Northanger Abbey (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

By Jane Austen and Alfred Mac Adam

Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen, is part of the Barnes & Noble Classics series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of Barnes & Noble Classics:

•     New introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars
•     Biographies of the authors
•     Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events
•     Footnotes and endnotes
•     Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work
•     Comments by other famous authors
•     Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations
•     Bibliographies for further reading
•     Indices & Glossaries, when appropriate

All editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. Barnes & Noble Classics pulls together a constellation of influences—biographical, historical, and literary—to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works.

A wonderfully entertaining coming-of-age story, Northanger Abbey is often referred to as Jane Austen’s “Gothic parody.” Decrepit castles, locked rooms, mysterious chests, cryptic notes, and tyrannical fathers give the story an uncanny air, but one with a decidedly satirical twist.

The story’s unlikely heroine is Catherine Morland, a remarkably innocent seventeen-year-old woman from a country parsonage. While spending a few weeks in Bath with a family friend, Catherine meets and falls in love with Henry Tilney, who invites her to visit his family estate, Northanger Abbey. Once there, Catherine, a great reader of Gothic thrillers, lets the shadowy atmosphere of the old mansion fill her mind with terrible suspicions. What is the mystery surrounding the death of Henry’s mother? Is the family concealing a terrible secret within the elegant rooms of the Abbey? Can she trust Henry, or is he part of an evil conspiracy? Catherine finds dreadful portents in the most prosaic events, until Henry persuades her to see the peril in confusing life with art.

Executed with high-spirited gusto, Northanger Abbey is the most lighthearted of Jane Austen’s novels, yet at its core this delightful novel is a serious, unsentimental commentary on love and marriage.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barnes & Noble Classics
• Release date: Jun 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9781411432796

Jane Austen

Jane Austen nació en 1775 en Steventon (Hampshire), séptima de los ocho hijos del rector de la parroquia. Educada principalmente por su padre, empezó a escribir de muy joven, para recreo de la familia, y a los veintitrés años envió a los editores el manuscrito de La abadía de Northanger, que fue rechazado. Trece años después, en 1811, conseguiría publicar Juicio y sentimiento, a la que pronto seguirían Orgullo y prejuicio (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) y Emma (1816), que obtuvieron un gran éxito. Después de su muerte, acaecida prematuramente en 1817, y que le impidió concluir su novela SanditonLa abadía de Northanger, Persuasión (1818). Satírica, antirromántica, profunda y tan primorosa como mordaz, la obra de Jane Austen nace toda ella de una inquieta observación de la vida doméstica y de una estética necesidad de orden moral. «La Sabidu-ría –escribió una vez- es mejor que el Ingenio, y a la larga tendrá sin duda la risa de su parte.»

Reviews for Northanger Abbey (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

[danielstj · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A quite surprising novel in its frankness and how it treats the subject matter. Austen proves her worth by crafting characters whose journeys inward parallel the motion of the plot-line occurring around them. While the prose might seem a little dated by today's standards, there is still much to be admired here. This is, I believe, one of Austen's finer novels.

3.35-- worth the read.

[ainjel-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not my favourite Austen novel, but still a lovely read and a very intriguing story. Northanger Abbey concerns itself with appearance, style, and fashion. This is established immediately with the author's advertisement, and with the repetition in the first few chapters that Catherine is the "heroine" and must appear "heroic." Of course, Austen breaks down the rules of appearances, demonstrating throughout the length of the novel that nothing is as it appears. Even the lovely abbey that Catherine longs for, she soon remarks that it is the place where she has been most miserable, and received the most terrible news, as opposed to its exterior joys. All in all, it's a snarky Austen, and a witty Austen, but it lacks the mastery of some of Austen's other works.

