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    Emma
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    Emma
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    Emma
    Audiobook10 hours

    Emma

    Written by Alexander McCall Smith

    Narrated by Georgina Terry

    3.5/5

    ()

    Unavailable in your country

    Unavailable in your country

    About this audiobook

    ‘It's comfort reading at its most soothing’ Independent

    ‘Funny, heartfelt and very readable’ Good Housekeeping

    In this reimagined modern classic, prepare to meet a young woman who thinks she knows everything…

    Fresh from university, Emma Woodhouse triumphantly arrives home in Norfolk ready to embark on adult life with a splash. Not only has her sister, Isabella, been whisked away on a motorcycle up to London, but her astute governess, Miss Taylor is at a loose end, abandoned in the giant family pile, Hartfield, alongside Emma’s anxiety-ridden father. Someone is needed to rule the roost and young Emma is more than happy to oblige.

    And there is plenty to delight her in the buzzing little village of Highbury. At the helm of her own dinner parties and instructing her new little protégée, Harriet Smith, Emma reigns forth. But there is only one person who can play with Emma’s indestructible confidence, her old friend and inscrutable neighbour George Knightley – this time has Emma finally met her match?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateNov 6, 2014
    ISBN9780007565016
    Unavailable
    Emma
    Author

    Alexander McCall Smith

    Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the award-winning series The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, and he now devotes his time to the writing of fiction, including the 44 Scotland Street and the Isabel Dalhousie series. He is the author of over eighty books on a wide array of subjects, and his work has been translated into forty-six languages. Before becoming a full-time writer he was for many years Professor of Medical Law at Edinburgh.

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    Reviews for Emma

    3.5/5

    364 ratings173 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I remember reading a foreword in my first edition of Emma -- was it by Margaret Drabble? -- where it was mentioned that Jane Austen thought no one would like the character of Emma but herself.

      At first, I thought she was right. I didn't much care for Emma the first time I read the book. I occasionally wanted to smack her smug face. I certainly didn't think she deserved Mr. Knightly and sometimes thought a dotty spinsterhood was her appropriate fate.

      But I read the book again and I changed my mind.

      Emma isn't the most likable of fictional characters, at least at first, but this is what makes her so splendid. She grows during the book -- something that is always an effective part of a novel for me. She makes mistakes and then learns from them (although she does have to make the same mistakes a few times to really get the point, but so many of us do the same). As I read the book again, I realized what irritated me so much about Emma was how very much she resembled me and many people I knew, in that way that seeing your own worst qualities reflected in someone else is irritating like nothing else. Emma is a mirror, and she does not reflect a flattering portrait.

