This is a review of Miss Jane Austen’s Guide to Modern Life’s Dilemmas: Answers to Your Most Burning Questions About Life, Love, Happiness (and What to War) from the Great Novelist Herself, by Rebecca Smith.
2012 marks the year of Jane Austen advice books – The Jane Austen’s Guide to Life, The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After, and now Miss Austen’s Guide to Modern Life’s Dilemmas. What makes this volume stand out from the others is that Rebecca Smith is Jane Austen’s great-niece (times five)! She was also selected as the first official writer in residence at Jane Austen’s House Museum in Chawton. It is logical assume that Ms. Smith has an in-depth knowledge of her great x5 aunt, her life, thoughts, and environs.
This advice book is organized quite logically into 6 major topics: love & relationships; friends & family; work & career; fashion & style, home & garden; and leisure & travel. The question sits on the top left of a two-page spread, which also contains pull out quotes or images.
To answer such questions as “Why am I still so intimidated by the barbies of the world?” “When should I tell my parents about my debts?”, “How do I make it clear that unmentionables should be unmentionable?”, “How do I say goodbye to a fair-weather friend?”, “I have an interview for the job of my dreams”, and “How can I be sure to put my best foot forward?” To answer the last question, Ms. Smith included facts from Jane Austen’s own work experience, and some quotes from her letters and novels. In this instance, she used this advice from Jane Austen: “…no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with.”
Miss Smith combines a mixture of modern common sense, which the iPad on the book’s cover illustrates, with old-fashioned common sense. To address the question: “To tattoo or not to tattoo?”, the author used Elinor Dashwood, who knew “that the wishes of parents and children are unlikely to coincide: “The old well established grievance of duty against will, parent against child, was the cause of all.” In other words, don’t be in a hurry to get a tattoo. Jane Austen would have said: “I consider it … one of the sweet taxes of youth to choose in a hurry and make bad bargains.”
One problem I had with the book was with its fonts. My tired eyes found the text difficult to read. The book DOES come with the choice of an eBook edition. These days I prefer reading on my Kindle (I know, I know, book purists will disagree with me), but I appreciate choosing a larger FONT and the convenience of carrying my techie device everywhere. Both the Kindle and Nook versions are available for instant purchase!
Ms. Smith states in an interview:
I was actually quite surprised that I could answer every single dilemma with advice from Jane’s works and letters! Hundreds of dilemmas were suggested by family, friends and my students – there were too many to fit into the book – but, amazingly, all of them could be answered.”
The appendix includes a list of character summaries, biography of Jane Austen, bibliography, and useful websites (which *ahem* failed to include this blog).
I give this book 3 ½ – 4 Regency tea cups out of five. If you cannot get enough of JA sequels, prequels and Austenesque advice, you will love this book. If you do not care for such publications, then Miss Austen’s Guide to Modern Life’s Dilemmas is not for you.
More on the Topic:
An interview with the author on Tarcher books
You can purchase the book on
Jane Austen's World 
I took a writing class with Rebecca at the Jane Austen House Museum when I visited July, 2011 and really enjoyed it (I was a bit of an anomaly, being the only American). One of the writing exercises helped me define a character in a novel I’d just started. I also interviewed her for my blog. She’s written several novels if you’re interested in her other books as well.
Reblogged this on Ella Quinn ~ Author and commented:
Very interesting how life doesn’t change that much.
I love how we still have the same problems.
“What to war”, huh? Bazookas or hand-to hand combat? Sherry
Thanks, Vic. I always enjoy your book reviews for their clarity and succinct descriptiveness.
By failing to include this website / blog she really isn’t entitled to 4 Regency teacups perhaps 2 and one saucer.and your review gets four of each plus a teapot
Thank you for reviewing my book – I’m very grateful for any tea cups or saucers!
I’m so sorry I didn’t include your website in the list – I will correct that if I get the opportunity.
My book should now be available as an eBook through iTunes and from these places:
http://www.amazon.com/Austens-Guide-Modern-Dilemmas-ebook/dp/B0085DOU8W/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1354656533&sr=8-1
and
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/miss-austens-guide-to-modern-lifes-dilemmas-rebecca-smith/1113469963?ean=9780399160615
I’m so sorry to hear that about the font.
With very many thanks,
Rebecca.
The theme and the content of this book suggests we never ever need anything else in our lives but Jane. Imagine living your whole life with Jane advice, wearing Regency costume, travelling in a barouche,and living in a cosy Hampshire village.. It could be done, but your neighbours would probably get you certified as mad.. The only drawback I suppose..
i wonder if you could write a book, entitled
” Hunter S Thompson’s Guide to Modern Life’s Dramas,”.That would be an interesting one.. or take any author and do the same thing?
Actually I think being yourself is always the best bet. A much saner way of going about things..
All the best,,
Tony
As an after thought: if somebody did write a Hunter S Thompson-ish type, “Answers to life’s little dilemmas,” it would certainly ,”inject,,,” a certain frisson into the procedings.. Now come on, admit it, you can’t ,,”sniiff,,” at an idea like that.. Can you?.
Tony