S&S Popularity

This book has been a steady best seller for some 200 years. What do you think is the source of its continued popularity?

I think that the romance of the book along with the sensibility of the book keep it a best seller. Romance books are always top sellers. I am glad it is not a romance with the naughty stuff in it. It doesn't hurt that great movies have been made about the book.
-Stampin_Maniac

I think it is because the characters are so real, relatable, and well-developed. The situations are interesting but not too far-fetched. It is romantic without being unbelievable and so appeals to a lot of different types of people.
-G-Mama

I agree with you both. I think it is the romance and the characters. I think the problem with a lot of romance novels is that they are focused on the romance and there isn't as much character development.. and some books have the opposite problem. I think she is balanced on both. (As are most of my favorite romance authors.. it's not usually my favorite genre) I love books with people that I care about. If I don't care about the characters I won't read it. I read A LOT and this year I gave myself the gift of not having to finish a book. I know that sounds funny but I have always felt like I need to finish every book I start. I decided that if I don't love the book then there is no reason to waste my time and I have actually had about three books in the last few months that have been this way. I want to read about people that I will love. She gives me that.
-Annegirl

I have also not finished quite a few books. If it is boring I will just skip to the last two chapters to find out what happened
-Stampin_Maniac

It's nice to know that there are others who feel it is okay to not finish a book. I have started realizing, too, it's okay not finish a book. I'll apologize to all the Twilight fans now, but I couldn't finish it. The series, I think, you either really like it or really don't, I'm in the latter group. But, to each their own. I really enjoy clean romances but really like it when there is either history items or mystery included. Jane Austen is fun to read.
-Deenie Bug

Oops. I guess you're going to be skipping the Twilight and Breaking Dawn months then eh? HaHa.
-Annegirl

That's okay they are on the list. Maybe I just have to try and reread them. :) I am going to try and read Breaking Dawn. I like to try and give books the benefit of the doubt. :) I am going to see the movie (Twilight) when it comes out. It will be interesting to see what they do with it. I also think it is interesting, speaking of movies, that, in reading Sense and Sensibility, again, because I sometimes forget things (I guess that comes with having five children - one loses masses amounts of brain cells) after I have read them, but it is interesting what the screenplay writers have added or deleted from the books when they make movies. I thought it funny that in the book Sir John is described as "a good looking man about forty". In the Emma Thompson movie he is definitely NOT about forty and his wife had passed away. And in the more recent version of Masterpiece Theatre he wasn't portrayed as about forty but did have a wife and children as portrayed in the book. I really liked both versions of the movies, though. I find it interesting how different people like to interpret the book. Books I think, though, are the best.
-Deenie Bug

I think "Sense and Sensibility" and her other books, even though written in a different time, still deal with the basics that all generations go through. We can identify with the people and situations and feelings because we go through similar experiences. I also love the fact that when you read her books you know that they will be wholesome even though there are dastardly dudes doing dastardly things. Honorable and good things are the things that are represented so well in her books. And the workings of good romance and right come out for good in the end.
-Bookworm

"Dastardly dudes doing dastardly things" HAha... that's funny.
-Annegirl