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Archive for the ‘Jane Austen’s life’ Category

Jane Austen’s Social Life: Steventon Friends and Neighbors (Part 2)

Posted in Jane Austen Early Life, Jane Austen's family, Jane Austen's Influences, Jane Austen's life, Jane Austen's World, Steventon on September 14, 2026| 1 Comment »

Austen’s first inner circle was found with her family at home, at the Rectory in Steventon (see previous article). But the families who lived nearby in her immediate neighborhood and beyond, formed another kind of community—especially as she grew older. She was surrounded by friendships that became a meaningful part of her life, well into adulthood.

We know Austen dearly loved to “collect” people together in her novels and arrange them in a specific way within a specific location. She called it the “delight” of her life. In a letter to Anna Austen, she said, “Three or four families in a country village is the very thing to work on, and I hope you will do a great deal more, and make full use of them while they are so very favourably arranged. (Austen, Letter to Anna Austen, 9 Sept. 1814)

It’s intriguing to consider the “three or four families” Austen enjoyed mingling with in her everyday life. Let’s find out a bit more about the people in Austen’s personal “village,” and consider how they might have inspired her writing.

Thomas Rowlandson drawing of an afternoon tea visit
Afternoon tea, Thomas Rowlandson. Image in the public domain.

Steventon Neighbors

During the Steventon years, the Austens enjoyed a wide social circle in the Steventon and Deane parishes and the surrounding areas. Jane’s world extended well beyond the rectory as she grew older, and it included family friends, neighbors, local clergy and gentry, and several lifelong companions.

These main families included in this article are the Digweed family, the Harwood family, the Lefroy family, the Lloyd family, the Bigg-Wither family, and the Fowle family. There were many others, but these are some of the families that played a role in the Austen family life and home as Jane was growing up. Many of the children of these families remained friends of hers well into adulthood.

Steventon Rectory. Image Wikimedia Commons
Steventon Rectory. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

Digweed Family (Steventon Manor)

The Digweeds were the Austens’ nearest genteel neighbours during Jane’s Steventon years. They rented Steventon Manor, directly across the lane from the rectory and church, from Thomas Knight and later from his heir, Jane’s brother Edward Austen Knight. The family had five sons, John, Harry, James, William, and Francis, who were close in age to several of the Austen children (Le Faye; St Nicholas Church, Steventon).

Their proximity created a long-lasting friendship between the two families. The Austen and Digweed young people shared the joys and obligations of country life, including dinners, balls, card parties, riding, parish concerns, and visits. The Digweeds appear repeatedly in Jane’s correspondence over the years as evidence of the family ties (Le Faye; “Jane Austen’s Friends: The Digweeds”). James Digweed later became the curate at Steventon in 1798, extending the connection between the two families even further (“Portrait Miniatures”; Le Faye).

Three portrait miniatures of the Digweed Family now feature at Jane Austen’s House Museum of Francis William Digweed, James Digweed, and Mary-Susannah Digweed, nee Lyford. They were done in 1811 and are described thus:

Three oval portrait miniatures, painted in watercolour, gouache and bodycolour on ivory. They depict Francis William Digweed, James Digweed, and his wife, Mary-Susannah Lyford. The portraits are mounted in rectangular frames, wood painted black with a decorative hanging device. (“Portrait Miniatures”)

“Portrait Miniatures,” Jane Austen’s House.

Harwood Family (Deane House)

Deane House, only a short distance from Steventon, was home to the Harwoods, a well-established landed family whose household formed part of the Austens’ wider local world. Jane knew the family from childhood, and John Harwood appears in her letters in connection with visits, balls, and other gatherings—evidence of the easy social life that existed between the Rectory and Deane House (“John Harwood”).

The Harwoods also illustrate how closely the neighboring families were interconnected. Charles Harwood married Eliza Terry (another neighbor), while Eliza’s sister Jane married Harry Digweed. Such marriages helped bind together the households Jane knew at Deane, Steventon, and Ashe. These intertwined family networks created exactly the kind of “three or four families in a country village” that Austen later recommended to Anna. (Le Faye)

Deane House

Lefroy Family (Ashe Rectory)

Ashe Rectory, only about two miles from Steventon, was home to the Reverend Isaac Peter George Lefroy, his wife Anne, and their family. Anne Lefroy was a poet, hostess, philanthropist, and a cherished friend and formative influence on Jane; they first met when Jane was eleven (Jane Austen’s House, “Room 2”).

