Celebrating Pride and Prejudice: 200 Years of Jane Austen’s Masterpiece, by Susannah Fullerton – A Review

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment Like reading! How much sooner one tire of any thing than of a book!”

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Now I’m even more curious to read this book, because I suspect I won’t agree with Fullerton’s opinions. Especially those relating to the sequels. Very interesting.

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My favorite quote: “A person may be proude without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.”

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I’ve been wanting to read this book for quite awhile now! Thank you for the great review.

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My favorite P&P quote comes from Mr. Bennet:

“An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.”

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Choose ONE favorite quote from the book? Impossible! But, here is one that always gets me aflutter with relief that they are finally straightening out their feelings: “If you will thank me, he replied, let it be for yourself alone… I thought only of you.”
And, here is my challenge entry from my blog; http://www.mechamrcfam.blogspot.com

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The opening line will always be my favorite :-)

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Thanks so much, Laurel Ann, for your great review of my book. Of course I was fascinated to read your comments.
I do seem to have started some interesting discussion with my chapter on sequels, adaptations etc. It’s not that I detest all of them – I don’t at all! I have really enjoyed reading many sequels, and I especially like modern adaptations, such as ‘Pride, Prejudice and Jasmin Field’. I think that once authors have been freed from the constraint of having to write in the Regency style, then they can tell a much better story. However, surely even your most ardent sequel readers will agree that they all fade into insignificance in comparison with the original novel. Will a single one of those sequels still be read in 200 years? I’m quite sure they will not!
And I think those who have commented on your website will also agree that there are some dreadful sequels out there. When characters who are supposed to be Regency ladies and gentlemen say ‘Oh Shit’ or ‘Hop to it’ to each other, one loses all belief in them. There are many self-published sequels where no editor has removed mistakes or improved the quality of the writing. I did not condemn every sequel because there are some dreadful ones out there.
In that chapter I did not of course have space to do justice to the great range of sequels etc now available – all I could do was list them, give some idea of the different categories they fall into, and make a few general remarks. I gave my personal opinions and others are entirely free to disagree.
However, do please note that this is only one of many many chapters in my book, so do read it if you want to find out more about the hero and heroine, the translations, the covers and illustrations the book has been given, the merchandise it has generated, the first sentence, and so much more. I look forward to congratulating the lucky winner of the giveaway copy.

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Actually, my favorite Jane Austen quote is from a letter she wrote to her sister: “This hot weather keeps me in a constant state of inelegance.” Your review of Celebrating P & P has made me want to read it, so I’m going to add that to my roster. I’m still updating my February post for this challenge. I decided to devote February to sampling some of the many titles that are out there so I can select the ones to read for this challenge. Since I’m new to the “beyond P & P” arena, I need time to figure it out. The direct link to that post is: http://www.squidoo.com/pride-and-prejudice-bicentenary#module164916381 and all of my posts will be on that page, each with its own section.

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And here’s the quote from Pride and Prejudice that makes me laugh everytime I read it:
“An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.”

And here’s hoping I win that hardcover copy of Celebrating Pride and Prejudice, by Susannah Fullerton!

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My favorite quote is “…and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the
last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.”

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This is my favorite quote from my last re-read: “Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth—and it was soon done—done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire.”

I highlighted it because when I read it I realized what it is I love about Jane Austen’s writing style. Just this simple sentence adds to the illustration of how ridiculous Mr. Collins is in such a quick and humorous way.

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This was the first book that I read for the challenge. Here is the link to my review at Goodreads. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/541706979

I have read three others and will post a link as soon as I have the reviews up. I am still ‘trying’ to get a blog going.

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My favorite quote would also be “obstinate, headstrong girl!”

For my second Bicenteniary Challenge review, I offer up the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I know you’ve been reviewing them on your site recently, which is how I got into them. I watched all 90 episodes in 6 days – I’m completely addicted! I love that Jane actually becomes a much more independent and stronger person after Bing leaves, and that Lydia is far more real and likeable than the original (no offense, Miss Austen!! You’re still the greatest authoress ever!!). Lizzie and Charlotte are great and play off each other so well, and the re-enactments are hilarious!! The series stays true to the spirit of the original, with all the same themes, which really just goes to show how transcendent the story really is – that you can take the characters and events and easily update them without losing any of the original’s lessons and beauty.

