Pride and Prejudice (all classes)

Class: All
Book: Pride and Prejudice
Author: Jane Austen
Pages: 217
Rating:*****

Recommendation: This book is great for anyone who needs a good laugh and truly wants to understand women. This is a classic romance that explores the do’s and don'ts of love, courtship and marriage. Austen’s wit and charm will keep you laughing as you turn the pages.

Summary: This is the story of five sisters who all are of marrying age. Unfortunately their father’s wealth is minimal and the girls must find a good match to secure their future. Conveniently a young wealthy bachelor named Mr. Bingley moves in next store and takes particular interest in the oldest Bennett sister Jane. Mr. Bingley also has a friend named Mr. Darcy who is handsomer and wealthier but unfortunately prouder than Mr. Bingley. He too becomes captivated by one of the Bennett sisters, Elizabeth. While fate will eventually bring both of these couples together, pride, prejudice, and miscommunication present themselves as extreme obstacles. As each couple seeks overcome personal flaws and weaknesses, they find themselves better able to form stable and meaningful relationships. Austen reminds us that each person in the relationship must change for the better before there can ever be a happily ever after.

Explanation of Rating: This is a timeless classic that has survived generations. Love, courtship, and marriage never go out of style, and neither does this book. Jane Austen keenly explores the human motivation for marriage and the elements that make marriage truly successful. While the book is almost entirely about the female persuasion, she has no problem poking fun at the flaws and weaknesses of her sex. Austen should be nicknamed the love doctor as she prescribes the essentials to marriage 101. Both men and women enjoy reading this hilarious critique of human relationships.

Favorite passage: “ A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment..” -Chapter 6
I love this passage because it shows how completely Austen understands women. It is true that no sooner does a man ask a woman out on a date, than her mind begins to wander and consider wedding plans, marriage, and what their children will look like together.