Adventures of a Bookonaut: Book Beginnings on Friday

Aug 13, 2010

Book Beginnings on Friday

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

This week I'm (still) reading Emma, by Jane Austen.
This is the first sentence:

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.

So it’s not exactly Pride and Prejudice, but it seems to basically some up what I have come to appreciate about Miss Woodhouse – a nosey spoilt brat. In fact I am finding it hard to like any of the female characters that have been presented so far – well apart from Miss Weston/Taylor who as Emma’ previous tutor I have a mild respect for.

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Becky (Page Turners) · 761 weeks ago

SOmeone else had an AUsten opening sentence as well. I have decided that Austen is the best author for great openers and this isn't an exception.

How great is the edition of Ema that you have. I have a little Pride and Prejudice in the same edition - I recently discovered that you can get all of her works in that set and I really want to do that one day

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1 reply · active 761 weeks ago

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SB Wright 110p · 761 weeks ago

Emma is actually my first full length classic ebook, courtesy of the Gutenburg project ( I bought HP Lovecraft collection via Amazon but that's short stories). I have Pride and Prejudice in penguin hardback, and persuasion in orange penguin paperback format

So in answer to your question - how great is it. It's free so I can't complain.

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