Jane Austen's Emma

I just had to write a few words about my new favorite book! I realize that almost everyone in the world has read Austen, so I guess I just kind of missed the boat until now. I started with Pride and Prejudice a few months ago, followed by Sense and Sensibility, and then just moments ago I finished Emma. My only regret is that I didn't read them years ago, but then I fear I would not have gotten out of them what I so richly harvested at this present time. As I've finished each book I watch the movie, so no one call me tomorrow night (the Jazz game is on tonight) when I will be watching Emma. It's hard to choose which book I enjoyed more, but I think Emma is winning by a nose. Perhaps I saw so much of myself in the title character (excluding the fact that she is handsome, rich, and clever) that reading it was like a window to my soul (can you tell my prose has been affected by reading Austen's?) I include now some of my favorite quotes from the book. They will never hold their full value without their complete context, but these were my faves:

• Emma was sorry;-to have to pay civilities to a person she did not like through three long months!-to be always doing more than she wished, and less than she ought!


• "I wish," said Mrs. Weston, "one could know which arrangement our guests in general would like best. To do what would be most generally pleasing must be our object--if one could but tell what that would be."


• Mr. Knightley describes Emma as "falutless in spite of all her faults"---My favorite!


• (Mr. Knightley): "My Emma, does not every thing serve to prove more and more the beauty of truth and sincerity in all our dealings with each other?"


• What had she to wish for? Nothing, but to grow more worthy of him, whose intentions and judgement had been ever so superior to her own. Nothing, but that the lessons of her past folly might teach her humility and circumspection in the future.

It is really a story about loving those around us inspite of their faults, about seeing the good in others, about forgiving yourself and learning from your mistakes, about realizing that most people have good intentions at heart. Love, love, LOVED this book! I think Persuasion is next on my list. I only wish I could read them faster! Thank you to all of you who have always urged me to read them! Sorry I took so long!