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For this months review I have re-read the original, my review is here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/324463114

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Here is the link to my blog that I now have set up for reviewing in this challenge! Thanks, Laurel Ann, for the push that I needed to get the blog done!

http://moreagreeablyengaged.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-review.html

The above is the review for my first selection, ‘The Darcys and the Bingleys’ by Marsha Altman, which I previously posted the link to Goodreads.

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My third Review on the challenge – Pride and Prejudice
Complete and unabridged CD set
Read by Lindsay Duncan – 2008
ISBN 978 1 4056 4756 4

I surprised myself as I did not think I would enjoy being read to. I did enjoy it immensely as I ironed the clothes I listened to the beautiful voice of Lindsay Duncan as she read the all too familiar passages and got most of the dialogue sounding just right to my ears.
Spoiler alert
I loved the fact that bits that I might skim over as I read come to life. For instance Elizabeth as she reads the letter from Mr Darcy reflects on her father and his part in how Bingley is separarated from Jane
“Elizabeth however, had never been blind to the impropriety of her father’s behaviour as a husband. She had always seen it with pain; but respecting his abilities, and grateful for his affectionate treatment of herself, she endeavoured to forget what she could not overlook, and to banish from her thoughts that continual breach of conjugal obligation and decorum which, in exposing his wife to the contempt of her own children, was so highly reprehensible.”
Little bits like the fact that Elizabeth, Kitty and Mr Darcy are advised by Mrs Bennet to walk to Oakham Mount as it is a long way to stroll. Mrs Bennet is desperate to get space for Mr Bingley and Jane to be alone. This of course also suits Elizabeth even better when Mr Bingley suggests to Kitty that she will not enjoy so long a walk as this and will do better to stay at Longbourn. Mr Darcy and Elizabeth can then going walk supposedly just to enjoy the view from the Mount which Mr Darcy expresses a great desire to see.

I enjoyed again the irony of the book which seemed to come out in so well in this reading. I relished Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Elizabeth sparring and Lady Catherine saying that she knows everything that needs to be known about Lydia and her elopement when she does not know anything at all in reality.
The set pieces like “Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?” I waited for delighted in. I got more out of them as I realised that Lady Catherine is complaining about Elizabeth’s connections and about Lydia
You are a gentleman’s daughter. But who was your mother? (Lady Catherine enquires rhetorically)Who are your uncles and aunts? Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition.”
Elizabeth wants to make a the conversation to end
Your ladyship wants Mr. Darcy to marry your daughter; but would my giving you the wished-for promise make their marriage at all more probable? … I must beg, therefore, to be importuned no farther on the subject.”
but Lady Catherine continues
Not so hasty, if you please. I have by no means done. To all the objections I have already urged, I have still another to add. I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister’s infamous elopement. I know it all; that the young man’s marrying her was a patched-up business, at the expense of your father and uncles. And is such a girl to be my nephew’s sister? Is her husband, is the son of his late father’s steward, to be his brother? Heaven and earth! — of what are you thinking? Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?”

I savoured Mr Collin’s proposal to Elizabeth and like Elizabeth stifled a giggle about Mr Collins running away with his feelings
But before I am run away (says Mr Collins) with by my feelings on this subject, perhaps it will be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying — and moreover for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did.”

The irony came out for me with the way Lindsay Duncan read. I had not appreciated for example the full awfulness of the statement until I heard it read
Happy for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Mrs. Bennet got rid of her two most deserving daughters.

Was there anything for me to dislike? I was not sure I liked the voice inflections for Mrs Bennet but this is such a personal thing and did not spoil my overall enjoyment.
Not sure I would go as far as to say I began to enjoy doing my ironing but it certainly made the chore more pleasant.

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These Three Remain by Pamela Aidan
This is the final installment of P&P from Darcy’s perspective. He’s back from the castle of “nightmares”(my term) and is very disillusioned about women. He is still trying to forget Elizabeth and move on. He does his duty and goes to Kent where we all know of the disastrious proposal happens. This book was wonderful in telling us how he goes through his anger and pain to the total breakdown in a pub with Lord Dyfed Broughm. Ms Aiden wraps up the end of the story perfectly and I loved having Darcy’s perspective along with the original. Just one last thing. I have to say that the character Dyfed was intriguing and would love to see his story told!!

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