      Once you get over that little hurdle, it's a very funny, very clever book. Austen has her sharp, sardonic wit at the ready and she uses it to show us the little micro-environment that is Highbury in great but never dull detail. We see the proud, the foolish, the overly reserved, the overly demonstrative -- and, unusually, a bit of all of these are in Emma. She is a more rounded, complete character than Austen has created in her previous books. By the time I'd finished the second read, I was nearly as fond of Emma as Austen.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Emma Woodhouse is delusional living in her contemporary society of Highbury, England. Caught up in her own conceit of being a "good doer" she makes judgment calls that in the end benefit no one and only cause a myriad of problems to arise. She becomes tangled up in match making only to find herself falling in love which she swore never to do. Most of her problems could simply be avoided if she would have just kept her nose out of other people's business. In the end everything comes together and all live happily ever after as always.
    • 5/5
      I read Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility when I was much younger. I loved them both, so I read them over and over rather than tackle any of Austen's other works. After reading Emma, I am in love all over again. Reading the classic works reminds one of what writing should be - certainly styles change, but it is the reflection of society, the exploration of what is good and what is bad, that creates the magic in reading.Austen's title character Emma finds that while manipulating the lives and thoughts of others, almost always hoping for their best interests, she almost lets go of what is found to be most dear to her. As she moves through her very regimented, but delightful, life the reader catches glimpses of English country life, the social stratification of the times, love and sadness, and finally delight for all.
    • 3/5
      Jane Austen wrote about everyday life among the lower English gentry of the early 19th Century. Thus, the book's characters are concerned about social class in ways that seem a bit strange to a 21st Century American reader. A modern reader is likely to find that the book consists of much 19th Century dialog about trifles. It is that, but Austen's skill as a writer is apparent in the way she portrays character traits and personalities through their spoken words. It seems as though half the words in the book are contained within quotation marks. But at truly climatic moments the story's narration slips inside the minds of the story's characters to describe their feelings.Emma, in the book, is preoccupied with social class and match making while at the same time claiming no interest in marriage for herself. The story shows Emma's busy-body approach failing to achieve her desired goals in most cases. Her self perceived ability to understand the feelings of others is repeatedly found to be leading her to incorrect conclusions. But never fear, this is 19th Century writing so things will be OK in the end.Some reviewers note that the book shows how women of that era were dependent on men for their security. That may be true, but this is a story about English gentry who have a quite pleasant life. (The servants hover in the background and are given about as much attention as we give to our kitchen appliances.) The women in this story may not be liberated in the modern feminist sense, but they appear comfortable with their environment. The historical context within which Jane Austen wrote is what makes her books interesting to me. She predates the Bronte sisters, George Eliot and Mary Shelley. So I guess that makes Jane Austen the mother of the English novel. Jane Austen also predates Dickens and Hardy. Unfortunately, her being female had little impact on her contemporaries because all her novels were published anonymously during her lifetime. Jane Austen was a natural born writer starting at a young age. However, it can be argued that her books may never have been published had her family not been experiencing financial difficulties. (I need to acknowledge here that Ann Radcliffe was a published female author prior to Jane Austen. So it may be a bit too generous to call Jane Austen the mother of the English novel.)
    • 4/5
      I most recently read Emma as the introductory novel in a class at the Newberry Library. The class was entitled "Jane Austen's Heirs" and following the introductory refreshing reading of Emma the course included novels by such "heirs" of hers as Virginia Woolf, Rebecca West, Elizabeth Bowen, Barbara Pym, and Anita Brookner. The theme of course was Austen and Emma is one of the best of her novels to read and use as a model for the typical Austen novel.Before she began the novel, Austen wrote, "I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like." In the very first sentence she introduces the title character as "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich." Emma, however, is also rather spoiled; she greatly overestimates her own matchmaking abilities; and she is blind to the dangers of meddling in other people's lives and is often mistaken about the meanings of others' actions.While Emma differs strikingly from Austen's other heroines in some respects, she resembles Elizabeth Bennet and Anne Elliot, among others, in another way: she is an intelligent young woman with too little to do and no ability to change her location or everyday routine. Though her family is loving and her economic status secure, the quotidian details of Emma's everyday life seem a bit dul; she has few companions her own age when the novel begins. Her determined though inept matchmaking may represent a muted protest against the narrow scope of a wealthy woman's life, especially that of a woman who is single and childless.And of course there is the classical balance of the novel's structure that, combined with the beauty of Austen's writing style, makes this novel a favorite of readers and writers, particularly those mentioned above, ever since it was published.
    • 3/5
      Everyone is familiar with this famous storyline. Emma is rich and bored so what better to do than adopt a poor orphan and make her your pet. Emma's devious plans backfire in a series of romantic debacles, including her own. But like all good Jane Austen novels, in the end the Heroine learns her lesson, gets a husband and lives happily ever after. This is actually one of my least favorite Austen novels just because Emma is such a horrible person. But I LOVE Clueless, the 1990's adaptation...go figure!
    • 5/5
      1190. Emma, by Jane Austen (20 Oct 1972) This is an enthralling book. It was the fifth work I read by Jane Austen, and everyone I found a most enjoyable read. (My comment made immediately after reading the book is mostly a summary of the story line.)
