Jane Austen's World: The Life and Times of England's Most Popular Author [Hardcover]

Maggie Lane (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of the most popular novelists in the English language and her work is more popular today than ever before. The wit and romance of her writing captivate television and cinema audiences worldwide, while boosting the readership of the novels themselves. In an age when attention spans are low and fast, furious action drama overwhelms television and movie audiences, the sheer romance of Jane Austen adaptations has continued to prove itself at awards ceremonies. But who was Jane Austen and what sort of world did she inhabit? Maggie Lane, a respected Austen authority and a committee member of the Jane Austen Society, takes a look at the historical and social period in which Jane Austen was writing ? a time when England was developing into a colonial power, while George III sank into madness and the Regency took hold. Elsewhere, the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars raged and the New World was developing.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Maggie Lane's previous books include Jane Austen's Family, Jane Austen's World, and Jane Austen and Regency Bath.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Adams Media Corporation (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558507485
• ISBN-13: 978-1558507487
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #823,350 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect gift for any Jane Austen fan., September 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Jane Austen's World: The Life and Times of England's Most Popular Author (Hardcover)

Having bought the book based on its shelf appeal--particularly the full-color stills from my favorite movie adaptations of Austen's novels and the lush photography of England--I was thrilled to find much more information than I expected. From the "Who Is Jane Austen" chapter, with its concise yet thorough biography and family history of Jane, to the "Everyday Life" and "Society and Culture" chapters, this book provides today's reader with the historical/cultural/social backdrop of Jane's novels. Chapters are divided into sub-topics, and each sub-topic fits perfectly into a two-page spread. This was especially appealing because if I had only five or ten minutes to spare for reading, it was easy to find a logical stopping place. This book re-ignited my love for Jane Austen and her characters--and I'm planning to read through all five novels again very soon.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, informative, good introduction, February 15, 2001

By 

A. Woodley "Patroness, Janeites, the Austen list" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jane Austen's World: The Life and Times of England's Most Popular Author (Hardcover)

I think Maggie Lane has done an absolutely wonderful job on this Austen collection. It is beautifully illustrated, well set out and a perfect introduction to Austen especially for those fans who have to her through the recent popularity of her books from the movies and telly series.

It is a hard cover coffee table sized book so its not something you take to bed with you, quite slim but packed full of good material. It is divided into five chapters which cover everything from Jane Austen the person, to daily life in Regency England and the film adaptations. Each chapter is subdivided into smaller sections which are really just double page spreads on a particular subject. Don't expect an indepth analysis of any particular subject but do expect a very competent summary.

Lane includes an Austen chronology of Austen's life - useful and easy to read. The only real objection I have is that many of the pictures used in here are not titled and it is difficult to find out who drew them - the illustrations index in the back is quite small and cluttered.

For those of you who are thinking of buying this book second hand, watch out you don't confuse this book with Lane's earlier work on Austen's life. It is an smaller book and is more of an autobiography tracing her life and travels.

In short - a really enjoyable book.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gentle Persuasion..., November 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Jane Austen's World: The Life and Times of England's Most Popular Author (Hardcover)

Before discovering Jane Austen's World on the shelf at our local library, I was convinced Jane Austen was an acquired taste for the mature biblophile. (Imagine that!) Since I wasn't planning on reading her novels, I thought I should at least know a bit about her life, and such was my reason for taking J. A. World home that day. Not only did it permit me a glimpse of her life, but it painted a fascinating picture of her times. The synopsis of each novel left just enough untold to persuade me to read it for myself. Of course on my next visit to the library, I pulled her novels off the shelf and read them too!