Pride and Prejudice

So I have just resurfaced, ready to face the modern world again now that I've finished reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice for the first time. (No, Mrs. Rogers. I never actually read it when we were assigned to in 11th grade English. I wrote my paper based on what I had seen in the movie. I'm a terrible, terrible person.) Anyhow, I have been totally engrossed in this book this last week, and it's a relief— although bittersweet — to be done. Bitter in that I absolutely love being lost in a good book and it's a little sad knowing that it's over, but there's also a certain sense of accomplishment that comes when I finish a book — and it's even better when I finish a good book.

One obstacle I had going into this reading was that I've seen both the A&E television version and the newer film version so many times that it was hard to let the book stand on its own. I read the first few chapters with images of Keira Knightley and Colin Firth swirling around in my head, and I hate not being able to form images of the characters based on what I read and seeing them only as the actors who played them. But that stopped after a while, probably when I read that Mr. Collins is really supposed to be a "tall, heavy looking young man of five and twenty" — the overly sweaty A&E Mr. Collins and the mousy film version were equally formidable, but I was surprised to read the original description.

Anyway, reading the book was so much fun. Even though I knew perfectly well how the story turns out, I was still on pins and needles the whole time, waiting to see if Mr. Bingley really would make it back to Netherfield or how Mr. Darcy would ever find out that Elizabeth really did like him. And this brings me to my next point. To be sure, there is a lot of girliness about the book (it IS about dances and love and marriage), but once you get past that, it's pretty amazing writing.

I also love how reading this book and others from the same period make me want to speak with a British accent — at least for the next half hour after I close the book or until Trevor shakes his head in disgust — and use phrases like "by the bye." Some other favorites I've since added to my list include "make haste," "happy will I be," and "to be sure." Another classic line: "Mrs. Bennett was quite in the fidgets." Love it.

I know that many of you who are reading this have already read P&P (and you're wondering how I missed the boat), so I write hoping that you'll be reminded of how fun it was to read for the first time. And for those of you who haven't read it yet, DO IT. I loved how much more I knew about each character (there's so much detail that you can't possibly convey in a movie), and I'm a sucker for epilogues — so make haste.

Lastly, I may still be too lazy and too not-in-the-U.S. to do anything about this, but my curiosity was piqued about offshoot books like Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife and whatever else they have now. Mrs. Darcy's Sons? Lydia's Grandchildren? Does anyone know if they're any good?

Anyway, it's back to the grindstone. After a brief but oh-so-pleasant hiatus, here's hoping I'll finish the thoughtful but weighty Europe at War sometime this year...