    • 4/5
      I was rather disappointed by Emma. I recently read Pride and Prejudice, and absolutely loved it, but I found this book rather slow and ponderous. There were parts that were quite good, but generally I felt it lacked the energy and vivaciousness of Pride and Prejudice. Perhaps if I hadn't read P & P so recently I would have enjoyed it more, but in comparison I felt Emma paled considerably.
    • 4/5
      The thing I like most about Emma is the fact that she is not perfect, like a lot of other novel characters. What adds to that, is the fact that, as a reader, you pick up on a lot of things that Emma doesn't realize, so you can sort of gloat about her naivety. The mini-series that was recently made is very good, and for me added to the fun I had while rereading the book.
    • 3/5
      i didn't like it as much as pride and prejudice and sense and sensibility, but it was still a great read
    • 4/5
      As can be assumed, this is one of my favourite books! Emma Woodhouse is a typical Austen heroine- flawed- but unlike the other heroines, she doesn't mess up her own life, but the lives of almost everyone else around her. From her misideas on love and romance to her careless tongue, Emma causes more damage and emotional upheval than a young, rich, well-intentioned woman should. In the final analysis though, Emma Woodhouse finds true love for herself, leaving everyone else to sort out their lives and make their own happiness.
    • 5/5
      I read this book perhaps 20 years ago, and since then I have seen filmed versions of it so many times that I didn't think the book could hold any charm for me any more. How wrong I was! Films can never equal Jane Austen's wit. This book is told with a hilarity that held me transfixed, turning pages. The films canvas many chapters in mere seconds, and they can never capture the thoughts and characters of Austen's figures as the book does. It will not be so long before I read this work again.
    • 4/5
      Very enjoyable, Emma is a beguiling character. I didn't love it like I do Pride and Prejudice, however, hence the four stars. Emma is no Elizabeth Bennett. There's also rather a lot of misunderstandings throughout the book (for instance, Emma believing Harriet to be in love with Frank Churchill), a plot device I find irritating in books and movies. Nonetheless, a very enjoyable read.
    • 4/5
      A classic I never got around to reading until it came up as a freebie download on my Kindle. In honor of my daughter Emma, who is NOT named after Miss Emma Woodhouse, who turned out to be a very poor match-maker.
    • 5/5
      All Jane Austen books should be re-read on a continual basis. Thoroughly enjoyable and lighthearted. Pair with Masterpiece Theater for great results.
    • 5/5
      Emma Woodhouse is a rich young lady living in a small community. She is practically the head of her household, independent and lively, and a little spoiled. She becomes friends with another young woman, Harriet, the illegitimate daughter of no one knows who, but Emma is certain that no gentleman farmer is good enough for Harriet. She is determined to make a better match for her friend. At the same time, the stepson of her old governess, Mrs. Weston, comes for a visit and starts to show Emma every attention. I always find it hardest to convey what I think and feel about books that are so beloved they have become old friends. Emma is one such book that I have read and reread it since I was a teenager. When I was younger, it was my favorite of the three (now four) Austen novels I had read. My relationship to the characters and the story has changed with time, however, and having shortly reread Pride and Prejudice (my current favorite, in case you were wondering), I couldn't help but compare the two in my mind's eye. Emma Woodhouse and Elizabeth Bennet are nearly the same age, but Emma seems to me much the younger of the two. Indeed, I think one of the reasons I loved Emma as a teenager was because I could related to her youth and naivete when it came to individuals and their relationships to one another. Elizabeth is in some ways much more a woman of the world, while Emma is a little insulated from such things as class. In fact, the treatment of class in Emma struck me more than ever before, as one distinction between characters that governs how much intimacy one can have with another, something that cannot be ignored in terms of Harriet Smith especially, but other characters as well. While still present in Pride and Prejudice, class distinctions are not quite the same hurdle, or at least not so clearly affecting the heroines in their choice of friends. But one of the greatest joys of rereading is rediscovering elements of an old favorite to which I had paid little attention. Though no longer my favorite Austen, Emma still evokes a great deal of affection from me, and I'm sure I will reread it again with pleasure.
    • 4/5
      Love this book and the way Emma is determined to never fall in love and yet does with her best friend. What a fun story and the characters and the romance is great.
    • 5/5
      Emma is a really lovery character. I wonder how fun I have a friend like her, she is a bit persuasive and obstinate though. I love this novel.
    • 2/5
      I can’t remember the last book I disliked as much as I dislike Emma. GoodReads informs me that I have been struggling through this book since the middle of October, but in actuality this book has been haunting me for at least ten years. I bought it sometime before I went to boarding school. Though I remember starting it several times, I never made it past page 30. As I vociferously complained about this book as I was reading it this time, both M and my mother asked me why I was reading it if I disliked it so much. I didn’t really have a good answer at the time, but now I know. Leaving this book unread for so long was haunting me. I really don’t like leaving things undone, and I wanted to challenge myself as a reader. As an apprentice-writer, you are supposed to read as much as you can. If left solely to my own devices, I would mostly read YA, so Classics and Modern, Adult Lit are good for me.Usually, I like reading about Austen’s heroines. I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice. Northanger Abbey was a fun read. But Emma Woodhouse makes me want to hit people. Okay, mostly I just want to hit her. So what were my issues?In Northanger Abbey, the heroine is also fairly naive and kind of creates the problems in her life. But you know what? She feels badly about it! And she learns! Emma’s excessively high opinion of herself pissed me off beyond belief, and though she feels bad for a