In 2003, the BBC conducted a survey called 'The Most Loved Book in Great Britain,' and the novel 'Pride and Prejudice' took second place, only behind 'The Lord of the Rings.' In 2019, BBC News included 'Pride and Prejudice' in its list of the hundred most influential novels. If we imagine the novel 'Pride and Prejudice' as an ancient mansion that has remained unchanged to this day, then this edition with detailed commentary and illustrations will allow readers to enhance the image. Winding paths and a traditional English park will appear around the mansion, which the heroes of Jane Austen often referred to as a forest, and the gentlemen and ladies strolling in this forest will present themselves dressed in the fashion of the early 19th century. We will listen to their conversations, appreciate the nuances of etiquette, learn quite a bit about the dinner menu as well as the characters' views on what books and dances were in vogue—and, of course, what was considered decent or indecent in English society during Jane Austen's time. During Jane Austen's lifetime, her novels enjoyed moderate popularity. Attention to her work attracted a biography titled 'Memoirs of Jane Austen,' written by her nephew James Edward Austen-Leigh, after her death. In the early 20th century, Austen's novels began to be studied in universities. Then came the adaptations… And among them, undoubtedly, the best is the BBC miniseries from 1995, where each actor's portrayal made millions of viewers fall in love with the literary characters. Most of Jane Austen's novels take place during the Napoleonic Wars, but the echoes of these battles are hardly heard on the pages of her books. Instead, they contain balls, ironic portraits of provincial society, dreams of marriage… and most importantly—characters whose fates we want to follow, with whom it is hard to part; characters who become our good acquaintances for many years, and sometimes for a lifetime.
