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Archive for the ‘Book review’ Category

Austen at Sea

Posted in Book review, Jane Austen's World, tagged , , , on May 4, 2025| 1 Comment »

Natalie Jenner’s latest book, Austen at Sea, will become available through booksellers on May 6th! She will hold a discussion at The Poison Pen Bookstore at 2 PM, MST on May 5th. (In my Eastern state, the conversation will start at 5 PM.) Click on the link provided below to the YouTube video, subscribe, and hit the Notification Button! This discussion will include a live chat online.

Jenner describes her new novel in this link to her site, which should whet readers’ appetites! 

I’ve been listening to the audio version of the book, and my review will go online soon. This book is a quite ambitious project, and suits the 250 year anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth beautifully! – Vic

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Reading Miss Austen by Gill Hornby

Posted in Book review, Cassandra Austen (Jane's Sister), Inspired by Jane Austen, Jane Austen Early Life, Jane Austen Fan Fiction, Jane Austen's enduring popularity, Jane Austen's family, Jane Austen's letters, Jane Austen's life, Jane Austen's World, MIss Austen PBS, tagged , , , , on March 24, 2025| 13 Comments »

The new BBC miniseries “Miss Austen”, based on Gill Hornby’s novel of the same name, is currently the focus of much attention worldwide. The series aired in the UK in February and comes to PBS this May. Some of you have maybe already seen the show, depending on where you live, but for those who are waiting for it to air, I am here to say this:

Read the book while you wait!

You won’t regret it. In anticipation of the show, I decided to read Miss Austen by Gill Hornby, fully expecting to dislike it (I’m very picky). But I’m here to report that I loved it! I actually finished it in two days because I could not put it down (which is not easy as a writer with a busy household of teens). The story flows at a slower pace, but Hornby’s style–and the whole world she created–pulled me in and kept me engaged from start to finish.

In the book, an older Cassandra searches for a packet of Jane’s letters that she does not want anyone to ever see or read. As she finds and reads the various letters, we travel back through her memories to visit her younger self. I found myself completely immersed in the real (and imagined) details about Cassandra’s relationship with Tom Fowle (a former pupil of Reverend Austen), the Fowle family, and the Lloyd family.

Overall, the book does tell a sad story because it deals with a fictional retelling of Cassandra’s real-life story, her heartbreaks, her deep affection for her beloved family (many of whom she outlived), the Austens’ move to Bath, Reverend Austen’s death, the Austen women and their search for stability after his death, and Cassandra’s devotion and loyalty to Jane. However, there are many endearing and uplifting themes as well. The writing itself is exquisite.

While Hornby of course employs creative license as a novelist, I was also impressed by the copious amounts of research she must have done to write this book. Though fictional, it acts as a poignant biography of Jane’s sister and best friend. I felt as though I understood Cassandra, and had a deeper understanding of her protectiveness over Jane, by the end of the book. Hornby’s perspective on Jane is intriguing, and her (entirely fictional) character Henry Hobday adds depth to Cassandra’s story.

For those of you that read Miss Austen when it released in 2020, you might enjoy a reread. For those who have never read it, it’s a wonderful way to prepare yourself for the show. And even if you’ve already watched the show, you might like to read it and compare the two.

Book Description

England, 1840. Two decades after the death of her beloved sister, Jane, Cassandra Austen returns to the village of Kintbury and the home of her family friends, the Fowles. In a dusty corner of the vicarage, there is a cache of Jane’s letters that Cassandra is desperate to find. Dodging her hostess and a meddlesome housemaid, Cassandra eventually hunts down the letters and confronts the secrets they hold, secrets not only about Jane but about Cassandra herself. Will Cassandra bare the most private details of her life to the world, or commit her sister’s legacy to the flames?