[darthdeverell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey was the first she completed for publication, in 1803, though it was not published until after her death in 1817. The work satirizes gothic novels though the heroine, Catherine Morland, who “is in training for a heroine.” She is fond of gothic novels, particularly the work of Ann Radcliffe’s work, and this allows Austen to comment on the novel as a literary form, defending it against critics who derided it for its supposed lack of serious content. Discussing her reading habits, Catherine describes the follies then current in historical writing, saying, “The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars or pestilences, in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all – it is very tiresome: and yet I often think it odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention. The speeches that are put into the heroes’ mouths, their thoughts and designs – the chief of all this must be invention, and invention is what delights me in other books” (pg. 102). As modern academic history was relatively recent, first appearing with Edward Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire in 1776, Austen comments on the earlier fashion of historical writing and how authors would simply repackage classical texts with some of their own inventions to spice up the narrative. The power of reading runs through Austen’s work, driving many of Catherine’s choices and informing her conversations. This Barnes & Noble edition includes an introduction and notes from Alfred Mac Adam that the Austen scholar may find interesting, though his habit of putting definitions for all the early-nineteenth century terms in the footnotes becomes distracting, especially as the meaning of most can be gleaned from context.

[haloedrain · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I see what she was trying to do here, but it comes off more frustrated and catty than satirical. It does make me glad that I live in the 21st century, though, and not the 18th.

[doingdewey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This may make me a disgrace to Jane Austen fandom, but Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice have always been fairly interchangeable in my mind. They’re just so similar! So, even though I love them both dearly, I was initially very excited to start this book and find something a bit different. As always, I adored Austen’s writing style and her pointed humor. In this book, she very deliberately breaks the tropes of the Gothic novel, with funny asides about the genre along the way. Her points are made clearly enough that I could tell what she was making fun of in Gothic novels, even though I’ve read very few myself. However, as I got further into the book, it soon became clear that there was essentially no plot and the main character isn’t very bright. Although she does grow a bit, she has very little agency. Nearly all of the difficulties she faces are in her head or at least blown all out of proportion. I didn’t really feel that this silly main protagonist deserved the intelligent, funny, kind love interest. In typical Austen fashion though, everything just works itself out in the last few pages. This doesn’t typically bother me, but in this case, there wasn’t enough action by the main character preceding the speedy resolution. Only Austen’s wonderful writing saved this for me.

This review first published on Doing Dewey.

[lucyb7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is my first read for the Everything Austen Challenge. I picked it because it was Austen’s earliest major work and I had never read it before. It kind of gave me a glimpse of Austen’s earlier writing style and her perceptions of the times.The heroine in this novel is Catherine Morland, who is just an average girl with straightforward manners and not an ounce of pretension; yet, she has an outrageously vivid imagination. This is cleverly and Austen-intended, I believe, to purposely deviate from the conventional heroines of the times.The story begins with Catherine joining a friend of the family, Mrs. Allen, for a vacation at her home in Bath. Her days are filled with socializing, taking walks and especially spending time at the ‘Pump- room’, where she meets the rather hard-edged Henry Tilney. Catherine’s simple, yet direct and opinionated responses and approaches in conversation lead her to distancing Henry for a while.Realizing that she has feelings for him, Catherine begins to wish she could see Henry again and does everything possible for that to happen. Meanwhile she befriends Isabella Thorpe who shares her passion for books and poetry. As the two become inseparable, Catherine feels close enough to Isabella to tell her all about her feelings for Henry Tilney…In fulfilling her dreams of being with Henry, Catherine’s journey evolves through a fiasco of events revealing true personalities, feelings and deceptions. Other important characters that help bring this about involve John Thorpe, Isabella’s brother, who is full of mischief and schemes. As well, Catherine’s brother James, is one who has a love-story of his own to mourn over as his sister begins to put all pieces of the puzzle together. Just to add to life’s intricacies, Henry and Catherine become at odds about a dilemma, caused mainly by Catherine’s imagination. The couple’s difficulties do not stop there as problems get compounded by family misunderstandings.Confusion of events? You bet. This story is filled with the ups-and downs of young love, anxious situations and very comical moments. Catherine was a girl before her times, which makes situations heartening as well as endearing and perfectly understandable. I gasped, laughed and truly enjoyed this Jane Austen novel. It’s the perfect introduction to the author’s subsequent masterpieces.

