New Delhi, May 3 -- English novelist Jane Austen's simple yet often sharp words have left an indelible mark on readers across the world, with many appreciating her ability to turn everyday sentiments into quietly enduring truths.

"I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal."

At first, it seems like the quote carries a playful irony. It seems almost counterintuitive: why wouldn't we want to like people easily? But she is pointing towards the complexity of human connection. When people are overly agreeable, always pleasant, eager to please, and easy to get along with, it feels effortless to like them, but that ease can actually lack depth. True relationships, according to Austen, the ...