Notes From Your Bookseller The quintessential romantic comedy from the queen of mannerly stories of love and unlove. It's the timeless tale of Bennett and Darcy, the love that was always and never meant to be. Since its publication in 1813, Pride and Prejudice's blend of humor, romance, and social satire have delighted readers of all ages. In telling the story of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett and their five daughters, Jane Austen creates a miniature of her world, where social grace and the nuances of behavior predominate in the making of a great love story. Editorial Reviews "The wit of Jane Austen has for partner the perfection of her taste."-Virginia Woolf - From the Publisher "Elizabeth and Darcy come to life-rich, historical life-in this brilliant Broadview edition. Thanks to a compelling introduction and capacious appendices, we can see how their private compromise enacts a public one: old and new wealth merge as the English appropriate their own elite 'as an aesthetic phenomenon'-an appropriation that transforms national identity into a matter of 'culture.' Irvine's Pride and Prejudice matches a carefully annotated text with a critical frame that synthesizes the seemingly disparate strands-political, socio-economic, feminist-of recent Austen criticism." - Clifford Siskin University of Glasgow "Robert Irvine's edition of Austen's Pride and Prejudice is a wonderfully illuminating text of an often misunderstood classic. Irvine's introduction is subtle, shrewd, and penetrating, offering a convincing historical and cultural interpretation of Austen's novel that will help readers to understand its full complexity." - John Richetti University of Pennsylvania Jane Austen's classic novel is expertly narrated by Josephine Bailey, whose eloquent presentation captures all the exquisite restraint and elegance of Austen's prose. Undaunted by a large cast that is almost constantly engaged in dialogue, Bailey has impeccable timing as she brings beloved scenes to life. Her insightful narration conveys all the depth and detail of Austen's believable characters, including pert, sometimes saucy Elizabeth; amiable Jane; the initially stiff Mr. Darcy; and the amicable Mr. Bingley. Less central characters (vulgar Mrs. Bennet, ungovernable Lydia, moralizing Mary) are equally well done. The spirited exchange between Elizabeth and Lady Catherine de Bourgh as dramatized by Bailey is beyond compare. This fine production makes a persuasive case that Austen is best enjoyed unabridged. J.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine - JUN/JUL 08 - AudioFile