Coping With Crisis: As a Man Thinketh,Above Life’s Turmoil,The Shining Gateway

By James Allen

3 JAMES ALLEN BOOKS TO HELP YOU THROUGH ANY CRISIS







As a Man Thinketh, James Allen's most famous book, was originally published in 1902. It is now considered a self-help classic. Allen believed that man is the master-gardener of his soul and the director of his life. His thoughts profoundly affect his physical health, character, achievement, circumstances and even his destiny. Man must tend the garden of his mind, weeding out the bad and pursuing perfection.







One cannot read James Allen without coming away changed for the better. In this memorable book, Above Life's Turmoil, Allen dissects the human condition, offering solutions in his usual practical and truthful style. Here, he leads you to confront the truth of who you are and how you came to be that person. Only then will you be free to become who you wish to be.







In The Shining Gateway we find one of Allen’s deepest works of fundamental principles. This guide to meditation and the use of the power of positive thinking brings the reader, with tender reverence, into every detail of the human experience. This is a book that will help anyone in a crisis find his way up to the heights.







James Allen's books have changed the lives of millions of people for the better. As with all of Allen's works, you may find yourself revisiting these pages again and again. Read it and see why.







“A man must be true to himself, fearless with himself, before he can perceive the Pure Principles of Truth” -James Allen







James Allen was a British philosophical writer and poet and a pioneer of the self-help movement.



At the turn of the 20th century, he was one of the most popular writers on spirituality, his many books comforting millions of readers with their simple, unpretentious wisdom about living a joyful life. Although Allen never achieved great fame or wealth, his works continue to influence people around the world, including the New Thought movement.

• Language: English
• Publisher: G&D Media
• Release date: Apr 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781722524494

James Allen

Born in 1864 in England, James Allen took his first job at fifteen to support his family. Allen worked as a factory knitter and later a private secretary before writing his first book, From Poverty to Power, in 1901. In 1903 he completed his best-known work: As a Man Thinketh. Allen wrote nineteen books, including his spiritual journal, The Light of Reason, before he died at age forty-seven in 1912. While not widely known during his lifetime, Allen later came to be seen as a pioneer of contemporary inspirational literature.

Book preview

Contents

Foreword

Thought and Character

Effect of Thought on Circumstances

Effect of Thought on Health and the Body

Thought and Purpose

The Thought-Factor in Achievement

Visions and Ideals

Serenity

Foreword

This little volume (the result of meditation and experience) is not intended as an exhaustive treatise on the much-written-upon subject of the power of thought. It is suggestive rather than explanatory, its object being to stimulate men and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that—

They themselves are makers of themselves

by virtue of the thoughts which they choose and encourage; that mind is the master weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they may now weave in enlightenment and happiness.

—James Allen

Broad Park Avenue, Ilfracombe, England

Thought and Character

The aphorism As a man thinketh in his heart so is he not only embraces the whole of a man’s being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.

As the plant springs from, and could not be without, the seed, so every act of a man springs from the hidden seeds of thought, and could not have appeared without them. This applies equally to those acts called spontaneous and unpremeditated as to those which are deliberately executed.

Act is the blossom of thought, and joy and suffering are its fruits; thus does a man garner in the sweet and bitter fruitage of his own husbandry.

Thought in the mind hath made us. What we are By thought was wrought and built. If a man’s mind Hath evil thoughts, pain comes on him as comes The wheel the ox behind….

… If one endure

In purity of thought, joy follows him As his own shadow—sure.

Man is a growth by law, and not a creation by artifice, and cause and effect is as absolute and undeviating in the hidden realm of thought as in the world of visible and material things. A noble and Godlike character is not a thing of favor or chance, but is the natural result of continued effort in right thinking, the effect of long-cherished association with Godlike thoughts. An ignoble and bestial character, by the same process, is the result of the continued harboring of groveling thoughts.

Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armory of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace. By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascends to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends below the level of the beast. Between these two extremes are all the grades of character, and man is their maker and master.

Of all the beautiful truths pertaining to the soul which have been restored and brought to light in this age, none is more gladdening or fruitful of divine promise and confidence than this—that man is the master of thought, the molder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny.

As a being of Power, Intelligence, and Love, and the lord of his own thoughts, man holds the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transforming and regenerative agency by which he may make himself what he wills.

