Emma

By Jane Austen

Book Overview

When her former governess finds happiness as the bride of a local widower, the brilliant and beautiful Emma Woodhouse -- one of Jane Austen's immortal creations -- flatters herself that she alone has secured the marriage and that she possesses a special talent for bringing lovers together. The young heiress next busies herself with finding a suitable husband for her friend and prot g , Harriet Smith, setting off an entertaining sequence of comic mishaps and misunderstanding in this sparkling comedy of English-village romance. Beneath its considerable wit, the novel is also the story of a young woman's progress toward self-understanding.
Emma abounds in the droll character sketches at which Jane Austen excelled. In addition to the well-intentional heroine and her hypochondriacal father, the village of Highbury during the Regency period is populated by an amusing circle of friends and family -- kindhearted but tedious Miss Bates, a chatterbox spinster; ambitious Mr. Elton, a social-climbing parson; Frank Churchill, an enigmatic Romeo; Mr. Knightley, Emma's brother-in-law and the voice of her better nature; and a cluster of other finely drawn, unforgettable personalities.
The author's skill at depicting the follies of human nature in a manner both realistic and affectionate elevates this tale of provincial matchmaking to the heights of scintillating satire. A classic of English literature that has delighted readers since its 1816 publication, the novel is now available in this high-quality, inexpensive edition sure to charm a new generation.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486406482
• ISBN13: 9780486406480
• Release Date: December 1998
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.2" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 11 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 6 and higher

Customer Reviews

Good condition, great book

I’m happy to add this to my collection! Condition was just as expected

Emma-Spoilers Ahead!!!

I never thought that any of Jane Austen's other novels would become higher in my affections then Pride and Prejudice, but Emma did. I "read" Emma a few years ago; by "read" I mean "skimmed". Literally, I just read the dialogue, and a few other paragraphs that interested me. I was young and the book was boring. I thought I hated it. But now, being older, re-reading it, I can't believe I didn't realize before what a beautiful book Emma is. It took me a little while to get into it, I just wasn't taking the time to read it, but as the story progressed I began to love it more and more. Volume III is especially sweet. My favorite thing about the book is that when Emma and Mr. Knightly finally get together, there are about 5 more chapters in which you get to see the two together, and happy. That was something I missed in Persuasion. Anne and Captain Wentworth got engaged, and then the book wrapped up. The end. No!!!! I want to see the two together, and happy, especially after the main character is miserable for almost the entire book. I even feel this way when reading Pride and Prejudice. When the main characters finally get together, the story ends. Not in Emma. You get to see the two happy together, and more stuff happens after their engagement. I love Mr. Knightly...you don't see him much, but he has such a presence in the book. He loves Emma, but that doesn't stop him from correcting her mistakes, even if that means losing her good opinion of him. And Emma, she grows so much. I went from hating her to loving her. She has her flaws, corrects them, and feels truly humbled by them. She's not perfect, but she overcomes her faults. And you can tell the entire Woodhouse-Knightly family love each other. Truly a fantastic book!

Great!

Great quality book and amazing price. And the read is wonderful.

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Great!

Emma is a great classic novel and probably one of Jane Austen's best! If you like this book I also suggest the wonderful movie adaptations. Both the one starring Gwynneth Paltrow and the one starring Kate Beckinsale are quite lovely!

ONE OF JANE AUTENS BEST NOVELS!!!!!!!!!

This book is one of the best books by Jane Austen. It is well up there with Pride and Prejudice. This book clearly was one that glowed with the brightness of Austens fresh sence of humor. You will find yourself laughing out loud at almot all of the book. It is a little longer that Pride And Prejudice, but it still has the same magic that only Jane's books could produce. Emma Woodhouse is one that almost everyone can relate to. You cant help but learn to love her, laugh at her, and get angry with her, after she makes a couple of mistakes. She really is horrible at "matchmaking" and creates trobble when she trys it out on her friends. She is one with a kind soul, but still has weaknesses that all humans have, such as jelousy and pride. She also has the heart that will never fall for a man. (or does she?) You will be taken on a ride as Emma finds out what she can handle and what will happen when things go wronge. This book will take you into the hearts and minds of all of the charachters in the book. They will become a part of your life and you will find that you can not stop thinking of them until you put the book down after finishing it. It draws you in, as does every Jane Austen book, and it will not leave you disaponted in the end. This whole book is jam-packed with romance, humor, and social status. Did I mention that this book is very halarious???? It is a MUST READ for anyone out there that likes a good plot woven with love and friend ship. It will leave you smiling and sighing that it is over. It really is one of the best books written!...

MOTHS CRUMBLE (I JUST USED THAT TITLE TO GET ATTENTION)

Emma is basically a darling snob. She has a kind, loving heart, and really wants to do good, but makes a tangle of everybody's lives, including her own. I'm sick of flawless, shallow, empty heroines, so Emma's faults and conquering of faults endear her. The unabridged book is slightly complicated (such as old-fashioned language) but if you savor it slowly it is well worth it. The plot is clever, sweet, funny and leaves a satisfied, warm kind of glow in the pit of your stomach. The perfect ending makes you want to cry. Don't spoil THIS novel with any trashy sequels. TRY WATCHING the Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam "Emma."

A beautiful story about relationships

I definitely recommend this book to first time Jane Austen readers, and especially to young girls, for it is so cute and so amusing. I wish I were "forced" to read this in High School for I would have surely written good papers on it. I can't see how anyone can dislike this classic. Jane Austen's character "Emma" has her faults of course, be she is a true character that is amusing and utterly charming, unlike those characters in Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, which by no doubt are wonderful books, but Emma truly has to be my favorite Austen work. It is predictable, even without having seen the movie that was based on this work (that mind some of you was written over 200 years before Alicia Silverstone existed...gosh!) but the predictability of it made it all the more enjoyable, like a sort of mystery in romance. I definitely recommend this book to anyone over the age of 11 or 12. I know I'll make my kids read it some day. It is superb!