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Sense and Sensibility (Penguin Classics)
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Author: Jane Austen
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Our Price: $7.00
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Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Author: Jane Austen
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Sense and Sensibility (Penguin Classics) Description
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.7
EAN: 9780141439662
ISBN: 0141439661
Label: Penguin Classics
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 368
Publication Date: 2003-04-29
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Product Release Date: 2003-04-29
Studio: Penguin Classics
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.7
EAN: 9780141439662
ISBN: 0141439661
Label: Penguin Classics
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 368
Publication Date: 2003-04-29
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Product Release Date: 2003-04-29
Studio: Penguin Classics
Editorial Review of Sense and Sensibility (Penguin Classics)
New chronology and further reading; Tony Tanner's original introduction reinstated
Edited with an introduction by Ros Ballaster.
Edited with an introduction by Ros Ballaster.
Customer Reviews of Sense and Sensibility (Penguin Classics)
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Not Bad for 1811
Review: Two sisters have come of marrying age. One loves rashly and deeply, the other cautiously and with no little reserve - the sense and the sensibility. The contrast set up, Jane Austen takes the two young women through nearly the same set of events. Through love's introduction, intervening conflict and ultimate disappointment, we observe the impacts and the results of these two disparate manners of dealing with the opposite sex. This being a Jane Austen comedy, don't be surprised if things work out for someone in the end.
While obviously very well written and full of interesting characters and insights, this, like most of Jane Austen's work, simply "doesn't do it for me." Certainly Ms. Austen is not without her modern relevance, but many of the important ideas running through her novels, including this one, are foreign and even offensive. For example, her casual indifference toward the unmoneyed, her obvious belief in the natural limitations of the female sex and the importance she sets on formality set my teeth a-grinding. She writes, as they say, of a different time. Similarly, her writing style is often, including in this book, tedious and opaque. Economy of words and clarity are not so important as obeisance to formality and avoidance of perceived impropriety. As I said, writing of a different time. As one can likely see, my complaints about Jane Austen are more due to my own predilections than any shortcomings of the famed authoress.
That said, I do believe that reading this book is good for a person - it will make you more informed and provide material worth thinking on. Several of the characters will stick with you. Ms. Austen has a way of making her characters very distinct despite the smallness of her authorial world. The characters are not Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy, but the Dashwood girls are worth remembering. Furthermore, the major themes, while not "big ideas" are relevant to most everyone and persuasively resolved. Sense and sensibility was for me, however, less enjoyable reading than I would prefer. The plot line moved slowly, the ideas seemed dated and the language obscured rather than revealed.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Miss Austen's first published novel...
Review: "Sense and Sensibility" was first published in 1811, although it appears that Jane Austen had worked on various versions of the novel since the 1790's. It is less polished than the later, classic "Pride and Prejudice", but it contains all the familiar elements we expect and enjoy in an Jane Austen novel.
The novel is built around the two Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, whose contrasting styles are the "sense and sensibility" of the title. Elinor is the elder sister, patient, considerate and practical. Marianne, on the other hand, knows no halfway love of anything in life.
As the story opens, their father has just died, leaving the family estate to his son by a first marriage and his second wife and three daughters in near destitution. The widow and three daughters move to a small cottage on the estate of a distant kinsman in Devonshire. Elinor leaves behind the cherished Mr. Edward Ferres, a shy but loyal and seemingly compatible friend, who has however strangely not offered marriage to Elinor. The beautiful Marianne attracts two suitors soon after their arrival in Devonshire, the older, sober and respectable Colonel Brandon, and the young, handsome, and charming Mr. Willoughby. Willoughby wins Marianne's heart, and an engagement is expected momentarily.
To Marianne's immense disappointment, Willoughby unexpectedly departs for London without proposing. The two sisters are persuaded to travel with an aunt to London to take part in the social scene. Marianne tracks down Willoughby, only to find him engaged to a wealthy heiress. Her desolation is matched on a quieter scale by poor Elinor, who learns in confidence from the social-climbing Miss Lucy Steele that she has been engaged to Edward Feres for some four years. Edward Feres will be disowned by his own family for honorably refusing to renege on his promise to marry the unsuitable Lucy. The considerate Colonel Brandon offers Edward a curateship near his estate, providing a much-needed living.
Elinor and Marianne eventually begin their journey back to Devonshire, only to have Marianne fall deathly ill at a relative's house. While nursing Marianne, Elinor receives a visit from Willoughby, who confesses his selfishness in having become involved with Marianne while courting a second woman and having made a third pregnant. This news will finally break Marianne of her attachment to Willoghby. The long-suffering Colonel Brandon will help the sisters to finally return home.
