The Jane Austen Collection

Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Persuasion

By: Jane Austen

Narrated by: Prunella Scales

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time.

This curated collection of Jane Austen’s most beloved novels is read by Fawlty Towers’ and A Question of Attribution’s Prunella Scales.

This collection includes:

Sense and Sensibility

The three Dashwood sisters move to a cottage in Devon with their widowed mother. There, they experience love, romance and heartbreak. The older sister, Elinor, is more sensible, steadfast and wary; the middle sister, Marianne, is more impulsive and idealistic. Each will find love: but the routes that take them there will be very different.

Emma

Impressively witty, beautiful and vain, with a penchant for meddling, Emma Woodhouse is mischievous force to be reckoned with. Though she has convinced herself that she will never marry, she somehow has garnered skills for 'matchmaking'.

Persuasion

An overlooked middle daughter destined to be a spinster. A handsome rejected naval officer. A family on the brink of financial ruin.

Anne Elliot has never forgotten about the man to whom she was persuaded out of an engagement by her family. When he returns to Anne's life eight years later, will she be able to secure a second chance?

Prunella Scales is flawless

Every character is uniquely created by scales in perfect accord with their written persona. The edit is great. Nothing essential is lost in this edited version.

Narration at its finest

Austen is always a pleasure. And Prunella Scales' masterful narration really brings each character to LIFE.

Great but abridged?

So I think these are abridged? I could be wrong but Emma seemed to move along at a great clip. I liked the narration but hate anything abridged. And not just cutting out the “he says” but seems like major parts of the story, at least of Emma if my memory is correct (and I’ve read all Jane Austen books at least 10 times each).