Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, 346 pages

As a Jane Austen fan, I was very pleased that the library book club read this for it's July selection. We had a few who had never read Jane Austen before, so it was a nice treat. Elinore is the oldest sister, practical and level-headed, responsible for keeping her sisters and flight mother on an even keel. Marianne is the middle sister, romantic and prone to extreme attractions. Margaret is the youngest sister who plays an almost non-existent role in the book. When the sisters' father dies, the substantial bulk of money goes to their older half-brother, who has promised to look after them and their mother, but he is quickly convinced by his wife that what money the women has is enough for their few needs, and the extent of help his father expected was nothing more than help moving to a new home.

Settled in a new cottage rented to them by a distant relative, the women quickly settle into country life, filled with all the little excitements such as visiting family and affairs of the heart. Jane Austen always does a wonderful job of bringing her characters and settings to life. One of our book club members said she enjoyed Austen most for the conversations, and I must say I agree. There is always a misunderstanding of the heart, disappointed affairs due to the lack of fortune on the girl's part, and then true love. One of the other members felt that this book was more like a soap opera or teen romance, and it's kind of true. Austen wrote romance and intrigue in such a way that authors today are still copying her.