Pride and Prejudice captures the affections of class-conscious eighteenth-century English families with matrimonial aims and rivalries. This story of the Bennet family and the novel's two protagonists, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, is told with a wit that author Jane Austen feared might prove "rather too light and bright, and sparkling."
The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. Austen’s artistry is also apparent in the delineation of the minor characters: the ill-matched Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Charles Bingley and his sisters, and particularly the fatuous Mr. Collins, whose proposal to Elizabeth is one of the finest comic passages in English literature.
Austen’s radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.
Jane Austen's classic novel is expertly narrated by Josephine Bailey, whose eloquent presentation captures all the exquisite restraint and elegance of Austen's prose. Undaunted by a large cast that is almost constantly engaged in dialogue, Bailey has impeccable timing as she brings beloved scenes to life. Her insightful narration conveys all the depth and detail of Austen's believable characters, including pert, sometimes saucy Elizabeth; amiable Jane; the initially stiff Mr. Darcy; and the amicable Mr. Bingley. Less central characters (vulgar Mrs. Bennet, ungovernable Lydia, moralizing Mary) are equally well done. The spirited exchange between Elizabeth and Lady Catherine de Bourgh as dramatized by Bailey is beyond compare. This fine production makes a persuasive case that Austen is best enjoyed unabridged. J.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
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