Emma

I think my enjoyment of this classic was greatly enhanced by the fact that I had watched Clueless at some point in my life. It was impossible not to see Cher whenever I read Emma’s thoughts, and it made me appreciate the humor even more than I already would have. And there is a lot of humor – the plot itself is a clever comedy of errors, but the dialogue was also full of funny, silly bits.

Emma is problematic and insufferable in so many ways, but she is such an excellent character. And she is surrounded by a whole crew of other excellent, well-drawn characters – both hate-able and lovable ones. Miss Bates, Mr. Knightly, Mrs. Elton are some of my favorite examples. And Mr. Woodhouse, who is really the villain of the whole story if you ask me. Such distinct voices, even with the early 19th century dialect.

It’s an especially refreshing time to sit with a book that only deals with petty issues confined to a small town, life moves slowly, and everything turns out well and happy in the end.

Book author: Jane Austen