Shelfology Book Pairing

by John Stuart Mill

For John Stuart Mill, freedom is the "first and strongest desire of human nature" and only enables the individual to fully develop his faculties, mind and morals. All state and social action must accordingly be directed toward granting the individual free development, while his freedom, as Mill formulates it in a principle known as the "principle of liberty," may be restricted under one condition: in order to protect himself or another person. Interventions by the state or society, on the other hand, aimed at forcing the individual to behave in a way that they believe is better or wiser or makes the individual happier are, according to Mill, unlawful and must be avoided at all costs. Gröls Classics - English Edition

by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice tells the story of Mr. and Mrs. Bennets five unmarried daughters after the rich and eligible Mr. Bingley and his status-conscious friend, Mr. Darcy, have moved into their neighbourhood. While Bingley takes an immediate liking to the eldest Bennet daughter, Jane, Darcy has difficulty adapting to local society and repeatedly clashes with the second-eldest Bennet daughter, Elizabeth. Though Austen set the story at the turn of the 19th century, it retains a fascination for modern readers, continuing near the top of lists of most loved books.