On Jane Austen

I read this post over at Tim Challies's site and I really laughed.

First - about Dave Harvey. I have heard him preach a few times and I am looking forward to reading his book!

Now - about Jane. I think that she is brilliant!

Persuasion is just about my best-loved book. I love how Captain Wentworth and Anne fall in love with each other all over again. Anne's sisters are delicious and I laugh every time I think of Louisa Musgrove and Captain Benwick falling in love over poetry! It has a great balance of romance, comedy and social commentary and I just love her use of language.

I am, of course, quite fond of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. Wonderful characters, especially the *villains*! I love to hate Fanny Dashwood and Lucy Steele, especially when they get together!! Mansfield Park is fine but just not as great as Jane's others, I think. Fanny is just too good! And I do not really care for Emma - not the book so much as Emma herself - ridiculous busybody! I have not yet read Northanger Abbey, as I would rather look forward to it than read it right now!

And - the filmed versions.

There is a very good version of Persuasion with Ciaran Hinds as Captain Wentworth. Emma Thompson's S&S was a lot of fun, especially with Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon!!

The BBC P&P with Colin Firth is just wonderful. It is quite true to the book and I love watching it unfold slowly. The new movie with Keira Knightley is not bad. I appreciate the different look and feel, but it is just too short!

Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow was all right - I actually like it better than the book! The new Mansfield Park is nasty, not to mention totally wrong. Fanny is just NOT Fanny in that movie!