What's Your Favorite Austen Book? And Why?

Pride & Prejudice is my favorite of Austen's books. It's a little predictable, but I offer no apologies.

It was the first that I read (thanks to my high school English teacher who insisted that I read it, even when there were other options/authors to pick from). It has flawed characters who, though silly and head-shaking, are still enduring and appreciated. And it has the romantic will-they-or-won't-they plots.

A close second would be Persuasion for it's tale of societal pressures separating but not breaking love, and the internal struggles Anne and Wentworth face when trying to appear indifferent.

Pride and Prejudice was my favorite for years. The plot was lively, Elizabeth was a person of worth and the comic touches entranced me. This favoritism was cemented with the Colin-Firth-in-a-wet-shirt-Darcy and so I continued on my enchantment for years. And then I watched Amanda Root/Ciaran Hinds in PERSUASION.......hmmm, what is this? Another novel of Miss Jane Austen was beginning to supplant P&P? Well, yes. It is a more mature love affair. It is more dangerous in that Anne has all to lose here if she fails to grasp the chance. Wentworth is torn himself---can he trust her? If he doesn't, will he lose again and regret it always? The persuasion comes from many sides and many people until finally Anne throws herself into life and love and discovers he was always just waiting to catch her.

Pride and Prejudice was my first love, but now, having read all of Austen’s work more than just a few times, I’ve come to the following conclusion:

Northanger Abbey is my favorite for when I want to be amused, delighted, and entertained, Persuasion for when i want a book to rip my heart out and show it to me. They are both my favorite for completely separate reasons. There is no reconciling.