The two households met often within the social world of Ashe, which included the Austens, Bigg-Withers, Digweeds, Terrys, and others (Jenkins; Le Faye). During Tom Lefroy’s visit to his aunt and uncle at Ashe in the winter of 1795–96, Jane and Tom apparently danced and flirted (Austen, Letters).

Sadly, Anne Lefroy’s accidental death from a tragic fall from her horse on 16 December 1804 (Jane’s twenty-ninth birthday) was a painful loss to Jane and the Austen family. Jane later commemorated her life in the poem, “To the Memory of Mrs. Lefroy” (“Obituary for Mrs Anne Lefroy”).

Ashe Rectory. Illustration by Ellen Hill. Jane Austen’s House.

Lloyd Family (Deane Parsonage and Ibthorpe)

After the death of the Reverend Noyes Lloyd in 1789, his widow and their daughters, Mary and Martha, rented Deane Parsonage from George Austen. The Lloyds quickly became part of the Austens’ closest circle; Mary later married Jane’s eldest brother, James, while Martha became one of Jane and Cassandra’s most enduring companions (Jane Austen’s House, “Room 3”; “Martha Lloyd”).

Jane’s own description of Martha as a “friend and sister under every circumstance” conveys the depth of that bond (Austen, Letters; Jane Austen’s House, “Room 3”). After Mrs. Lloyd’s death in 1805, Martha joined the Austen women in Bath. She moved with them to Southampton and then to Chawton Cottage in 1809 (Jane Austen’s House, “A Timeline”). Much later, in 1828, she married Jane’s brother Frank, which provided a wonderful continuation of their lifelong friendship (Jane Austen’s House, “Room 3”; “A Timeline”).

Ibthorpe, Photo by Rachel Dodge.

Bigg-Wither Family (Manydown Park)

The Bigg-Withers family of Manydown Park belonged to the landed-gentry circle that welcomed Jane and Cassandra as frequent visitors. Jane was particularly close to the Bigg sisters, Alethea and Elizabeth, and her letters indicate a friendship that included shared reading, plenty of witty commentary, and the delightful intimacies of a long acquaintance with dear friends (Kaplan; Honan).

Manydown is most remembered because, while visiting in December 1802, Jane accepted an offer of marriage from the family’s son and heir, Harris Bigg-Wither, then withdrew her acceptance the following day (Honan; Duckworth). Though a marriage to Harris would have provided material security, Jane could not go through with it (Honan; Jane Austen’s House, “A Timeline”).

18th century engraving of Manydown Park
18th century engraving of Manydown Park. Wikipedia Commons.

Fowle Family (Kintbury)

The Fowle family’s connection to the Austens began in the Steventon rectory school. Tom Fowle, later Cassandra Austen’s fiancé, was a pupil of George Austen, as was his brother Fulwar; the school placed the Fowle family within the Austens’ social circle long before Cassandra’s engagement to Tom (Harris; Hussain, “The Boys”).

Cassandra and Tom’s marriage was delayed because he lacked a living sufficient to support a household (Harris; Jane Austen’s House, “A Timeline”). In 1796, Tom travelled to the Caribbean as private chaplain, but he died of yellow fever at sea in February 1797 before the couple could marry (Harris; Jane Austen’s House, “A Timeline”). Tom’s death shaped Cassandra’s life in many ways, and the Fowles remained connected to the Austens for years (Harris; Jane Austen’s House, “Jane Austen’s Family”). The Fowle family lived at the vicarage in Kintbury, West Berkshire, a setting later reimagined in Gill Hornby’s novel Miss Austen.

Kintbury Vicarage, British Listed Buildings.

More to Learn

This is only a brief snapshot of a handful of the families Austen socialized with when she lived at Steventon. One could spend endless amounts of time learning more about these wonderful families and their connection to the Austens. I highly recommend reading: Deborah Kaplan’s article, “Jane Austen and the Bigg Sisters,” as well as the other Persuasions articles listed in the Works Cited below.

Though Austen’s novels were not autobiographical, it’s intriguing to consider how the families she knew and loved might have influenced the way Austen arranged her characters. It’s clear from her own life that Austen enjoyed a bustling household and a busy social life, with plenty of friends and neighbors in the surrounding area.