In the dramatic climax of the story, the Dashwood sisters and their mother learn one morning that Mr. Feres has married Lucy Steele. The surprising arrival of Mr. Edward Feres on the heels of this news brings the revelation that Lucy Steele has released Edward from his promise in order to marry his brother Robert, who will inherit the family fortune. The way is finally clear for Elinor and Edward to be together.
The rest of the story is told in exposition, with mostly happy endings all around. Austen's sense of dialogue and ability to set up scenes staging are less acute in "Sense and Sensibility" than in later novels, but she makes up for it by a more emotional approach to the characters and some savage if indirect commentary on the social customs of the day. Those readers whose introduction to the story is the excellent 1995 movie "Sense and Sensibility" will find a longer, more subtle, and complex story in Austen's novel. This novel is very highly recommended to fans of Jane Austen.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Looks Good
Review: Haven't had a chance to read the book yet. But, it looks like it will be a great read. The book came as promised. It is a paperback - but a high quality one. If you are looking for this classic, I do recommend this printing.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Reading this is like torture
Review: Seeing how Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen barely makes any sense, I wouldn't even touch this book again, even if you paid me. Extremely long and mundane, Sense and Sensibility is a book that actually requires effort and stamina to go through the entire thing. To me, the three-hundred-and-fifteen-page book translated to absolute gibberish as I did not understand, nor really cared to understand what was going on.
Seeing how the there was no purpose to the plot, I was left bored from the first word to the very last. I really did not see the point of writing a story about two well-off, high society women court other men. There was absolutely nothing interesting about that in the story. No one really cares if the ladies must suffer through heartbreak because in actuality, everyone does. Jane Austen could have done a much better job in piecing a more attractive and purposeful novel together.
As I read, the more I learned about the characters, the angrier I got. Why does every character have to be a member of a high social status? To me, everyone was snobby, everyone was self-indulged, and everyone was too one-dimensional. The characters were too well-off to even sympathize with. I did not care or feel emotionally attached to any character whatsoever. Each individual was not self-motivated, and they came off as stuck-up characters. I was just waiting for someone to do something, but no, each character has to wallow in his or her own self-pity. People have worse problems to worry about than worrying about the problems the character has. I kept going through the story and saying, "So what? Who cares? Fix your own problems." The characters were too detached to make me feel interested.
All in all, the story was just bad. It lacked purpose and meaning. Although you have to admit Jane Austen constructs beautifully crafted sentences, sentence style could only take the story so far. If you have time to actually read this book, I suggest you spend your time doing something worthwhile instead of wasting your life on Sense and Sensibility.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Janeites and discerning readers will enjoy Sense and Sensibility
Review: Sense and Sensibility is about the Dashwood girls Elinor and Marianne.
The time is the Napoleonic years of the nineteenth century though nothing so sordid as the little Corporal's baleful visage will appear in this novel of domestic romance. The girls are forced to leave their home following the death of their father. The estate they live at is invaded by their dullard half brother John and his insufferable wife. The two girls, their mother and younger sister Margaret are off to the West of England to live at Barton Cottage being supported by John the brother.
In this novel Miss Jane Austen tells two convoluted love stories. Elinor who is the oldest and most sensible of the girls is in love with Edward Farrars. Farrars is an Oxford man who eventually goes into the ministry. He has been involved in a longterm engagement to the odious but ambitious Lucy Steele. Elinor is heartbroken at this lost love but keeps her stiff upper lip in order to minister to the needs of her younger and more emotional sister Marianne.
Marianne is in love with the rake Willoughby who has had a torrid affair with Eliza Williams. He jilts Marianne but lives to rue his rejection of her.
As in all Austen novels all is resolved with a wedding. Elinor will eventually wed Edward Farrars and live in a parsonage. Her sister Marianne will become Mrs. Brandon as she weds an older and wiser man
Colonel Brandon.
Along the way we meet the lovable Mrs. Jennings, the fautous Steele sisters and Robert Ferrars the stupid brother of Edward Ferrars. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer are also satirically viewed as a dull married couple living in luxury.
It amazes me that no one in a Jane Austen novel really works! As Emma Thompson who directed the film "Sense and Sensibility" quipped one wonders why these women don't go out and get a job! In an Austen novel there are the inevitable long walks and conversations, mixed romantic signals with mixups aplenty and the occasional dance across the ballroom floor.