[timmoran_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Though published posthumously, Northanger Abbey is the earliest of Austen's six major novels to be composed and an excellent and accessible introduction to her work. The remarkably funny opening sentence -- no one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be a heroine -- sets the stage for what is both a parody and an homage to the gothic novel. Morland is no beautiful heroine and she encounters no murderous villains or supernatural mysteries. Yet her marriage to Henry Tilney is barely less fanciful. Ordinary life is revealed to be adventure enough without the need for fantastic elements to spice them. Morland is contrasted with the ultimately deceitful Isabella Thorpe. Yet the novel is somewhat ambigous as to whether this is because of the superiority of her character or chance. Thorpe professes her love for James Morland but betrays him when she learns she will have to wait two years and that their income will be modest. This disappointment coupled with her fanciful delusions, fostered by her reading habits, make it impossible for Isabella to resist the temptations of the dashing Frederick. But Morland --- who shares the love of the same books as Isabella -- is betrothed only after seeing Tilney's parsonage and knowing she will be secure. And the obnoxious John Thorpe offers little temptation. Would Morland have fared better if she had been in Thorpe's place. Morland fate is happy and her choices sound, it seems, because she is the heroine and must be favored by fortune. A sobering thought from a sober novel.

[melydia_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is my first Austen since I started reading for pleasure (elementary and high school beat that love right out of me, and I hardly touched any nonrequired reading until college), and the biggest thing I noticed is that she never heard that age-old rule about writing: "show, don't tell." I admit that I haven't read large amounts of literature from this time period, but was it in style to simply describe conversations rather than write actual dialogue? Either way, I can look past that. Unfortunately, the story wasn't particularly interesting. Catherine visits friends in Bath, hooks up with the Tilneys, has a series of misunderstandings, then abruptly there's a happy ending. Though I can't say I'll never read another Austen novel, I don't see myself going out of my way to read them either.

[jintster_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've not read any Austen since I was a teenager and thought it was about time I got reacquinted with her. I gather that Northanger Abbey is the least popular of her books amongst her admirers and I'm not too surprised. There's a lot of wit here and quite a bit of wisdom as well. The first part of the book, set in Bath, is good fun. I really liked the way Isabella's true character is gradually revealed to the reader. Other characters are less well though out though -John Thorpe is a bit of a cliche and not very credible while Austen barely takes any trouble to give any real personality to others such as Mrs Allen and Eleanor Tilney.Even the main character, Catherine, is rather hard to get to grips with. When she arrives at the Abbey she develops a plainly ridiculous theory that General Tilney murdered his wife. This part of the book made little sense to me. It seemed out of character for Catherine, who fault is really to believe the best of people. Nor did it move the plot forward in any meaningful way. Northanger Abbey is, of course, a parody of the gothic novel genre. If, like me, you haven't read the novels being parodied your missing much of the point and its hard to form a reasoned judgement of the qualities. However, the test of a true classic is whether it speaks to all the ages by telling us something about the human condition. I doubt Austen would be remembered much if her reputation depended on this novel. Nevertheless, I liked it enough to want to read a few more.

[mottu_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is abook about a woman. She is Catherine. She came to Bath with Mr and Mrs Allen. When she went to balls, she met a girl. She is Isabella. She became her friend. And there She met a man. He is Henry who is destined to marry her. This book is easy to read. So everyone can read easy.

[carmenere_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

At seventeen, Catherine Morland reads books. She especially enjoys gothic novels like Ann Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho which contain castles with secret passages, mysterious rooms and evil inhabitants. Miss Morland takes these romantic thoughts with her to Bath where she spends several weeks with her neighbors, the Allens. It is there that she meets Isabella and the braggart, foul mouthed, deceptive John Thorpe and both love Catherine immensely, or do they really? Catherine also befriends Henry and his sister Eleanor Tilney. Catherine loves Henry from the first sight of him. She is ecstatic to be invited to their home, Northanger Abbey. Henry fuels her romantic thoughts on the trip to the Abbey in what seems like a mockery of her love of novels. I so looked forward to reading my beautiful edition of Northanger Abbey but I was just as let down by the Abbey as Catherine. We both expected something that never transpired. There was little romance and hardly any cat and mouse games which I have become accustomed to in an Austen novel. As usual, her trademark injustices of class distinctions are present . The exception to any romantic liaison is John Thorpe who simply loves John Thorpe. I have never met a character which I detest more than this man. His gaul and audacity make me cringe.I never knew for certain Henry's feelings for Catherine as I found the story to lack passion and intensity with a conclusion that is hurried and is simply a review of events by the narrator. A tidy way to wrap things up. It is as if Austen was ready to finish this story and move on to the next. Disappointed that the object of the title did not present itself until Chapter 20! With all do respect, this novel was Austen's first but published post-humously by her brother.I recommend it to lovers of Austen though not enthusiastically.