minute or two, in another 30 pages she’ll be doing exactly whatever it was that got her into trouble last time. In fact, I don’t think she focuses too much on starting the rumor about Jane Fairfax being in love with a married man. If she even thinks about it, it wasn’t for very long. In fact, she focuses more on making a catty comment to Jane’s aunt (whose ridiculously chatty dialog is *painful* to read), and that’s primarily just because Knightly chastises her for it.Which brings me to my other issue: Knightly. Not a super-hot Austen heroine, in my opinion. Call me a crazy modern woman, but patronizing guys just aren’t attractive to me. Now, I think he’s perfect for Emma, who continues to act exactly like a spoiled child/Mean Girl, but I couldn’t get 100% behind a relationship predominately based on him trying to fix her and get her to grow up. Maybe I’m missing something, and I’d love to see your thoughts or defenses of the book in comments. But really I’m just glad I accomplished that. Hopefully my other 10+ year book that is haunting me, The Phantom of the Opera, won’t be as painful.Rating: 2 stars— At least I will never have to start this book again.
    • 3/5
      I enjoy the time period of Jane Austen but I struggle with the language and writing style. Not sure how much of the book I actually read – helps that I saw the movie. Mr Woodhouse is one of the most irritating characters I've ever read.
    • 5/5
      Emma is, if not my first, one of my favourite novels. Jane Austen perfectly describes the characters and the events that happen throughout the book. You can easily sympathize with characters one moment and hate them the next. Emma is a great novel that i can look forward to reading again and again.
    • 3/5
      Did it in school and never loved it as much as I loved Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility.Still a funny, engaging well-written book that is on my re-read list.
    • 4/5
      Read the book before you watch the movie! I love both the book and the movie, but it was harder for me to read the book since I had seen the movie. Emma has amazing characters and I loved the book.
    • 5/5
      Quite an engaging work -- a story of a proper young lady becoming older and closer to her own self. There is also a story of class here. Harriet Smith represents a classless object against which the other characters can be compared. (Her class is resolved at the end, allowing her to marry Mr. Martin.) The style of writing is great in itself. Having read every morning and night for 5 days, I found myself speaking more deliberately and courteously than normal. Emma's observations about people's habits changed to fit her opinion of them based on their following or veering from her plans to make matches.
    • 3/5
      Now, anyone who has read my other Austen reviews knows I am not a fan, however, this is the one Austen book that I actually enjoyed, and would re-read. Just to prove that I can appreciate Austen when she actually writes a good story.
    • 4/5
      OK - thankfully, it got better. The first part of the book was torturous - Emma was an unbearable snobbish brat. The book improved once Jane Fairfax and Frank Church entered the picture. And I must confess a major crush on Mr. Knightley.I think I read too much, however, because I knew who was going to hook up with who from the very beginning. I had all the couples properly paired -- maybe I should be a matchmaker!Emma was bratty - although she seemed to improve a bit by the end. I'm glad I don't have to hang out with her in real life, but at least she demonstrated some redeeming qualities.
    • 5/5
      Only Jane Austen can somehow make pages of exposition so charming.
    • 5/5
      The fourth, longest and last of Jane Austen's books to appear in print during her lifetime, Emma is considered a classic romantic comedy and was first published in 1816. Written almost 200 year ago, it's inevitable that the dialogue may feel a bit stilted at times. However, this adds dimension and depth to the story which focuses on 19th century social hierarchies and the interaction between various social classes. Miss Emma Woodhouse is a shining example of a 19th century socialite. Beautiful, clever and wealthy, she fancies herself a master-matchmaker and sets in motion a laundry list of schemes to pair off the Highbury residents. Convinced a make-over would elevate her new friend Harriet's social standing and thus her marriage potential, Emma, fueled by her feeling of superiority, plotted and planned, all to no avail. Failing to realize the extent of her shortcomings and the consequences of such hurtful behavior, Emma was finally confronted by Mr. Knightley. Afterwards, embarrassed and ashamed, she reevaluated her life and began to make amends, in hopes of becoming a better person. Emma is a beautifully written, classic, laced with wit and sarcasm. Through a vastly differing cast of characters, each delightfully inspiring in his or her own way, Austen vividly captured the heart of a community. Everything is neatly tied up at the conclusion, as things literally come full circle...ending much the way it began.A sublte, yet very significant messege is hidden just below the surface--the beginning and the ending are just definitive points in the journey, in between is where we write our definition of happiness. There's a depth and sincere honesty written into the very fabric of this story- that must be recognized to fully appreciate the artistic genius of Jane Austen. Like a vintage automobile, Emma is a slow, leisurely read, perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
    • 1/5
      Couldn't finish. Chick book, writing not great.
    • 4/5
      Jane Austen's humorous portrayal of a spoiled, but likeable, young woman whose ill-considered interferences in the romantic lives of her social circle is delightfully funny. Much less serious than Pride and Prejudice, Emma is full of charming wit as the author pokes fun at all and sundry of her characters. I found the ever-fretting Mr. Woodhouse to be one of the funniest characters I've ever encountered in literature, the voluble Miss Bates quite comic, and the captious Mrs. Elton the pretentious bore I love to despise.In one sense, the novel is a fairly predictable series of romantic confusions and misconceptions…reminding me of a comedy from Shakespeare or Sheridan. Emma has such a high opinion of her own infallibility and matchmaking ability, and yet is so patently bad at it, that the reader can always see the next pitfall as she blunders along. However, the charm and humor the author has invested in the work keep us viewing her with affectionate indulgence.If your only encounter is with pale imitations such as the movie "Clueless", I really recommend a try at this novel.