This is the place for general Emma talk, and thoughts about the book that don't fit anywhere else!
Emma was the fourth novel by Jane Austen to be published, in 1815 - happy 200th birthday, Emma! Its first line isn't quite as famous as the first line of Pride and Prejudice, but it's almost as iconic and sets up the novel perfectly: "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence, and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her." Emma is a privileged young woman who has always been encouraged to think herself superior and all-knowing; this is the story of how her worldview is challenged as she becomes an adult. Austen famously called Emma "a heroine whom no one but myself will much like," and she's definitely a bit more difficult than heroines like the universally beloved Elizabeth Bennet, but many Austen fans (including me!) find that that, along with the incisive look at Regency social structure and the general tongue-and-cheek hilarity, make Emma an extremely satisfying novel. (And, okay, Knightley doesn't hurt.) There's a lot to talk about here - there's even a theory that Emma is secretly a murder mystery, but I'll write more about that in the middle of the month - so let's dive in!
Emma is in the public domain, and you can get a free electronic copy in a variety of formats at Project Gutenberg. Prefer audio? There are several free options at LibriVox. If you'd prefer a paper copy, pretty much any library should have it - search library holdings at WorldCat - or you can easily find a copy at your favorite local or online bookstore. (We love independent bookstores!)
NOTE: For future books, we may have separate threads for sections of the book for those avoiding spoilers while reading, but we're assuming everyone knows how Emma ends. Read at your own risk!
Emma was the fourth novel by Jane Austen to be published, in 1815 - happy 200th birthday, Emma! Its first line isn't quite as famous as the first line of Pride and Prejudice, but it's almost as iconic and sets up the novel perfectly: "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence, and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her." Emma is a privileged young woman who has always been encouraged to think herself superior and all-knowing; this is the story of how her worldview is challenged as she becomes an adult. Austen famously called Emma "a heroine whom no one but myself will much like," and she's definitely a bit more difficult than heroines like the universally beloved Elizabeth Bennet, but many Austen fans (including me!) find that that, along with the incisive look at Regency social structure and the general tongue-and-cheek hilarity, make Emma an extremely satisfying novel. (And, okay, Knightley doesn't hurt.) There's a lot to talk about here - there's even a theory that Emma is secretly a murder mystery, but I'll write more about that in the middle of the month - so let's dive in!
Emma is in the public domain, and you can get a free electronic copy in a variety of formats at Project Gutenberg. Prefer audio? There are several free options at LibriVox. If you'd prefer a paper copy, pretty much any library should have it - search library holdings at WorldCat - or you can easily find a copy at your favorite local or online bookstore. (We love independent bookstores!)
NOTE: For future books, we may have separate threads for sections of the book for those avoiding spoilers while reading, but we're assuming everyone knows how Emma ends. Read at your own risk!