[sally86_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

By far my favourite Jane Austen book. Lighthearted and funny, with her usual cutting social observations that still hold true. I adore the way she parodies her favourite Gothic novels, and Our Heroine and her True Love are two of her most loveable protagonists, with all their deliciously human flaws and dramatics. We all know how an Austen book will end, but the story is so witty, and Our Heroine so tragically naive that you can't help but delight in the way the story gets there. Anyone who thinks Austen writes "romance" should read Northanger Abbey, it's the best example of just how much more than that there is to her work.

[scucksey_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Austin's hand at gothic-style romance, as a way to poke fun at the novels and those who read them. Protagonist Catherine Morland is overly dramatic and a twit. She's my least favorite Austin heroine.

[eraderneely · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After being so-so about Pride and Prejudice, which everyone seems to love, I was suprised at how much I liked Northanger Abbey. It is genuinely funny.

[ambrosia4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Miss Austen has remained for the past 10 years one of my absolute favorite authors; ever since first reading Emma when I was 12. Her humour is so subtle and mischievous in tone that it feels as if you're sharing an inside joke with a friend. Or at least that's how I described it to a disdainful friend that couldn't understand why I liked moldy old books from the 1800s.This was no exception. The delightful Mr. Tilney would sweep me off my feet with his charming teasing and good nature. But as with all her characters, no one is spared faults, including her hero and heroine. Catherine is burdened with pernicious folly and Mr. Tilney is skilled at vexing others for slight mistakes. I love this because who wants to read about perfect people all the time? It just makes you feel bad about yourself.Anyways, if you're an Austen fan who hasn't read it, do. If you've never read Austen, I wouldn't start with this book, but I definitely recommend reading something! by her. I've made friends simply for having read Austen. It was a great conversation starter when I visited colleges years ago...

[craso_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I can understand why people enjoy reading Jane Austin’s books. Her writing is very accessible and her characters are very well developed. I have never enjoyed movie adaptations of her books however, and her romantic comedy storylines don’t appeal to me. I am more partial to the Bronte’s gothic novels with dark gloomy ancestral homes, wind swept moors and crazed relatives locked in the attic. That’s why I decided to read this book, because it was advertised as a satirical look at gothic novels. Little did I realize that the gloomy ancestral home and title subject of the book are not even mentioned until about page 140. The beginning of the story, which could have been shorter, is about naïve teenager Catherine Morland and her first steps into polite society. She goes to Bath with her adult friends the Allens who are childless and ill equipped to protect or advise our young heroine. Her first acquaintances are Isabella and John Thorpe, two very phony siblings who prey on her and manipulate her for there own selfish reasons. She then meets Eleanor and Henry Tilney and has a mad crush on Henry; a sweet young clergyman who delights in teasing Catherine. Eleanor, Henry’s sister, is a much more faithful friend than Isabella. Eventually, after many twists that make you wonder if Catherine will ever get to spend anytime with the Tilneys, she is invited to their family home, Northanger Abbey. There her imagination runs wild. The young people are more quiet and subdued around their father, General Tilney. Catherine wonders about the circumstances of Mrs. Tilney’s death. Then, out of the blue, a misunderstanding threatens to come between her and her new found friends.This is a great coming-of-age story but not much of a gothic satire. It is more of a social satire that examines the lengths people will go to improve their situation via marriage.