Moving back and forth between the vicarage and Cassandra’s vibrant memories of her years with Jane, interwoven with Jane’s brilliantly reimagined lost letters, Miss Austen is the untold story of the most important person in Jane’s life. With extraordinary empathy, emotional complexity, and wit, Gill Hornby finally gives Cassandra her due, bringing to life a woman as captivating as any Austen heroine.

(The collection of cover art included in this article is from various editions sold worldwide.)

About the Author

Gill Hornby is the author of Miss Austen, The Hive, and All Together Now, as well as The Story of Jane Austen, a biography of Austen for young readers. Her most recent novel is Godermsham Park, also available from Pegasus Books. She lives in Kintbury, England, with her husband and their four children.

About the Show

Miss Austen takes an historic literary mystery – the notorious burning of Jane Austen’s letters by her sister Cassandra – and reimagines it as a fascinating, witty, and heart-breaking story of sisterly love, while creating in Cassandra a character as captivating as any Austen heroine.

Based on Gill Hornby’s best-selling novel, this period drama brings a fresh and intimate perspective to the Austen sisters’ lives — their joys, heartaches, and the passions that shaped Jane’s iconic novels.

Keeley Hawes (The Durrells in Corfu, Bodyguard, Line of Duty) as the loyal and loving Cassandra leads an ensemble cast that includes Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey) as family friend Isabella Fowle, Patsy Ferran (Living) as young Jane Austen, and Synnøve Karlsen (Bodies) as young Cassy.

PBS Episode Schedule

Premieres: Sunday, May 4, 2025, at 9/8c
Episode 2: Sunday, May 11, 9/8c
Episode 3: Sunday, May 18, 9/8c
Episode 4: Sunday, May 18, 10/9c

Miss Austen, Dutiful Daughter and Sister

I cannot wait to watch the show soon, and I hope to come back to discuss it later this year, but in the meantime, I enjoyed the book immensely. I usually only review nonfiction books here, but I felt that a novel of such high caliber warranted a thorough review, especially in light of the upcoming show. Here’s to celebrating Jane Austen’s 250th year and to enjoying her world more fully!

RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, speaks at libraries, teas, and conferences, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling, award-winning author of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional, The Little Women Devotional, The Secret Garden Devotional, and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. A true kindred spirit at heart, Rachel loves books, bonnets, and ballgowns. Visit her online at www.RachelDodge.com.

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A Jane Austen Year: New Book & Podcast Review

Posted in 250th Anniversary of Jane Austen, Book review, Chawton Cottage, Jane Austen Novels, Jane Austen's enduring popularity, Jane Austen's life, Jane Austen's World, tagged , , , , on March 9, 2025| 2 Comments »

One of the releases I’ve most anticipated this year is the new book A Jane Austen Year: Celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen by Jane Austen’s House and the brilliant new A Jane Austen Year Podcast of the same name.

After spending so much time researching and writing my seasonal, month-by-month “A Year in Jane Austen’s World” blog series last year, I knew it was right down my alley. I am happy to report that the information included in this book covers a variety of intriguing topics, recipes, illustrations, and specially commissioned photos. It feels like taking a tour of Jane Austen’s House Museum each month of the year. It is well worth the read!

“Arranged chronologically across the calendar year, this uniquely intimate insight into Jane Austen’s world offers reproductions of her letters, the objects she held dear, the story of how her first novel Pride and Prejudice came to be published and the routines of her everyday life at this idyllic Hampshire cottage. Experience life as Austen did herself, as both the notable writer she was, and also the daughter, sister and friend she remained to those closest to her.”

Published by Pitkin, A Jane Austen Year releases March 11, 2025. I was grateful to receive a digital copy in order to review it before its release.

ORDER YOUR COPY HERE

My Review

First of all, this book makes a beautiful addition to your shelves or coffee table if you’re a book collector or if you like to display your Jane Austen books as part of your home, office, or library decor. I also appreciate that it was put together by the people who work at Jane Austen’s House Museum. Many of the photos and insights come directly from Chawton Cottage, where Jane Austen spent the latter years of her life and writing career, and its collections.

