Pride and Prejudice is a beautifully written classic for the romantic at heart. Jane Austen is a most accomplished novelist, and her take on gossip and matchmaking is still interesting today. Pride and Prejudice provides a thorough analysis not only of the social customs and structure, but also of the motivations and psychology of the people. Elizabeth Bennett is the focus of the book, and her troubled courtship with the difficult Mr. Darcy provides the main point of conflict. The narrative voice seems to be privy to Lizzy's innermost thoughts, but at times it almost seems like the voice is Elizabeth herself, but older and wiser, looking back on her younger self. The narrator is extremely polite, but sometimes does get off a few zingers at the folly and foibles of the people. The negative commentary is mostly conveyed in the voices of the characters, with Eliza Bennett leading the charge. There is plenty of witty banter, and also a lot of drama that really involves the reader. You will wonder how Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth will ever get together, given all the obstacles they face--the main one being that they can't stand each other. How will Jane and Mr. Bingley get together, what with the meddling of his sister and his friend, Mr. Darcy? Even though the story is mostly gossip and matchmaking, you have no trouble reading through to the end, because Jane Austen is a masterful story teller and a keen observer of human nature. Her portraits of the kind of people you meet in the world are surprisingly accurate, which is even more astonishing when you consider that she wrote more than 200 years ago. Her stories have been the basis for many films, both period dramas and updates, because her uncanny ability to capture the various types of people that make up this crazy world rings true. Jane Austen reveals universal truths about men and women, and that is why her popularity continues unabated.