Man is always the master, even in his weakest and most abandoned state; but in his weakness and degradation he is the foolish master who misgoverns his household. When he begins to reflect upon his condition, and to search diligently for the Law upon which his being is established, he then becomes the wise master, directing his energies with intelligence, and fashioning his thoughts to fruitful issues. Such is the conscious master, and man can only thus become by discovering within himself the laws of thought; which discovery is totally a matter of application, self-analysis, and experience.

Only by much searching and mining are gold and diamonds obtained, and man can find every truth connected with his being if he will dig deep into the mine of his soul; and that he is the maker of his character, the molder of his life, and the builder of his destiny, he may unerringly prove, if he will watch, control, and alter his thoughts, tracing their effects upon himself, upon others, and upon his life and circumstances, linking cause and effect by patient practice and investigation, and utilizing his every experience, even to the most trivial, everyday occurrence, as a means of obtaining that knowledge of himself which is Understanding, Wisdom, Power. In this direction, as in no other, is the law absolute that He that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened; for only by patience, practice, and ceaseless importunity can a man enter the Door of the Temple of Knowledge.

Effect of Thought on Circumstances

A man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.

Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man tend the garden of his mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts, and cultivating toward perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useful, and pure thoughts. By pursuing this process, a man sooner or later discovers that he is the master gardener of his soul, the director of his life. He also reveals, within himself, the laws of thought, and understands, with ever-increasing accuracy, how the thought forces and mind elements operate in the shaping of his character, circumstances, and destiny.

Thought and character are one, and as character can only manifest and discover itself through environment and circumstance, the outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state. This does not mean that a man’s circumstances at any given time are an indication of his entire character, but that those circumstances are so intimately connected with some vital thought element within himself that, for the time being, they are indispensable to his development.

Every man is where he is by the law of his being; the thoughts which he has built into his character have brought him there, and in the arrangement of his life there is no element of chance, but all is the result of a law which cannot err. This is just as true of those who feel out of harmony with their surroundings as of those who are contented with them.

As a progressive and evolving being, man is where he is that he may learn that he may grow; and as he learns the spiritual lesson which any circumstance contains for him, it passes away and gives place to other circumstances.

Man is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but when he realizes that he is a creative power, and that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being out of which circumstances grow, he then becomes the rightful master of himself.

That circumstances grow out of thought every man knows who has for any length of time practiced self-control and self-purification, for he will have noticed that the alteration in his circumstances has been in exact ratio with his altered mental condition. So true is this that when a man earnestly applies himself to remedy the defects in his character, and makes swift and marked progress, he passes rapidly through a succession of vicissitudes.

The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors; that which it loves, and also that which it fears; it reaches the height of its cherished aspirations; it falls to the level of its unchastened desires—and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own.

Every thought seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own, blossoming sooner or later into act, and bearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bad fruit.

The outer world of circumstance shapes itself to the inner world of thought, and both pleasant and unpleasant external conditions are factors which make for the ultimate good of the individual. As the reaper of his own harvest, man learns both by suffering and bliss.

Following the inmost desires, aspirations, thoughts, by which he allows himself to be dominated (pursuing the will-o’-the-wisps of impure imaginings or steadfastly walking the highway of strong and high endeavor), a man at last arrives at their fruition and fulfillment in the outer conditions of his life. The laws of growth and adjustment everywhere obtain.

A man does not come to the almshouse or the jail by the tyranny of fate or circumstance, but by the pathway of groveling thoughts and base desires. Nor does a pure-minded man fall suddenly into crime by stress of any mere external force; the criminal thought had long been secretly fostered in the heart, and the hour of opportunity revealed its gathered power. Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself. No such conditions can exist as descending into vice and its attendant sufferings apart from vicious inclinations, or ascending into virtue and its pure happiness without the continued cultivation of virtuous aspirations; and man, therefore, as the lord and master of thought, is the maker of himself, the shaper and author of environment. Even at birth the soul comes to its own, and through every step of its earthly pilgrimage it attracts those combinations of conditions which reveal itself, which are the reflections of its own purity and impurity, its strength and weakness.

Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are. Their whims, fancies, and ambitions are thwarted at every step, but their inmost thoughts and desires are fed with their own food, be it foul or clean. The divinity that shapes our ends is in ourselves; it is our very self. Man is manacled only by himself: thought and action are the jailers of Fate—they imprison, being base; they are also the angels of Freedom—they liberate, being noble. Not what he wishes and prays for does a man get, but what he justly earns. His wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they harmonize with his thoughts and actions.

In the light of this truth, what, then, is the meaning of fighting against circumstances? It means that a man is continually revolting against an effect without, while all the time he is nourishing and preserving its cause in his heart. That cause may take the form of a conscious vice or an unconscious weakness; but whatever it is, it stubbornly retards the efforts of its possessor, and thus calls aloud for remedy.

Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound. The man who does not shrink from self-crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set. This is as true of earthly as of heavenly things. Even the man whose sole object is to acquire wealth must be prepared to make great personal sacrifices before he can accomplish his

Reviews for Coping With Crisis

[thornton37814 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emma Woodhouse sets out to be a matchmaker for her single female friends although her efforts are not very successful. This story chronicles the day to day life of women in the Regency period. Emma shows a few characteristics of an early feminist movement by trying to show that women do not need to be married to be happy. This is a classic tale and one of my favorite Austen novels.

[mickyfine · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Having just lost her former governess and companion to marriage, Emma Woodhouse fears that her life is about to become far more dull. However, upon making the acquaintance of Harriet Smith, the illegitimate daughter of a mystery individual who lives at the local boarding school, Emma takes Harriet under her wing. Despite the disapproval of her long-time neighbour and friend, Mr. Knightley, Emma strives to marry off Harriet. She quickly learns though that matchmaking is far more difficult than she expected and the chances for heartbreak for more than just Harriet are high.Emma was the first Jane Austen novel I ever read and thus, it always has a special place in my reading history. The tale of rich and spoiled Emma Woodhouse stirring up trouble in Highbury with her matchmaking efforts is always amusing. Emma and Mr. Knightley's verbal sparring is thoroughly enjoyable, particularly given his annoying habit of always being right. The supporting characters are equally sparkling and full of foibles that never cease to amuse. Of course, there is the requisite misunderstandings between the primary characters and the ultimate happy ending and marriage that makes these novels such a comfort. No matter how many times I read it, Emma remains witty and charming.

[bryndahlquis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good, but I don't think I'm ever going to desperately want to read it again. It seemed very long, and often tedious, and it was very predictable. But I loved the ending!

[lauraodom-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh, Jane. How I love reading her works. I think Emma’s character sometimes gets a bad wrap for being such a meddling goody-goody. However, I think she’s charming. As do many of Austen’s works, this one includes a “lesson” and throughout the novel, we see Emma grow in character. Austin’s characters are so fabulous… especially the over-the-top ones such as Mrs. Elton. She makes them so real. Every time Mr. Woodhouse says something in his worried manner about the draft or something of the sort, as a reader I just smile, and think, oh, that’s so like Mr. Woodhouse. How does she do that? Good writing, that’s how. People just don’t write like this anymore. Sigh.

Would I recommend this to my BFF? Of course!
Would I recommend this to my teen daughter? Yes. I have tried getting her into Austen. We’ve watched several of the movie adaptations of the books (I know — the horror!) but it’s still hard for her to get into the books still because of the language. I’m hoping as she continues to develop as a reader, the old English won’t be such a deterrent for her.

[clara53_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If books can grow on you - this one did. It started as something quite unsubstantial, especially in plot (not in style), compared to a more dramatic book I read just prior to this one. But I slowly got in with the story and the mindset of its protagonist, Emma - the great manipulator at first glance, but a little more insecure person when one reads deeper. Her character proves how even the shrewdest of us can never totally depend on our intuitive perception of reality. Jane Austen, as always, is very keen in describing the quirks and the essence of that particular layer of society of her days. One thing that still makes me smile (though not with much disapproval or anything like that...) is the fact how important it was in those circles for a person to be "agreeable". One just HAD to be "agreeable" to be included in certain company.The plot was not without its surprises, but there was a degree of predictability (thanks to the author's hints throughout the book) of Emma's true feelings for Mr.Knightley. All in all, to me, this novel cannot equal "Sense and Sensibility" (which I adored) but it was an amusing sort of read.

