Sense and Sensibility

"Sense and Sensibility"

A Guide to Reading & Reflecting

by Jane Austen

Guide by Karen Swallow Prior

Although I grew up hearing about Jane Austen and her novels (mainly Pride and Prejudice) and I love the film adaptations, I had never read an entire Jane Austen novel. I guess I was a little intimidated by the old English; I thought I would not understand a word or that the main message would be lost on me. But I was completely wrong, not only did I understand Sense and Sensibility, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks to Ms. Karen Swallow, who has put forth this edition with her invaluable notes and reflection questions, I was able to read through this amazing classic without scratching my head. I had known Jane Austen was Christian- daughter of a minister- but I always wondered how her novels, mainly revolving around romance and marriage could weave Christian concepts and character into her stories. Ms. Karen Swallow's guide points out Christian character all throughout the novel which would have been lost to me.

This edition is very beautifully done. The novel has notes at the bottom of each page explaining and defining words no longer used in everyday modern English. There are questions at the end of each volume for further reflection and discussion. The extensive introduction was very helpful in putting the novel in context.

This book is a very pretty hardback in grey clothbound, silver details in the front, and a silver ribbon. I love the cream-colored thick pages as well. Overall, this is a beautifully made edition, I look forward to reading the rest of Janes Austen's novels.

I received a copy of this book from B&H/Lifeway in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Comments

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

Since tomorrow is Halloween I decided to do some research and write a little about the origins and symbols of this holiday. I also wanted to pose the question, “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?” This may seem like a no-brainer to the average Christian, but more and more, the church is embracing the world and /or watering down and sugar-coating the truth so as to not offend anyone. Something that is becoming more prevalent in American churches is the “fall festival/harvest” which is just a synonym for Halloween. It does not matter that kids are not in costume, the mere fact that an activity is done in place of, is enough to partake in it. Hence, I felt compelled to touch upon this topic and pray that believers may come to the light and stop offending God. This is what I found out about Halloween… check it out. What Does the Bible Say? Halloween is a holiday of death not just because of the costumes, macabre theme or movies but because of its meaning (more on that...

Young Women Love God Greatly Bible (NET)

"Young Women Love God Greatly Bible (NET)" by Thomas Nelson This is my first time reading the NET and the “Love God Greatly” ministry. Let me preface this review by saying that I’m almost strictly KJV only but sometimes I like to look up certain passages in other versions to compare the text. I was impressed with the wording after reading a little through the NET. The NET contains many translation notes explaining why some words or verses were omitted, so I appreciate that. I still prefer the KJV but the NET is very understandable, albeit, very different from what I’m used to. About this bible, be prepared to receive a BIG chunky tome. I personally like personal-size Bibles but also enjoy having chunkers as well. This also means that it is jammed-packed with extra stuff. Features Book introductions & memory verses for each book of the Bible 50 reading plans for reading through Scripture using the SOAP method 10 topical reading plans about life’s issues, such as fe...

Knowing Sin

"Knowing Sin: Seeing a Neglected Doctrine Through the Eyes of the Puritans" by Mark Jones If you're a fan of the Puritans this one will be a great read for you. Not many books are written about sin, this is one of a kind. This is a well-rounded anthology on harmatiology (the study of sin). The author uses pieces and teachings from several Puritans to introduce each chapter and then goes into detailed discussions. The book covers every area of sin you can think of; the origins, selfishness, envy, privation of sin, sorrow, manipulation, temptations, etc. I found the material biblically sound and very well-written. This is probably the best book I've read on sin. The author makes reference to theologians, ministers, preachers, and Biblical stories to draw his points. This book helps you analyze how you handle sin and to identify the root problems. I would highly recommend! I received a copy of this book from Moody in exchange for an honest review. All opinions express...

The Scribe's Portion

Search This Blog