and the remainder of the cast add greatly to this superb story.
Romantic, amusing and marvellously entertaining this is a novel to read and reread - but one of the main purposes of this review is to talk about the Kindle Whispersync for Voice combination. If you buy one of the very reasonably priced Kindle versions, you are now able to download one of the audio versions, such as: Pride and Prejudice (Unabridged) for a couple of pounds (at the time of writing), therefore saving yourself a small fortune. You can switch back and forth between reading the Kindle book and listening to the Audible audiobook without ever losing your place.
I bought the Kindle and audio download combination after buying the lovely new paperback version: Pride and Prejudice as a gift for someone, which gave me the urge to reread my own copy - however not wanting to break off from my current read, I decided to try the audio download and listened to it happily whilst travelling/gardening etc. The audio version I downloaded was ably narrated by Lindsay Duncan, who uses a variety of voices for the different protagonists, but there are other versions available (such as: Pride and Prejudice (Unabridged) narrated by Emilia Fox) and although Jane Austen's wonderful writing speaks for itself, Lindsay Duncan's rendition makes each character come even more alive, making this an entertaining and enjoyable listening experience.
5 Stars.