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I read through Austen’s main six novels, this one was the last one I read. It was 2006 and after reading Persuasion and Pride & Prejudice, Emma did not become my new favorite. Rereading it, as always, has given me a greater appreciation for the book and for what Austen was able to do with the character. Oh Emma, you are so self-involved and sure of yourself. I loved this one so much more the second time around. The first time I just had such a hard time liking Emma. That’s not a bad thing; in fact in this case it means there is a lot more room for the character to evolve. Emma is treated like the mature woman of the house because her older sister is married and her mother past away. But in so many ways Emma is still a young, immature girl. She thinks she’s always right and that her pleasure is the most important factor in most situations. So many of her decisions and matchmaking choices are based on what she wants and who she wants her friends to marry. She was raised in environment where she always got what she wanted and that selfishness continues to permeate in her 20s.I adore the fact that Mr. Knightley is the only one who will call Emma on her BS. While everyone else is fawning over her he is challenging her to be a better person and think about her actions and influence on others. In my opinion, that’s the kind of partner every person needs. Mr. Knightley isn’t charming or entertaining, but he is the best kind of man. He lets his actions speak for themselves and is always looking out for the people around him. I’ve noticed that in Austen’s novels she has a lot more respect for men like this (Darcy, Knightley, Ferrars) than she does for those that immediately charm (Willoughby, Wickham, Crawford). Speaking of the charmers, Frank Churchill is such a jerk. As I reread the book, knowing how it was going to end, I was so frustrated by his behavior. The way he manipulate situations and takes advantage of people’s good nature is horrible. I also thought it was interesting that Mr. Elton is often shown as the villain or at least someone you don't end up liking, but he really didn’t do anything wrong. He’s not a character I particularly like and his choice of a spouse is abominable, but I think most men would've thought Emma was interested in them based on her actions.BOTTOM LINE: It’s Austen, so it’s delightful. I definitely have a great appreciation for this book now and I loved Knightley even more this time around. I think that Austen did a wonderful job showing character growth in this novel, second only to Anne’s in Persuasion. “One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.”“I may have lost my heart, but not my self-control. ”“I cannot make speeches, Emma...If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. But you know what I am. You hear nothing but truth from me. I have blamed you, and lectured you, and you have borne it as no other woman in England would have borne it.”

[bookconcierge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Book on CD read by Michael Page. Portable Audio PlayAway performed by Juliet Stevenson

Emma Woodhouse is one of the most exasperating lead characters in the English cannon, but I love her.

Smart, rich, charming and accomplished, Emma seems to have every advantage. The youngest daughter of an indulgent father, she leads a somewhat pampered life. Because her mother died when Emma was young, and her older sister married and left the estate, Emma has been the de facto mistress of Hartfield for several years and, therefore, is used to managing her father and his household. Having recently lost her governess and companion, Miss Taylor, to marriage, Emma busies herself with cultivating a friendship with Harriet Smith, a parlor border at Mrs Goddard’s school. She declares that she will never marry. Not because she doesn’t favor the institution, but because she couldn’t bear to leave her father alone and there is no one in the immediate vicinity who is her equal socially. Feeling some success in bringing Miss Taylor and Captain Weston together, Emma is certain she can find a suitable match for Harriet as well.

But Emma is decidedly blind to the realities of Miss Smith’s situation, as well as her own, Frank Churchill’s, and just about everyone else in her circle. Her actions taken as a result of misinterpreting many social cues, result in more than a little disappointment. Not to worry – this is Jane Austen, after all. Everyone will be happy in the end.

I like Emma, the novel, though I am less enthralled with Emma, the character. To me, she behaves in an infuriatingly superior manner towards everyone. Once I have reminded myself of the very different social norms of Austen’s time, I see that Emma is merely a product of her situation and social class. Her final realizations, slow as they are to come, are all the more rewarding. Austen reveals her characters in their thoughts, words and actions. While there are some sections of the book where I felt her exposition was a bit much, that is probably because of changes in style of writing over the centuries. As ever, Austen shines in her dialogue.

I began listening to the CDs on my daily commute, read by Michael Page. His voice is simply too deep and mature for the female characters, though he does a splendid job of bringing Austen’s dialogue to life. The portable PlayAway I used for the last third of the book was performed by Juliet Stevenson who is just marvelous. I really came to “love to hate” her Mrs Elton!

[justagirlwithabook · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

My gosh, this one took much too long to read. Here are the basics: Emma lives with her dad and loves to play matchmaker for everyone living within her general vicinity. The first handful of chapters were as slow as molasses and a million characters were introduced. (There were lots of notes taken.) And then the chaos began: Emma setting up this person with that person, then changing her mind and encouraging a different match, then being surprised about people's feelings for each other because, though she's clever about some things, she's also entirely daft about others. A little more than halfway through I decided this story could've been told in a significantly shorter form and I just wanted it all to be over. I have a great nostalgic love for Pride & Prejudice and Jane Austen, but man, this one was brutal. I've not seen any adaptations yet but I've already decided I'll enjoy them immensely more than the book.

