The "New and Improved" Classics.

The "Young Adult" shelves of Barnes and Nobles all seem to be filled with the same themes of paranormal romances between the immortals and star struck teenagers. What ever happened to the literature of old? The tales of struggles of love overcoming the social strifes of the past? Well, they are coming back with a new faces. Novels like "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" star the growing list of the new editions of beloved literature.

Modern teens no longer seem to relate to Miss Austen's famous characters. Why read about Mister Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet when Edward and Bella's love is (somehow) more accessible? So, someone in some publishing house somewhere thought "Hey, what if Jane Austen wrote about zombies?"

No matter what you think of these books, you have to admit that the creators are geniuses. Copies of all the books are flying off shelves, and now Hollywood is taking their share. It seems as if everyone knows about these instant--and strange--best sellers.

But why? Why are they so popular?

Is it simply because of the current trend in zombies and other paranormal romances? These are not the first adapations of Miss Austen's books. Modern authors have been continued the romances of her characters, and have often made them creatures of the supernatural. Vampire Darcy's Desire has the dashing hero as a sullen blood sucker, thus explaining his aversion to romance. And this is not the first book where Darcy is a vampire.

But why these books and not those others? I keep asking myself that over and over again.

Is it the manner in which the author maintains the original voice of the text? Or perhaps the hilarity of such a cast of characters battle the hordes of the undead? Or maybe the timing of the publishing was perfect for such popularity?

From my own readings of the books, and observing others who read them, I can see the instant love for them. Everyone agrees on the hilarious nature of each book, and personally I think that's why people love these books. There are very few people who do not enjoy a good laugh, especially in this crazy world we live in.

My one final question is this...What would Jane Austen have to say?