Austen can be tedious and it can be a challenge to keep up with the characters and conversations. She is a great artist with a very narrow focus; a few middle class families living in the country with a love story to be told. Within this baliwick she is peerless, witty and wise. She brings a few hours of quiet where the only sound heard is a bird singing or a carriage rumbling up to the house.
Sense and Sensibility published in 1811 is a classic of English literature. Jane Austen is unsurpassed in the realm of Regency romance!
Review Summary: Not Bad for 1811
Review: Two sisters have come of marrying age. One loves rashly and deeply, the other cautiously and with no little reserve - the sense and the sensibility. The contrast set up, Jane Austen takes the two young women through nearly the same set of events. Through love's introduction, intervening conflict and ultimate disappointment, we observe the impacts and the results of these two disparate manners of dealing with the opposite sex. This being a Jane Austen comedy, don't be surprised if things work out for someone in the end.
While obviously very well written and full of interesting characters and insights, this, like most of Jane Austen's work, simply "doesn't do it for me." Certainly Ms. Austen is not without her modern relevance, but many of the important ideas running through her novels, including this one, are foreign and even offensive. For example, her casual indifference toward the unmoneyed, her obvious belief in the natural limitations of the female sex and the importance she sets on formality set my teeth a-grinding. She writes, as they say, of a different time. Similarly, her writing style is often, including in this book, tedious and opaque. Economy of words and clarity are not so important as obeisance to formality and avoidance of perceived impropriety. As I said, writing of a different time. As one can likely see, my complaints about Jane Austen are more due to my own predilections than any shortcomings of the famed authoress.
That said, I do believe that reading this book is good for a person - it will make you more informed and provide material worth thinking on. Several of the characters will stick with you. Ms. Austen has a way of making her characters very distinct despite the smallness of her authorial world. The characters are not Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy, but the Dashwood girls are worth remembering. Furthermore, the major themes, while not "big ideas" are relevant to most everyone and persuasively resolved. Sense and sensibility was for me, however, less enjoyable reading than I would prefer. The plot line moved slowly, the ideas seemed dated and the language obscured rather than revealed.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Miss Austen's first published novel...
Review: "Sense and Sensibility" was first published in 1811, although it appears that Jane Austen had worked on various versions of the novel since the 1790's. It is less polished than the later, classic "Pride and Prejudice", but it contains all the familiar elements we expect and enjoy in an Jane Austen novel.
The novel is built around the two Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, whose contrasting styles are the "sense and sensibility" of the title. Elinor is the elder sister, patient, considerate and practical. Marianne, on the other hand, knows no halfway love of anything in life.
As the story opens, their father has just died, leaving the family estate to his son by a first marriage and his second wife and three daughters in near destitution. The widow and three daughters move to a small cottage on the estate of a distant kinsman in Devonshire. Elinor leaves behind the cherished Mr. Edward Ferres, a shy but loyal and seemingly compatible friend, who has however strangely not offered marriage to Elinor. The beautiful Marianne attracts two suitors soon after their arrival in Devonshire, the older, sober and respectable Colonel Brandon, and the young, handsome, and charming Mr. Willoughby. Willoughby wins Marianne's heart, and an engagement is expected momentarily.
To Marianne's immense disappointment, Willoughby unexpectedly departs for London without proposing. The two sisters are persuaded to travel with an aunt to London to take part in the social scene. Marianne tracks down Willoughby, only to find him engaged to a wealthy heiress. Her desolation is matched on a quieter scale by poor Elinor, who learns in confidence from the social-climbing Miss Lucy Steele that she has been engaged to Edward Feres for some four years. Edward Feres will be disowned by his own family for honorably refusing to renege on his promise to marry the unsuitable Lucy. The considerate Colonel Brandon offers Edward a curateship near his estate, providing a much-needed living.
Elinor and Marianne eventually begin their journey back to Devonshire, only to have Marianne fall deathly ill at a relative's house. While nursing Marianne, Elinor receives a visit from Willoughby, who confesses his selfishness in having become involved with Marianne while courting a second woman and having made a third pregnant. This news will finally break Marianne of her attachment to Willoghby. The long-suffering Colonel Brandon will help the sisters to finally return home.
In the dramatic climax of the story, the Dashwood sisters and their mother learn one morning that Mr. Feres has married Lucy Steele. The surprising arrival of Mr. Edward Feres on the heels of this news brings the revelation that Lucy Steele has released Edward from his promise in order to marry his brother Robert, who will inherit the family fortune. The way is finally clear for Elinor and Edward to be together.