[vibrantminds · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[helena81_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[aleahmarie_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her."It has been Emma Woodhouse's distinct privilege to live twenty years with all the high society that her modest village home can provide. From the outset we learn that Miss Woodhouse has no faults other than her sincere conviction that she is, in fact, without a fault. Coddled her entire life by a doting and hypochondriacal father and an ever loving but soft governess -- Miss Woodhouse has little knowledge of anything other than her own perfection. The only exception to this is the critical eye of Mr. Knightley, a family friend whose remonstrations are an ongoing irritation in our heroine's otherwise peaceful existence.Being a woman of some leisure, Miss Woodhouse decides to pass her time by orchestrating the romantic lives of her friends. Unfortunately for her friends, Miss Woodhouse proves to be a pitiful matchmaker. She is so unaccustomed to failing at any endeavor that she stubbornly tries again and again before eventually seeing the error of her ways.Jane Austen's works appeal to different people for many different reasons. I find myself attracted to her depictions of daily life in England during the early 19th century. The characters in her story live such simple lives compared to the hustle and bustle of the modern world, but still they resonate with me. I'm also forever amused by the sarcasm of Jane Austen. While the surface of her stories may be all innocence, the undercurrents are thick with sardonic wit. Without being preachy Jane Austen pokes fun at the social norms of her day, many of which left women no actual control over their own lives.If you've not tried Jane Austen yet, please do. You'll be pleasantly surprised.P.S. It's certainly not necessary but it's heaps more fun if you read her books with an English accent.

[gbill_7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emma is a beautiful, smart, rich, and somewhat spoiled twenty-year-old who loves matchmaking. She makes some mistakes along the way, mostly on account of her belief that she’s always right, and because of her youth. In the end, while she has maintained that she herself will never marry, her jealousy makes her realize her love for Mr. Knightley has been there all along. In addition to the study in relationships and day-to-day life in the countryside of 19th century England, Austen often displays her wit and this is an enjoyable read. Oh, and I also loved the cover on this particular edition, “Forbidden Fruit” by Thomas Benjamin-Kennington.Quotes:On beauty:“…for she is, in fact, a beautiful girl, and must be thought so by ninety-nine people out of a hundred; and till it appears that men are much more philosophic on the subject of beauty than they are generally supposed, till they do fall in love with well-informed minds instead of handsome faces, a girl, with such loveliness as Harriet, has a certainty of being admired and sought after, of having the power of choosing from among many, consequently a claim to be nice.”On men and women:“The ladies here probably exchanged looks which meant, ‘Men never know when things are dirty or not’; and the gentlemen perhaps thought each to himself, ‘Women will have their little nonsenses and needless cares.’”On matchmaking:“Such an adventure as this, a fine young man and a lovely young woman thrown together in such a way, could hardly fail of suggesting certain ideas to the coldest heart and the steadiest brain. So Emma thought, at least. Could a linguist, could a grammarian, could even a mathematician have seen what she did, have witnessed their appearance together, and heard their history of it, without feeling that circumstances had been at work to make them peculiarly interesting to each other? How much more must an imaginist, like herself, be on fire with speculation and foresight? especially with such a groundwork of anticipation as her mind had already made.”On men (and their ability to listen):“But, Mr. Knightley, are you perfectly sure that she has absolutely and downright accepted him? I could suppose she might in time, but can she already? Did not you misunderstand him? You were both talking of other things; of business, shows of cattle, or new drills; and might not you, in the confusion of so many subjects, mistake him? It was not Harriet’s hand that he was certain of – it was the dimensions of some famous ox.’”On telling stories to kids:“…Henry and John were still asking every day for the story of Harriet and the gipsies, and still tenaciously setting her right if she varied in the slightest particular from the original recital.”On the post office; I couldn’t agree more today, it’s amazing to me that for the small price of a stamp you can mail a letter anywhere in the country and it’ll get there a few days later. (Ok. Usually. :)“’The post office is a wonderful establishment!’ said she. ‘The regularity and dispatch of it! If one thinks of all that it has to do, and all that it does so well, it is really astonishing!’”

[eljabo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[simonea_533972 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[mojomomma_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[mbmackay · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jane Austen's fourth published work, and a little different from the earlier novels in having a flawed heroine. Emma is spoilt and gets things wrong - making her more realistic than earlier leading characters. Other characters in the book are also vividly drawn - the hypochondriac father, the slightly careless mother (Emma's sister) etc. Austen continues to demonstrate her talent for "describing, not telling" in which she minimises the input of the omniscient narrator and allows the events and conversation to tell the story - very modern. Read as ebook March 2011.