[tinwara · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ian McEwan (loosely) based his novel Atonement on Northanger Abbey, and this, in its turn, inspired me to read this classic by Jane Austen. My expectations were high, as I liked the story of Atonement, and as I - at times - rather enjoy the films based on Jane Austen's books. However, things turned out a bit different than expected...The first part of the story, set in Bath, deals with our naive heroine Catherine, who is introduced in society, makes friends, some of whom appear to be of rather nasty character, and of course, falls in love with a gentleman. Rather typical Jane Austen material! However, it bored me more than I expected. The only thing that positively surprised me was Austen's voice, the way the narrator turns away from the story, and makes her little side comments to us, the readers. The voice of the narrator seemed refreshing, funny at times. Made me wish I could talk to her, instead of having to read the story! As our heroine joins her two friends to Northanger Abbey, the story changes. Catherine, having read too many Gothic novels, and possessed by a lively fantasy, starts to believe that General Tilney, the father of her friends, has committed a horrible crime. Clearly the part that inspired Ian McEwan. However, as McEwan follows this clue through to its bitter consequences, here tension builds up, but is rather suddenly stopped, as Henry Tilney tells her " what you believe is not true". End of tension, end of storyline. Alas, on to some more boring social affairs. The same thing happens again, as Catherine is suddenly sent away from Northanger Abbey, in a rude and inexplicable way. Why? She wonders. Austen explains. Lover comes by and asks her to marry him. Father doesn't agree, but changes his mind and agrees after all. This storyline takes only 20 pages, and that's the end of the book! It seemed as if Austen just didn't feel like writing any more, wanted the story to be finished, over and done with. I feel that the Northanger Abbey part and the last part of the book contain some themes that are interesting enough for a good or romantic novel, however, it seemed as if the author didn't concentrate or care enough.

[bethanie336 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Please don't be angry Austen fans but I'm afraid I will never be able to join your ranks. I liked Pride & Prejudice but I couldn't even finish Persuasion. I can see why fans like Northanger Abbey. Austen got in some pretty cutting comments on social mores and gothic literature. Unfortunately, the humor was not enough to draw me into the story.

[wubsy_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I am not a fan of Austen and this book is part of the reason why. Apart from anything else nothing really happens.

[mpmills · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Catherine Morland, seventeen and naive, travels to Bath as a companion to neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Allen. There she meets new friends and travels with one family, the Tilneys, to their home, Northanger Abbey. While there, Catherine lets her imagination run wild. She eventually learns the truth and finds love. I love Jane Austen.

[technodiabla · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book at the beginning but was not a huge fan by the end. The characters seemed somewhat shallow and although they were on the verge of learning some good "coming-of-age" lessons, they instead basically got their way and walked away almost spoiled, rather than mature. Loved the descirptions of Bath, but the Abbey part kind of lost my interest-- it seemed a bit childish. Might be a good read for a pre-teen.

[sofiaandersson_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I haven't read that many gothic novels from the 1700:s, so most of the satire is lost on me.

[pinkmouse_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thoroughly enjoyed, and one of my favourites. Well written and i could realli identify with the over imaginative heroine. I liked the themes of horror stories and her recurring theme of social hierarchy. The ending was good as always and i liked the male hero as he was mysterious and not as definitive as the heroes in her other books, so it left it more to the imagination.

[colleenharker · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Surprisingly funny for Austen! I first read this one for a Gothic Novels class - fantastic class by the way - and really liked it. It's not my favorite of hers, but definitely worth reading. I enjoyed the way she defended her craft against critics of the novel genre.

[nd1524 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Northanger Abbey is a little different than the previous two Austen novels I’ve read. It is a satire on the Gothic novel. I enjoyed it more that S&S, but it still does not live up to the excellence of P&P. Catherine Morland is a lovable character, but she is no Elizabeth, and Henry Tilney is no Darcy. These observations are not however, the sole basis for my opinions. The plot, and the storyline just aren’t as good. The end of the novel is a letdown. Yes, Henry comes and lives happily ever after with Catherine, but I felt an injustice was done to General Tilney. He had been so good to Catherine, and then you find out that it was all for money!? The end just doesn’t feel right. It is rushed and utterly unfulfilling. The ending aside, I really enjoyed NA. The plot flows along nicely, and the false assumptions Catherine derives from her Gothic novels (i.e. General Tilney murdered his wife), provide some comic relief. I enjoyed the first 224 pages out of 236, but the fact that so much happened in the last 12 pages disturbs me. We didn’t even get to read the actual scenes, they were just narrated to us. I just feel like Austen could have done better. No, scratch that. I know Jane Austen could have done better; she showed me that in Pride and Prejudice.

