to think that Amy March is one of the most irritating literary characters ever.

[squoosh]

God she annoys me, throwing Jo's book in the fire, being a general brat and then sin of sins marrying Laurie when she had no business do any such thing.

I don't care what the subsequent books may say the Amy/Laurie union was a stupid idea.

They should have left her to drown in the icy river.

twl - you don't need to buy it! Well not unless you want to. It's out of copyright years ago, you can find them free online.

Every Anita Brookner heroine (and I include Lewis Percy in that category) needs a good slap. And then another. Read Barbara Pym instead.

Damn you, seeker, I'm crying on the train home.
And I cry at all those
bits everyone else has mentioned.

I think Laurie might have got fed up with his unconventional wife. But he might not. And he doesn't develop any depth.
But he does carry a torch for her.
John isn't a wuss but she doesn't know how to portray him.

I've always thought that today Jo would have been LGBT. And that Bhaer is the conventional low sexed cop out

I didn't watch the film but read the book dozens of times, it's comfort reading.

Laurie was not a drip! He was funny, warm and he belonged with Jo

I love the part where Beth goes to thank Laurie's grandfather for the baby piano and can't say anything so just kisses him and runs away

Oh, you have inspired me to re read these two books now. But may I nominate Lydia Bennett for the top five annoying literary characters. Agree btw that Fanny Price was annoying. Wasn't all that keen on Emma (controversial) thought she was a spoilt brat.

Hmn. Might start a thread on favourite heroines/characters.

Yep i need to re-read it too, and/or watch one of the films of it.

and pride and prejudice after watching Lost in Austen the other week.

Oh I quite like Lydia Bennett, she wasn't afraid to give into her carnal desires. Sadly all her fun was over by the time she was 16 though. She definitely didn't play the long game.

Well exactly Sqoosh. She was totally ruled by her urges. If she was on mn we'd all flame her!

John dies???? I don't remember that! :-(

Free??

...freeeee????

Do you mean I can read it free as a ebook or I can find an actual physical book for free?

Poor old Lydia was a slave to the cock.

Oh, sorry ... free online.

Physical books, no!

I think Mrs March (and Mr March, although we see less of him) is incredibly irritating. All well and good to be noble, slightly alternative and piss away your money but then don't go expecting your children to mix with high society wearing rags. Amy is irritating but in reality she and Meg only wanted the life they would've had if their parents hadn't been irresponsible. Fanny Price is a complete drip, nearly failed my English Lit. A-Level through my intense hatred of her drippiness

I think willoughby would have turned a blind eye, esp if it brought him promotion or better contacts. So she might have had fun. Austen is quite clear about her reputation. But a better fate than that if whichever ugly sister it was in Mansfield park who ends up with the awful Mrs Norris.

It's Mary who is completely unbearable. Along with Emma and that stupid Marianne.

Seeker, you dare...

Squoosh. That will stay with me whenever I re read P&P. 'Lydia was a slave to the cock' .

Oh well
I think I'm going to have to find it and kick start my 'serious' reading.

I think it was very unreasonable for Meg to spend the money on a silk dress & moan at John for being poor! And when he dies ( in Little Men) they all say he wasn't a rich man but he was a good man & that's the best thing! Meg knew he was poor but honest when she married him so it was unfair for her to throw it back in his face!

Bit I loved a s a child was when Daisy ( john & Meg's twin daughter) got the toy stove that she could really cook on!

Not willoughby, blast it. Crying over Beth has turned my brain.

Hmm, I'm teaching P&P later this year. Thinking of an essay topic: "Lydia is a slave to the cock". Discuss. :o

Project Gutenburg has hundreds of classic books available to download in various formats as they are no longer subject to copyright laws.

Clare Danes was soooooo NOT miscast as Beth. She was luminescent. She has this aura of one who knows she's not long for the world.

Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood however.....