…. that when you fall in love with an author, that love lasts a lifetime.
There are certainly not so many men of large fortune in the world, as there are pretty women to deserve them.
Jane Austen
Well, true for me anyway. I fell in love with Jane Austen’s six novels back in my teens when I watched the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. I loved the language, the costumes, the chaste courtships, lively Elizabeth Bennet and tall, dark and handsome Mr Darcy. That kick started a love of Austen that has stayed with me. I read all the books, went to her grave in Winchester, her house in Hampshire and the museum in Bath. I’ve watched all the TV adaptations and films that were made. And decided that she is my favourite author, and that Pride and Prejudice is my favourite book.
A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of.
Jane Austen
It’s been a while since I read the novels. But with a holiday approaching and the need to stock up on holiday reads, I decided to keep my new books for that and delve once again into Austen world. I wondered if they would stand the test of time for me and if I would still love them. I needn’t have worried – I have been frantically turning the pages and swooning once again over her wit, irony, language, relationships and characters. They are romantic comedies that actually have romance and comedy. And they are a treat to read.
A woman, especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything,should conceal it as well as she can.
Jane Austen
Time has changed some things though. My favourite has always been and still is Pride and Prejudice. But some of the other novels have either moved forward or back in my affections reading them again. I used to love Persuasion second, didn’t really get Northanger Abbey and didn’t really enjoy Mansfield Park. But this time around, I’ve found more to enjoy in NA and MP and was less impressed with Persuasion. Sense and Sensibility is still delightful with a great lesson about falling for the bad boy, and Emma is as clueless as ever (hopefully the Austenites amount you will get that reference 
)
It is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage.
Jane Austen
I guess that’s what marks a favourite author – they move with you as you grow and you find new things to love in their books, new discoveries that allow you to fall in love with their writing all over again. I like that some of my other favourite writers also adore Ms Austen like JK Rowling, Helen Fielding, Stephenie Meyer and Dodie Smith. Perhaps the world of Austen left a mark on them that inspired their wiring and helped their success. Even if it had nothing to do with it, it does show how Jane Austen continues to touch our hearts so many years after she wrote despite enjoying little success in her own lifetime.
My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me
Jane Austen
I am sad to have finished my Austen revival but am pleased to know she is always there when I need her. And that her books have proved to me that true love really can last a lifetime. I’m pretty sure I’ll still be picking up her books when I’m old and grey 
The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.
Jane Austen
Which author has been with you through your life?
Victoria
xoxo
mercuriahibernica
/ July 12, 2012Austen for me as well
I love her books and go back to them from time to time just to escape from the world. Persuasion is my favourite (I love the wistful quality of its main plot, and the fascinating awfulness of some of the secondary characters!), closely followed by Mansfield Park. I didn’t quite get MP at first, and hated Fanny Price, but with every subsequent read of the book I love it more and more. I must see sometime if the same approach will work with that paragon of irritation, Emma Woodhouse. . . 
The other authors who are still with me umpteen years on from our first encounter with each other are Tolkien, Georgette Heyer, Dorothy L. Sayers. They’re my desert island books: I’ll always enjoy them, no matter how many times I read them!
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012I love the awful secondary characters, she really makes us hate them and usually makes sure they get their just desserts!
Bonnie
/ July 12, 2012I love these quotes, Victoria!! Very wise woman.
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012Thanks Bonnie! Ha she was indeed
faultlessfinish
/ July 12, 2012Great quotes! I had never read Jane Austen and decided to take a whole class devoted to her one year in university and fell in love
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012Ooh that sounds like a great class!
kford2007
/ July 12, 2012I love Austen, too, and I could hear her voice in those quotes alone. Pride and Prejudice remains one of my favorite classics. She was a wonderful author. She ties right up there with another one of my favorites, Charles Dickens. He was so humorous, satirical and psychologically in tune with humanity and like Austen, he had a beautiful way of weaving words together to create scenes and bringing characters to life. Great Expectations remains my favorite book of all time because of Ms. Havisham and her creepy, spider-webby room and that wedding cake. *shiver*.
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012She does have a great voice! It’s weird, I just couldn’t love Great Expectations but I love A Christmas Carol.
Juliette
/ July 12, 2012I don’t read history novels; but I have to say that for me it either has to be Cecelia Ahern or Marian Keyes.
Keyes is just a brilliant author & I enjoy her books.
Ahern is too a brilliant author & she inspired me to write my first story!
Favourite book? PS I Love You. The movie does NOT do the book justice!!
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012I only saw the movie, I heard that the book is better. Annoying when that happens!
hunting for bliss
/ July 12, 2012I read all of your Jane quotes with my best British accent! Love her so much! I think Sense and Sensibility is my fave, followed by Pride and Prejudice.
hunting for bliss
/ July 12, 2012My current favorite author is Anne Lamott!
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012Not read any of hers, will check her out!
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012Haha would love to hear that!
elvishjesusfreak
/ July 12, 2012I love this! And it’s quite accurate!
I love Jane Austen too!
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012Yay Hope! x
Rach @ This Italian Family
/ July 12, 2012Love Jane Austen!
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012Good taste lol
racheldeangelis
/ July 12, 2012My favorite classic novel has to be Jane Eyre, though Pride and Prejudice is a close second. Jane Eyre is just SO different from the other novels of that genre, way more gothic, with the sad childhood, the strange/creepy Mr. Rochester, the mysterious house fires, and the crazy woman in the attic! I’m intrigued by it every time I read it.
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012I love Jane Eyre too, it’s my second favourite!
Jennifer
/ July 12, 2012Sarah Dessen! I loved her writing when I was younger, and I still do! I love how her work is girly but not TOO girly. It’s real and very relate-able, which is just what I love (:
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012I have one of her books for my holiday!
4amWriter
/ July 13, 2012Great tribute to Jane Austen. For me, I’d have to say CS Lewis. I can picture the books now, a matching set in their own little cardboard case to keep them together. I found one at my mother’s recently, and marvelled over how dog-eared and worn it is. Suddenly I could picture myself in bed, propped up, reading those books over and over. His direct path from a real world to another *real* world fascinated me. Suddenly I believed in magical wardrobes and wanted one for my own. Still do.
Victoria-writes
/ July 13, 2012Thanks! Aw that’s a good one, if only wardrobes were that magical in real life
bundleofbooks
/ August 6, 2012Such a lovely post about a favourite author! Pride and Prejudice is also my favourite, with Sense and Sensibility as a close 2nd. I still haven’t read Emma, but it’s ready and waiting on my bookshelf!
Victoria-writes
/ August 7, 2012Thanks! I hope you enjoy Emma too!