[themulhern · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Breaks the fourth wall entertainingly, especially in the epilogue. Jane Austen's writing is light and her world is circumscribed and idle, yet grueling. All her characters end up in Bath, eventually.Young men talk excitedly about their vehicles in this book. Amusing what an eternal preoccupation it is for young men, whether it's curricles or motorcycles. The young man who woos the heroine so unsuccessfully is pretty easy to find today, even though he may dress differently.

[lycomayflower · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Decidedly not my favorite Austen but a good read nevertheless. The heroine is sweet and her youthful missteps are amusing, but the hero, though he does have his moments, is mostly pretty dull. Austen's characterizations of some of the minor characters seem more deft, and many of the most entertaining incidents spring from them. (That I wanted to maneuver John Thorpe under the hooves of his own stupid horse was a testament to Austen's ability to write a boarish oaf.) I was surprised to find the proper gothic-novel-satirey bits only lasted a few chapters. The point of view wasn't handled quite as well as in some of her other novels; one chapter, in which the reader is clued in to all the bits that make everything in the plot actually make sense, reminded me very strongly of the Dumbledore Explains It All chapters in Harry Potter--not super surprising, perhaps, as Rowling manipulates point of view in much the same ways Austen did, but it sort of stuck out with bells on here.

[jkgrage · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Just what you'd expect of Jane Austen. Lots of 'misunderstandings', society pressures and immature behavior. A fun read and interesting look back.

[thereadingrebel · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Catherine Morland is a naive 17-year-old country girl with a love of gothic novels.When the family friends(The Allen's)invite her to the spa town of Bath,she readily agrees to go.Her first week in Bath,she meets a witty young clergymen named Henry Tilney who she quickly falls in love with.When Henry's sister and father invite her to their country estate Northanger Abbey,Catherine having read all about Abbeys in her beloved gothic novels is ready to encounter murders,secret rooms and other myham.When her imagination runs wild it is up to her love Henry Tilney to make Catherine see how absurd her thoughts and ideas are.As in all Austen's novels you will meet some very ridiculous characters like the fashion obsessed Mrs.Allen and Mr.Thorpe today's version of a guy who loves to talk about how great he is,how much money he has and how fast his car goes.Jane Austen loved a laugh and in Northanger Abbey she takes great delight in mocking the gothic novel.Compared to Austen's other work like Pride and Prejudice,Northanger doesn't have the character development,plotting and pose of her mature work but is still a joy to read.

[isabelx_21 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"That is, I can read poetry and plays, and things of that sort, and do not dislike travels. But history, real solemn history, I cannot be interested in. Can you?" "Yes, I am fond of history." "I wish I were too. I read it a little as a duty, but it tells me nothing that does not either vex or weary me. The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars or pestilences, in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all—it is very tiresome: and yet I often think it odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention. I haven't read Northanger Abbey since I was a teenager and this time I listened to it as a Librivox audiobook, narrated by Elizabeth Klett. I don't remember it being so funny the first time round, but that is probably because I didn't see Catherine's typical teenage behaviour as being amusing when I was one myself. I think Jane Austen's comments on the status of women must have passed over me then too.The antics of John and Isabella Thorpe made me laugh out loud this time, especially when Catherine failed to realise how manipulative they were being. John Thorpe is a humourless bore, and I started to visualise him as a younger version of Jeremy Clarkson as he went on and on about his carriage and his horses whether anyone was interested or not."Curricle-hung, you see; seat, trunk, sword-case, splashing-board, lamps, silver moulding, all you see complete; the iron-work as good as new, or better. He asked fifty guineas; I closed with him directly, threw down the money, and the carriage was mine."As a result of this re-read I have decided that Northanger Abbey has overtaken Pride and Prejudice to become my favourite of Jane Austen's books.