“A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.”― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen’s classic, Pride and Prejudice, is one of my favorite books. The story of the Bennett sisters never fails to entertain. It is a book you can read over and over again and has so many great quotes! “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,” and with that opening line, Austen sets the stage and the tone of the book.

The Bennetts are a family with five unmarried daughters and no sons, so finding matches for their daughters is a major concern. Mrs. Bennett is overjoyed to learn that they will soon have neighbors, and even better, the new neighbor is single, rich, and young. Mrs. Bennett immediately sets her sights on Mr. Bingley for her eldest daughter, the beautiful Jane. Elizabeth, the second daughter, is fiesty, confident, and not inclined to marry for anything other than love. She hopes Jane makes a match with Bingley, but she does not like his friend, Darcy, who she views as arrogant and unkind. She much prefers the dashing solider, Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth does not understand the tension and animosity between Darcy and Wickham, but she is sure the fault lies with Darcy. As events unfold, both Darcy and Elizabeth learn that things are not always as they seem and that they have both been guilty of pride and prejudice.

There is a reason Jane Austen is such a beloved writer. She crafts compelling characters from unremarkable people and places them largely in unremarkable places, yet the finished product is remarkable. She gives an insider’s view to the world of the gentry in her day and her writing is infused with wit and insight. I am an unabashed fan of Jan Austen and whole heartedly recommend Pride and Prejudice (as well as her other works) as a book worth your time.

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