[arteehazari · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful book true reflections of Jane Austen's work. Loved it for the classiness of it but then Jane is one of my favorite authors. A story woven around the matchmaker's mind.

[khoov00 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought that this book would be one of my favorite Jane Austen books since it is sort of the feminist "you don't need to get married to be happy" type of story. The thing is that I just couldn't quite get into her character and the story fell a bit flat for me. That said, it is still a very enjoyable read and I think it only pales in comparison to Jane's other works that I love so much. The weird thing is that I love, love, love (and so does my husband) the movie "Clueless" which is a modern day adaptation. I guess no matter how cultured you believe you are sometimes a bit of chicklit (referring to the movie version) is still fun. I would still recommend this book and actually purchased this as part of a Jane Austen set for my niece as a present.

[june6bug · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I really didn't find Emma to be a sympathetic character - she's so condescending and self-centered. She does grow throughout the novel, but I didn't grow to like her any better. I think part of the problem is my personal bias against the social norms described in the novel; I just can't stand the class-ism or the obvious scorn for people who work for a living. Maybe I hate it because I have to work for a living, which would make me an outcast in this society!

[dianemb_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is classic Jane Austen which her fans, including me, love. Emma is not her most loveable of heroes, but endeared herself to the reader as she regrets some of her worst transgressions. Of course, we all love the handsome and courtly Mr. Knightley.

[lizzybeans11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is another one of those classic books that I love to read every now-and-then. The first time I tried to read it without having any prior knowledge of the plot, I had trouble keeping all the characters straight (name changes and using only surnames is difficult to follow sometimes). I find that to be true of many period novels. However, after watching a few film and TV versions it's much easier and I picked up on the little nuances of the relationships. This story definitely makes for a great screenplay, but I adore the novel as well.

[savvyescapades · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

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.

[stefany_6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I don't know what it is about Jane Austen's novels, but I've read two of them now and I find that I really do enjoy them. The characters that she creates come alive on the page and even though nothing terribly exciting happens besides the usual day to day, I find myself drawn into the lives and events anyway. In the introduction to my version of Emma, there is a comment that Emma is basically a book about nothing. While this is true in a way, Emma is about a lot more than nothing and gives the reader a fascinating glimpse into the world of Emma's England. There is also the great intrigue (insert tongue into cheek a bit) of whom will be matched up with whom and when these courtships will commence, etc. Ms. Austen's easy to read style and sense of humor really do make this an enjoyable book to read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a lighthearted frolic through classic literature in old England.

[bellenuitoeil_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love electronics, cars, and all things made available by modern technology. But reading Emma (or any Austen, really) makes me want to live back in the 1800's. So lovely.

[penny1996_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have read all of her completed works and most of her juvenalia. It is not one of her popular novels because of the heroine but that is the challenge to see the good in Emma as well as her class snobbery. I have it in the Penguin edition as I have the other completed books.

[magadri-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Emma is a fun read. I picked this book up because I had heard that it was the inspiration for the movie Clueless. Once you begin reading it, you see the parallels immediately. A smart, sassy novel.

[lookingforpenguins · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

All Jane Austen books should be re-read on a continual basis. Thoroughly enjoyable and lighthearted. Pair with Masterpiece Theater for great results.

[duck2ducks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Here's something you don't hear everyday: "The first half of the book I didn't enjoy much at all - but after the first 150 pages, it really picked up!"

Jane Austen. What a strange, strange beast. The first Austen I've read, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to finish it. Now, at the end, I'm actually considering if and when I might try some more.

There is still a lot that I don't like: The stunningly overblown writing style, seemingly designed for maximum detachment (though this could just be indicative of 18th century writing?). The fact that the concerns are chiefly who will marry who (trivial), and how important it is to be part of - and consort only with - the upper class (repellent). The outrageously self-involved and self-deluded perceptions of the title character.

What I discovered though was that after I decided to stop taking the novel seriously, my enjoyment shot up exponentially. The outrageousness of Emma's self-delusions became not irritating, but hilarious. Austen can actually be quite witty, and have an occasional sense of real comic timing - often punctuated with a line so abrupt in its terseness as to contrast with the overwrought sentences preceding it. (The instance following one of Miss Bates's tirades was laugh out loud funny.) And Austen's handling of the different cast of characters, using each one as a lens with which to peer through at all the others, is both subtle and masterful; in this aspect, if nothing else, the writing is undeniably superb.

[jpsnow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[hannahj26 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great classic book by Jane Austen. Though I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice more this is a close second and many consider it to be Austen's best work. Very enjoyable to read.