From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:
“…his perfect indifference, and your pointed dislike, make it so delightfully absurd!” Mr. Bennet, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 57
The Oxford World’s Classics new 3rd edition of Pride and Prejudice is just what you need to read and explore Jane Austen’s classic novel. This edition presents the reader with a full unabridged text and a wide variety of supplementary material to help you along in your discovery of the universal truths of the novel. Like many editions available today, it supplies us with a text that has been carefully edited by prominent scholars since it was first published in 1813. This updated and revised edition also includes a new introduction by Christina Lupton:
“…focusing on the novel’s rich and ever expanding reception history; on why it has been so beloved over the centuries, and on the culture of writing and book circulation in Austen’s time.“
Writing an introduction to one of the most beloved and highly scrutinized novels in English literature is indeed a daunting task. My sympathies went out to Christina Lupton even before I had read one word. Pride and Prejudice is so many things to different people, and not everyone’s pet project could be addressed within the limit of space. The publisher explains that the,
“…introduction argues for the importance of thinking through what it means to read a book so well loved, and what the popularity of the book itself can tell us for the way its story encourages us to think about love.”
I found that Lupton hits upon some interesting points adding greatly to my enjoyment of the book.
Full contents included: an unabridged text, an introduction, notes on the text, select bibliography, a chronology of Jane Austen, appendices on rank, social standing, dancing, textual notes, and explanatory notes unique to this edition filled with insights and facts that are neatly organized and easy to find.
For the new student the additional material is a must to understand the full context of the novel, and for those Janeites who are ready to start your annual re-reading of Pride and Prejudice pick up this new edition. The introduction and supplemental material alone are worth adding an additional edition of Austen’s classic to your library.
5 out of 5 Stars
BOOK INFORMATION
Pride and Prejudice (Oxford World’s Classics), by Jane Austen, edited by James Kinsley, introduction and notes by Christina Lupton- Oxford University Press, 3rd Ed. (01 February 2020)
- Trade paperback (384) pages
- ISBN: 978-0198826736
- Genre: Classic Literature
ADDITIONAL INFO | ADD TO GOODREADS
We purchased a copy of the book for our own enjoyment. Austenprose is an Amazon Affiliate. Cover image courtesy of Oxford University Press © 2020; text Laurel Ann Nattress © 2020, austenprose.com. This post was updated and revised to include information and opinions of the new edition on February 19, 2022.
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