Rachel Dodge teaches writing classes, speaks at libraries, teas, and conferences, and writes for Jane Austen’s World. She is the bestselling, award-winning author of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional, Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen, the Praying with Jane Audiobook with actress Amanda Root, and other classics-based devotional books. Her newest release, A Christmas Carol Devotional, is now available! A true kindred spirit at heart, Rachel loves books, bonnets, and ballgowns. Visit her online at www.RachelDodge.com.

Works Cited

Austen, Jane. Letters of Jane Austen. Various eds., including Brabourne and later selections; see especially letters dated 14–15 Jan. 1796 and those referring to the Bigg and Lloyd families.

Duckworth, Alistair M. “Jane Austen’s Accommodations.” Persuasions, no. 7, Jane Austen Society of North America.

Harris, Jocelyn. “Jane Austen’s Real and Imagined Characters.” Persuasions On-Line, vol. 35, no. 1, 2014, Jane Austen Society of North America, jasna.org/persuasions/on-line/vol35no1/harris.html.

Honan, Park. “Jane Austen’s Manydown Proposal.” Persuasions, no. 10, 1988, Jane Austen Society of North America, jasna.org/persuasions/printed/number10/honan.htm.

Hussain, Hafsa. “The Boys at Steventon: Mr. Austen’s Students, 1773–1796.” Persuasions On-Line, vol. 44, no. 1, 2023, Jane Austen Society of North America, jasna.org/assets/Persuasions-On-Line/Vol44-No1/Hussain-2/Hussain_The-Boys-at-Steventon-Mr-Austens-Students.pdf.

Jane Austen’s House. “A Timeline of Jane Austen’s Life and Works.” 23 Oct. 2023, janeaustens.house/jane-austen/timeline/.

Jane Austen’s House. “Jane Austen’s Family.” 7 Jan. 2026, janeaustens.house/jane-austen/family/.

Jane Austen’s House. “Letter from Jane Austen to Cassandra Austen, 14–15 January 1796.” 27 Mar. 2025, janeaustens.house/object/letter-from-jane-austen-to-cassandra-austen-14-15-january-1796/.

Jane Austen’s House. “Obituary for Mrs Anne Lefroy, 21 December 1804.” 27 Mar. 2025, janeaustens.house/object/obituary-for-mrs-anne-lefroy-21-december-1804/.

Jane Austen’s House. “Portrait Miniatures of the Digweed Family.” 26 June 2024, janeaustens.house/object/digweed-family-portrait-miniatures/.

Jane Austen’s House. “Room 2: Mrs Leigh-Perrot, Madam Lefroy, Anne Sharp.” 26 Feb. 2025, janeaustens.house/online-exhibition/obstinate-headstrong-girls/obstinate-headstrong-girls-room-2/.

Jane Austen’s House. “Room 3: Martha Lloyd, Miss Austen and Mrs Austen.” 22 Aug. 2025, janeaustens.house/online-exhibition/obstinate-headstrong-girls/obstinate-headstrong-girls-room-3/.

Jenkins, Jennifer. “The Letters of Mrs Lefroy: Jane Austen’s Beloved Friend.” Persuasions On-Line, Summer 2008, Jane Austen Society of North America, jasna.org/publications-2/book-reviews/summer-2008/the-letters-of-mrs-lefroy-jane-austens-beloved-friend/.

Kaplan, Deborah. “Jane Austen and the Bigg Sisters.” Persuasions, no. 10, 1988, Jane Austen Society of North America, jasna.org/persuasions/printed/number10/kaplan.htm.

Le Faye, Deirdre. “Three or Four Families: Suggestions for New Directions in Biographical Research.” Persuasions On-Line, vol. 30, no. 2, Spring 2010, Jane Austen Society of North America, jasna.org/persuasions/on-line/vol30no2/lefaye.html.

“John Harwood.” Jane Austen’s World, 29 May 2024, janeaustensworld.com/tag/john-harwood/.

“Jane Austen’s Friends: The Digweeds.” Jane Austen Quickstep Travel Guide, 2 Mar. 2025, janeaustenquickstepguide.com/janes-friends-the-digweeds/.

St Nicholas Church, Steventon. “Inside the Church—The Nave.” Steventon Parish, steventonhants.org.uk/snguide/insidechurch.html.

 

 

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Book Review: Jane Austen in 41 Objects

Posted in 250th Anniversary of Jane Austen, Book review, Inspired by Jane Austen, Jane Austen Resources, Jane Austen's enduring popularity, Jane Austen's family, Jane Austen's life, Jane Austen's World on July 14, 2025| 2 Comments »

As we continue our tour of new books and media for Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary celebration, my choice this month is the much-anticipated Jane Austen in 41 Objects by Kathryn Sutherland. This extensive new “biography” features the beloved 41 Objects from the Jane Austen Museum, along with beautiful photographs and in-depth information about each item in the collection.

