PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen

Welcome to Page 3 of I Read That Book! On each Page, I’ll tell you a little about a book I read, often in a fun and informal manner, with the hope that you also may become interested enough to read it – or perhaps read it again if you’ve already enjoyed it once. The books I’ll be featuring come from a variety of genres at differing stages of my life, so whether you prefer history, literature, science fiction, or horror, there’s a good chance you’ll get some interesting ideas for your personal “To Be Read” list. Thank you for joining me on this journey as we flip through the pages of some of my favorite books. But before you start reading below, I invite you to grab a cup of your favorite beverage and find a comfortable place to sit, then turn to Page 3.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen

Publication Date: January 28, 1813

On Page 1, I mentioned that we sometimes read books more than once for particular reasons, and when it comes to books I’ve reread, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen is a prime example of this.

I first read Pride and Prejudice when I was in high school. And no, I didn’t choose it for fun reading. It was assigned, and needless to say, I was less than thrilled. Coincidentally, PBS was airing a five-part Pride and Prejudice series as our class was reading it, and I remember watching several episodes at a friend’s house. I’m pretty sure that she enjoyed it more than I did.

Once out of high school, I had no idea that Jane Austen would come back into my life so soon. After a few years at Ohio State, I switched my major from Mass Media Communication (with an emphasis on Radio and TV production) to English Education. And whether you’re an English major or English Education major, it’s hard to avoid that wily writer from the late 18th Century. But those few years in between saw me mature just slightly enough (along with a good professor) to somewhat enjoy Pride and Prejudice this time around.

Once I graduated and entered the workforce and didn’t end up teaching high school English, I never would have imagined that I’d read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE yet again. My wife, Melissa, is a big fan of the newer version of the Pride and Prejudice miniseries (that’s right, the one with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle), and I’ve seen it with her a number of times over the years. Then lo and behold, curiosity finally got the better of me back in 2014, and I read it again to see how well it compared to that BBC version. And the third time really was the charm! I’m not entirely sure if maturity was the main factor in reading it with a different mindset or not, but regardless of why, I really liked it. And I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if I read it again someday.

Do you have a favorite Jane Austen novel? We’d love to know in the comments below!

And don’t forget to join us here again when I flip to the next Page!

Note: The first 32 pages of I Read This Book! originally appeared on Substack.

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