As I read through each month’s offerings in A Jane Austen Year, I enjoyed seeing photographs of Jane Austen’s House Museum during every season and reading through the excerpts from Jane Austen’s letters and novels that pertained to that particular month. Of special note are the recipes for meals, vinegars, and salves, sheet music Jane might have played or heard, costume designs for theater productions of the time, gardening notes and illustrations, photos from the collections held at JAHM, as well as snippets from the film adaptations.

Overall, this is a wonderful book to peruse. I look forward to spending a lot more time with it this year. The photographs are stunning and I can’t wait to delve in deeper with the information provided. Now that I’ve read through the entire book, I plan to go through it month by month for the remainder of the year.

Book Excerpt

“This book is written from Jane Austen’s House in Chawton – one of the most important places in the history of English literature and the development of the novel.

“Here, in this inspiring Hampshire cottage, Jane Austen lived for the last eight years of her life. Here, her genius flourished and she wrote, revised and had published all six of her globally beloved novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion.

“Today, Jane Austen’s House is a cherished museum with an unparalleled collection of Austen treasures, including items of furniture, paintings and household objects. Visitors can discover Jane’s personal letters and first editions of her novels, items of jewellery, portraits of her friends and family, and the tiny writing table at which she wrote.

“This book brings together some of the precious fragments of Jane Austen’s life story, along with world events that shaped her life and understanding, extracts from her novels and letters, and a range of extraordinary objects held here in the museum’s collection. Dip into it as you will, or go through month by month and enjoy a full year of Jane Austen: her life and writings, people and objects she knew and, of course, her beautiful, inspiring home.”

Book Description

This beautifully illustrated book charts the life of one of the world’s most beloved authors through the letters, objects, and manuscripts that shaped her life.

Published in partnership with the curators of Jane Austen’s House, the enchanting Hampshire cottage where Jane Austen’s genius flourished that now attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Arranged over the course of a calendar year, from snowy scenes in January to festive recipes in December, specially commissioned photography of Austen’s home and possessions are brought together with extracts from her books, reproductions of her letters, and stories of her life throughout the seasons. Highlights include the first time Austen read a published copy of Pride and Prejudice to an enraptured audience in her drawing room, affectionate letters to her sister Cassandra reproduced in full and an exquisite miniature portrait of Tom Lefroy, the man she nearly married.

Read this book for a unique and intimate insight into Austen’s world. Dip into it as you will, or visit each month, and enjoy a full year of Austen—her life, works and letters, people and objects she knew, and of course her idyllic, inspiring home.

A Jane Austen Year Podcast

Jane Austen’s House has also released a delightful new podcast to accompany the book. There is a new installment each month! You can listen in HERE.

The A Jane Austen Year podcast is a seasonal journey through Jane Austen’s novels, the story of her life and the world she lived in. It is created and recorded at Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, Hampshire – “the most treasured Austen site in the world.”

For those who haven’t listened yet, I must say that I find this podcast absolutely delightful! It is chock-full of wonderful information about Jane Austen, her writing, her family, her world, and Chawton Cottage. The music, narration, and production make this podcast one of the most soothing and gentle podcasts I’ve heard in a long time. I can’t wait for the next installment!

Podcast Details

A Jane Austen Year transports you to Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, the idyllic Hampshire cottage where Jane Austen lived and wrote her globally beloved novels – now a beloved museum.

Each month, join us on a seasonal journey through Jane Austen’s novels, the story of her life and the world she lived in. Discover scenes, letters, recipes, and objects from the museum collection, bound together with readings and sounds recorded in the House itself.

Each episode is recorded by the people who work at Jane Austen’s House, caring for this special place and protecting it for future generations. January, for example, is voiced by: Lizzie Dunford, Jenny Durrant, Jessica Halmshaw, Amelia Harvell,Sophie Reynolds, Rebecca Wood – with a guest appearance by Dominic Gerrard.