“Jane Austen’s House holds an unparalleled collection of objects relating to Jane Austen’s life and works, her family circle and her legacy. Here you can see some of the treasures of the collection, ranging from books and letters to pieces of furniture, clothing and paintings. Many of these objects can be seen in the House . . .” (Jane Austen’s House)

ORDER YOURS HERE

Book Review

For those who have had the opportunity to visit Jane Austen’s House Museum, many can attest that it’s hard to take everything in during a tour of the house. This book provides a closer look at each object in greater details. I was quite intrigued by the items and information I had missed during my visits over the years and from my searches online. For those who have not yet visited JAHM, this is the perfect book for your shelves! It gives Jane Austen fans a wonderful glimpse into the collection of objects often on display there, collecting them all in on place.

This book provides the perfect “virtual tour” because there’s so much more in the book than you can find online or in person. This book is also much more thorough in its explanation of and historic information about each of the 41 objects than anything I have seen. For instance, reading about the Jane Austen plate was brand-new to me.

What’s more, I believe that this book provides information about objects that may not currently be on view at the museum. I don’t think all 41 objects are always available to the public in one place. If memory serves, some objects move here and there to other exhibits, so again, seeing it all in one place is quite impressive and educational.

Jane Ausen’s Writing Desk

Book Description

Jane Austen in 41 Objects by Kathryn Sutherland is a new kind of biography on Jane Austen examining the objects she encountered during her life alongside newer memorabilia inspired by the life she lived.

More than two hundred years after Jane Austen’s death at the age of just forty-one, we are still looking for clues about this extraordinary writer’s life. What might we learn if we take a glimpse inside the biographies of objects that crossed her path in life and afterward: things that she cherished or cast aside, that furnished the world in which she moved, or that have themselves been inspired by her legacy?

Among objects described in this book are a teenage notebook, a muslin shawl, a wallpaper fragment, a tea caddy, the theatrical poster for a play she attended, and the dining-room grate at Chawton Cottage where she lived. Poignantly, the last manuscript page of her unfinished novel and a lock of hair, kept by her devoted sister, Cassandra, are also featured. Objects contributing to Austen’s rich cultural legacy include a dinner plate decorated by Bloomsbury artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, Grayson Perry’s commemorative pot from 2009, and even Mr Darcy’s wet shirt, worn by Colin Firth in the 1995 BBC adaptation.

This is a different kind of biography, in which objects with their own histories offer shifting entry points into Jane Austen’s life. Each object, illustrated in color, invites us to meet Austen at a particular moment when her life intersects with theirs, speaking eloquently of past lives and shedding new light on one of our best-loved authors.

Featured Objects

Sutherland provides a tour of all 41 objects with photographs and information about each one. This truly does gives the reader more time to examine and take a thorough look at each object. Though one could find many of these objects online, it’s much easier to study them in a book format.

Marianne Knight’s Dancing Slippers

About the Author

Kathryn Sutherland is a trustee of Jane Austen’s House and Professor of English and Senior Research Fellow, St. Anne’s College, Oxford. Her publications include Jane Austen’s Textual Lives: from Aeschylus to Bollywood (2005), the online edition of Jane Austen’s Fiction Manuscripts (2010), and Jane Austen’s Fiction Manuscripts (5 vols, 2018). Other edited works include: James Edward Austen-Leigh, A Memoir of Jane Austen and Other Family Recollections (2002) and Jane Austen, Teenage Writings (2017).

During the 200th anniversary year of Austen’s death, she curated two major exhibitions: “The Mysterious Miss Austen,” in Winchester, Hampshire, and “Which Jane Austen?” at the Bodleian Library, Oxford. She wrote essays for and edited the accompanying exhibition book, Jane Austen: Writer in the World (2017).

Celebrating 250 Years

This collection is another wonderful product of the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth and the celebrations happening worldwide all year long. I’m thankful that Kathryn Sutherland, Jane Austen’s House, and Bodleian Library Publishing, Oxford made it possible for Jane Austen fans to have access to these artifacts in book form. If you really want to “geek out,” this is the book for you!

ORDER YOUR COPY HERE

RACHEL DODGE teaches writing 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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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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