The Worlds of Jane Austen: The Influences and Inspiration Behind the Novels

Literary scholar Kelly (Jane Austen, the Secret Radical) offers a richly illustrated guide to the people, places, and politics that shaped Jane Austen’s life and novels. Each chapter explores a different part of Austen’s history—from the rectory in Steventon where she was born and her boarding school education to the wars and revolutions that took place in her lifetime—alongside photos and artwork from the period. Kelly explains that Austen grew up in a tumultuous time in British history; she was born in 1775, the year the American Revolutionary War began, and Britain and France were at war most of her life. Austen’s extended family had a wide social range, which Kelly says explains why the author could “write convincingly about everyone from noblewomen to hired nurses, businessmen to baronets.” Other Austen tropes, like marriage proposals, her characters’ fondness for reading, and references to the rise of abolitionists and radical thinkers, are also traced back to Austen’s real life. The final chapters explore Austen’s legacy, including the many film adaptations of her work. Kelly offers a nuanced chronicle of the myriad ways Austen and her work have been interpreted over time, noting that to some she wrote “fluffy chick-lit” and to others “cutting social satire.” This detailed overview of the legendary writer is a treat for fans. (Sept.)