I highly recommend both the book and the podcast. If I could travel to Chawton again this summer, that would be the pinnacle of my Jane Austen year, but these new productions are an absolute gift from Jane Austen’s House Museum. I’m sure it’s been a massive undertaking, and I am grateful!

RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, speaks at libraries, teas, and conferences, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling and award-winning author of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional, The Little Women Devotional, The Secret Garden Devotional, and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. A true kindred spirit at heart, Rachel loves books, bonnets, and ballgowns. Visit her online at www.RachelDodge.com.

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Book Review: Jane Austen Visual Encyclopedia

Posted in 250th Anniversary of Jane Austen, Book review, Georgian London, Inspired by Jane Austen, Jane Austen Films, Jane Austen in the modern world, Jane Austen Novels, Jane Austen's enduring popularity, Jane Austen's Influences, Jane Austen's life, Jane Austen's World, Popular culture, Regency Life on February 20, 2025| 5 Comments »

One of the most beautiful new books available for Jane Austen fans this year is the Jane Austen: Visual Encyclopedia by French authors Claire Saim and Gwen Giret. With sumptuous artwork throughout and gorgeous illustrations by Sophie Koechlin, this is one of the most extensive catalogs of the Jane Austen fandom I’ve seen in recent years.

It’s a showstopper and conversation-starter that you’ll want to keep on your coffee table indefinitely. While the sticker price is a bit steep (currently on sale on Amazon), this beautiful book is an investment many Jane Austen fans and book collectors will want to make. 

Available Now
Order HERE

Book Review

As I explored this gorgeous new collectible book, I felt as though I was immersed in the entire world of Austen’s life, novels, and film adaptations. It’s a rich compilation of all-things-Austen for the dedicated Austen fan. It’s a one-stop book for everything you could ever hope to know about Austen, and it’s rare to see so many photos, articles, and illustrations in one place. It is not a scholarly book or a research tool, as it sticks more to the more popular aspects of Austen’s legacy, but it is delightful all the same.

Most of all, this book provides an expansive introduction to the enduring popularity of Jane Austen. It makes a wonderful gift for new Austen fans who have recently discovered the films or books. For fans of the film adaptations, it has many interesting tidbits about the various films throughout.

This is the book I would have wanted to read in college or in my grad school years when my Austen addiction truly took hold of me. I read dozens of books about her and watched as many documentaries as I could find during my early “Jane years,” but this has everything in one place.

Lastly, I cannot say enough about the actual look and feel of this book. When it arrived, wrapped in plastic, I was impressed. Once I opened it, it was even more stunning than I expected. It has a nice heavy feel to it, but you can still hold it comfortably in your lap, unlike larger coffee-table books. It’s definitely a book people will pick up if they see it displayed, which is what I’m planning to do!

Book Description

From her beloved family and her romantic escapades to her literary adventures and her enduring popular culture influence, experience the life and legacy of Jane Austen in this full-colour, beautifully illustrated, definitive 312-page encyclopedia.

Bursting with over 200 photographs and illustrations, explore Jane Austen’s work, which consists of six completed novels, two incomplete novels, letters and early writings. From the written word to the screen, from adaptations to secrets and filming locations, this book invites you on a fascinating journey of discovery through Austen’s writing.

Want to walk in the footsteps of Jane Austen, dressing in Regency style or simply enjoying a delicious afternoon tea? This coffee-table book features a beautiful gold-foiled cover and is perfect gift for fans of Jane Austen, her works and their enduring legacy.