The rest of the story is told in exposition, with mostly happy endings all around. Austen's sense of dialogue and ability to set up scenes staging are less acute in "Sense and Sensibility" than in later novels, but she makes up for it by a more emotional approach to the characters and some savage if indirect commentary on the social customs of the day. Those readers whose introduction to the story is the excellent 1995 movie "Sense and Sensibility" will find a longer, more subtle, and complex story in Austen's novel. This novel is very highly recommended to fans of Jane Austen.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Looks Good
Review: Haven't had a chance to read the book yet. But, it looks like it will be a great read. The book came as promised. It is a paperback - but a high quality one. If you are looking for this classic, I do recommend this printing.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Reading this is like torture
Review: Seeing how Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen barely makes any sense, I wouldn't even touch this book again, even if you paid me. Extremely long and mundane, Sense and Sensibility is a book that actually requires effort and stamina to go through the entire thing. To me, the three-hundred-and-fifteen-page book translated to absolute gibberish as I did not understand, nor really cared to understand what was going on.
Seeing how the there was no purpose to the plot, I was left bored from the first word to the very last. I really did not see the point of writing a story about two well-off, high society women court other men. There was absolutely nothing interesting about that in the story. No one really cares if the ladies must suffer through heartbreak because in actuality, everyone does. Jane Austen could have done a much better job in piecing a more attractive and purposeful novel together.
As I read, the more I learned about the characters, the angrier I got. Why does every character have to be a member of a high social status? To me, everyone was snobby, everyone was self-indulged, and everyone was too one-dimensional. The characters were too well-off to even sympathize with. I did not care or feel emotionally attached to any character whatsoever. Each individual was not self-motivated, and they came off as stuck-up characters. I was just waiting for someone to do something, but no, each character has to wallow in his or her own self-pity. People have worse problems to worry about than worrying about the problems the character has. I kept going through the story and saying, "So what? Who cares? Fix your own problems." The characters were too detached to make me feel interested.
All in all, the story was just bad. It lacked purpose and meaning. Although you have to admit Jane Austen constructs beautifully crafted sentences, sentence style could only take the story so far. If you have time to actually read this book, I suggest you spend your time doing something worthwhile instead of wasting your life on Sense and Sensibility.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Janeites and discerning readers will enjoy Sense and Sensibility
Review: Sense and Sensibility is about the Dashwood girls Elinor and Marianne.
The time is the Napoleonic years of the nineteenth century though nothing so sordid as the little Corporal's baleful visage will appear in this novel of domestic romance. The girls are forced to leave their home following the death of their father. The estate they live at is invaded by their dullard half brother John and his insufferable wife. The two girls, their mother and younger sister Margaret are off to the West of England to live at Barton Cottage being supported by John the brother.
In this novel Miss Jane Austen tells two convoluted love stories. Elinor who is the oldest and most sensible of the girls is in love with Edward Farrars. Farrars is an Oxford man who eventually goes into the ministry. He has been involved in a longterm engagement to the odious but ambitious Lucy Steele. Elinor is heartbroken at this lost love but keeps her stiff upper lip in order to minister to the needs of her younger and more emotional sister Marianne.
Marianne is in love with the rake Willoughby who has had a torrid affair with Eliza Williams. He jilts Marianne but lives to rue his rejection of her.
As in all Austen novels all is resolved with a wedding. Elinor will eventually wed Edward Farrars and live in a parsonage. Her sister Marianne will become Mrs. Brandon as she weds an older and wiser man
Colonel Brandon.
Along the way we meet the lovable Mrs. Jennings, the fautous Steele sisters and Robert Ferrars the stupid brother of Edward Ferrars. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer are also satirically viewed as a dull married couple living in luxury.
It amazes me that no one in a Jane Austen novel really works! As Emma Thompson who directed the film "Sense and Sensibility" quipped one wonders why these women don't go out and get a job! In an Austen novel there are the inevitable long walks and conversations, mixed romantic signals with mixups aplenty and the occasional dance across the ballroom floor.
Austen can be tedious and it can be a challenge to keep up with the characters and conversations. She is a great artist with a very narrow focus; a few middle class families living in the country with a love story to be told. Within this baliwick she is peerless, witty and wise. She brings a few hours of quiet where the only sound heard is a bird singing or a carriage rumbling up to the house.
Sense and Sensibility published in 1811 is a classic of English literature. Jane Austen is unsurpassed in the realm of Regency romance!