Book Outline:

  • PART 1: Jane Austen, a woman of her time
    • Essays on Jane Austen, her family, friends and potential lovers
    • Illustrations and photos from across Jane’s beloved England
    • Researchers discuss Jane Austen’s appearance
  • PART II: The world of Jane Austen
    • A complete chronology of Jane Austen’s work
    • The historical and fictional backgrounds to iconic characters such as Elizabeth Bennet, the Dashwoods, and Mr Darcy
    • Filming locations and production secrets from over 30 adaptations
    • The unfinished novels and how they were eventually published
    • Expert analysis of early works and other writings
  • PART III: Jane Austen’s legacy
    • A comprehensive guide to the best Austen festivals
    • Details on the famous museums and collections dedicated to Jane Austen
    • From postage stamps to Funko-Pops Jane’s indelible influence

About the Authors

This book was lovingly compiled by Claire Saim and Gwen Giret (French authors), Sophie Koechlin (illustrator, French writer, painter & designer, and Hermès scarf designer), Lizzie Dunford (contributor and current Director at Jane Austen’s House Museum), and Helen Moss (translator).

Claire Saim, deeply in love with everything English, from literature to history and culture – including scones, obviously – she has been a devoted Janeite for many years. Always looking around Paris in search of whatever could be a reminder of her dear Great Britain, she shares her adventures on Instagram @jane_austen_france_. Based in France.

Gwen Giret, Jane Austen is a long-time passion of hers which led her to create a blog titled Jane Austen and her world. Her favourite things include travelling through the Pride and Prejudice author’s footsteps, reading all about Captain Wentworth and eating tons of clotted cream. Based in France.

Book Interior

If you’d like to take a tour of the interior of the book, you can watch this lovely video posted by the Jane Austen Centre: 

Celebrating 250 Years of Jane

This book is a true testament to Austen’s timelessness and enduring legacy. Her life and work only become more popular with each passing year. It’s a comfort for many Austen fans to read about her life or sit down with one of her novels and slip into her world.

As we work our way through the many new books released and releasing in honor of Jane Austen’s 250th year, there is so much more to come! We have books to read and new shows to watch. What could be more delightful than a Year of Austen in books and on screen?

RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, speaks at libraries, teas, and conferences, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling author of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional, The Little Women Devotional, The Secret Garden Devotional, and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. A true kindred spirit at heart, Rachel loves books, bonnets, and ballgowns! You can visit her online at www.RachelDodge.com or on Instagram @KindredSpiritBooks.

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Jane Austen’s Bookshelf

Posted in 250th Anniversary of Jane Austen, Book review, Books Jane Austen Read, Jane Austen's Influences, Jane Austen's World, Pride and Prejudice Review, What Jane Austen Read on January 20, 2025| 7 Comments »

In honor of our year-long celebration of 250 years of Jane Austen’s life and novels, I have compiled a list of new books you can add to your personal library each month. My selection this month is a much-anticipated book by Rebecca Romney, rare book specialist, titled Jane Austen’s Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector’s Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend.

Romney’s new book provides Janeites with a brand-new perspective on the female authors Jane Austen would have read during her lifetime. The very fact that Romney is a rare book specialist caught my eye! While many of the authors she highlights are known to us, this book takes a deeper look at their works and the reasons why their novels are unknown to the general public.

Release Date: February 18, 2025
Pre-order: HERE

Book Description

From rare book dealer and guest star of the hit show Pawn Stars Rebecca Romney comes a page-turning literary adventure that introduces readers to the women writers who inspired Jane Austen—and investigates why their books have disappeared from our shelves.

Long before she was a rare book dealer, Rebecca Romney was a devoted reader of Jane Austen. She loved that Austen’s books took the lives of women seriously, explored relationships with wit and confidence, and always, allowed for the possibility of a happy ending. She read and reread them, often wishing Austen wrote just one more.

But Austen wasn’t a lone genius. She wrote at a time of great experimentation for women writers—and clues about those women, and the exceptional books they wrote, are sprinkled like breadcrumbs throughout Austen’s work. Every character in Northanger Abbey who isn’t a boor sings the praises of Ann Radcliffe. The play that causes such a stir in Mansfield Park is a real one by the playwright Elizabeth Inchbald. In fact, the phrase “pride and prejudice” came from Frances Burney’s second novel Cecilia. The women that populated Jane Austen’s bookshelf profoundly influenced her work; Austen looked up to them, passionately discussed their books with her friends, and used an appreciation of their books as a litmus test for whether someone had good taste. So where had these women gone? Why hadn’t Romney—despite her training—ever read them? Or, in some cases, even heard of them? And why were they no longer embraced as part of the wider literary canon?

Jane Austen’s Bookshelf investigates the disappearance of Austen’s heroes—women writers who were erased from the Western canon—to reveal who they were, what they meant to Austen, and how they were forgotten. Each chapter profiles a different writer including Frances Burney, Ann Radcliffe, Charlotte Lennox, Charlotte Smith, Hannah More, Elizabeth Inchbald, Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi, and Maria Edgeworth—and recounts Romney’s experience reading them, finding rare copies of their works, and drawing on connections between their words and Austen’s. Romney collects the once-famed works of these forgotten writers, physically recreating Austen’s bookshelf and making a convincing case for why these books should be placed back on the to-be-read pile of all book lovers today. Jane Austen’s Bookshelf will encourage you to look beyond assigned reading lists, question who decides what belongs there, and build your very own collection of favorite novels.

About the Author

Rebecca Romney is a rare book dealer and the cofounder of Type Punch Matrix, a rare book company based in Washington, DC. She is the rare books specialist on the HISTORY Channel’s show Pawn Stars, and the cofounder of the Honey & Wax Book Collecting Prize. She is a generalist rare book dealer, handling works in all fields, from first editions of Jane Austen to science fiction paperbacks. Romney is the author of Printer’s Error: Irreverent Stories from Book History (with JP Romney)and The Romance Novel in English: A Survey in Rare Books, 1769­–1999. Her work as a bookseller or writer has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Forbes, Variety, The Paris Review, and more. In 2019, she was featured in the documentary on the rare book trade, The Booksellers. She is on the Board of the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA) and the faculty of the Antiquarian Book Seminar (CABS-Minnesota).

Expertise In Rare Books

Rebecca Romney has been in the rare book trade since 2007, when she was hired by Bauman Rare Books for their new location in Las Vegas. In 2010, she became manager of that gallery. She eventually moved to Philadelphia to manage the central operations of the firm, where she also handled the acquisition of libraries and oversaw catalogue production. After a stint at the Brooklyn-based Honey & Wax Booksellers (where she co-founded a book collecting prize), she founded her own rare book firm, Type Punch Matrix.

Rebecca is on the board of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA), the Council of the Bibliographical Society of America (BSA), and on the board and faculty of the Antiquarian Book Seminars. She is a member of the Grolier Club, the Association Internationale de Bibliophilie (AIB), the American Antiquarian Society (AAS), and the Baker Street Irregulars (BSI).

January New Release

While you’re waiting for Rebecca’s new book to arrive, if you’re looking for something brand-new for January, look no further!

Canterbury Classics released a refreshed Word Cloud Classics edition of Pride and Prejudice just last week. Featuring colorful sprayed edges and a heat-burnished cover with foil stamping, this edition of Pride and Prejudice is a stylish addition to your bookshelves!

Jane Austen Must-Reads for 2025

This is just the start of a wonderful journey. Many authors and publishers are coming out with new projects this year to celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th year. I am excited to explore all the options, learn a lot more about Austen, and expand my library this year. If I could attend some of the events in England this year, I would, but until then, I’ll live vicariously through online events and new books! What are you looking forward to most during this year-long celebration?

RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, speaks at libraries, teas, and conferences, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling author of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional, The Little Women Devotional, The Secret Garden Devotional, and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. A true kindred spirit at heart, Rachel loves books, bonnets, and ballgowns! You can visit her online at www.RachelDodge.com or on Instagram @KindredSpiritBooks.

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