The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen: Volume V: Northanger Abbey and Persuasion [Hardcover]

Jane Austen (Author), R. W. Chapman (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 17, 1988

This is part of a complete set of Jane Austen's novels collating the editions published during the author's lifetime and previously unpublished manuscripts. The books are illustrated with 19th century plates and incorporate revisions by experts in the light of subsequent research. The set consists of "Pride and Prejudice", "Sense and Sensibility", "Mansfield Park", "Northanger Abbey" and "Persuasion", "Emma" and "Minor Works".

Product Details

• Hardcover: 348 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 3 edition (November 17, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192547054
• ISBN-13: 978-0192547057
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #789,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Though the domain of Jane Austen's novels was as circumscribed as her life, her caustic wit and keen observation made her the equal of the greatest novelists in any language. Born the seventh child of the rector of Steventon, Hampshire, on December 16, 1775, she was educated mainly at home. At an early age she began writing sketches and satires of popular novels for her family's entertainment. As a clergyman's daughter from a well-connected family, she had an ample opportunity to study the habits of the middle class, the gentry, and the aristocracy. At twenty-one, she began a novel called "The First Impressions" an early version of Pride and Prejudice. In 1801, on her father's retirement, the family moved to the fashionable resort of Bath. Two years later she sold the first version of Northanger Abby to a London publisher, but the first of her novels to appear was Sense and Sensibility, published at her own expense in 1811. It was followed by Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1815). After her father died in 1805, the family first moved to Southampton then to Chawton Cottage in Hampshire. Despite this relative retirement, Jane Austen was still in touch with a wider world, mainly through her brothers; one had become a very rich country gentleman, another a London banker, and two were naval officers. Though her many novels were published anonymously, she had many early and devoted readers, among them the Prince Regent and Sir Walter Scott. In 1816, in declining health, Austen wrote Persuasion and revised Northanger Abby, Her last work, Sandition, was left unfinished at her death on July 18, 1817. She was buried in Winchester Cathedral. Austen's identity as an author was announced to the world posthumously by her brother Henry, who supervised the publication of Northanger Abby and Persuasion in 1818.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The irony!, October 11, 2001

By 

Carolyn (Lafayette, LA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen: Volume V: Northanger Abbey and Persuasion (Hardcover)

Northanger Abbey was a very entertaining novel. The heroine, Catherine Morland, is a very mediocre but charming girl whose only wish in life is to have an exciting Gothic adventure, which of course will end up with herself saving the day. Like Austen's other work, it is entertainingly ironic, mainly due to the idea that throughout the entire story, Catherine creates the most Gothic of Gothic mysteries out of a situation that is completely normal. Catherine's innocence and amiability are completely captivating, proving that a good heroine need not be particularly witty or mysterious or in any way alluring. It is, on the whole, a very light, entertaining novel.
Persuasion is also very entertaining, but it has a more solid conflict. The heroine, Anne Elliot, is a really wonderful person, which irritatingly is only apparent to the reader and one or two other characters. Anne faces a dreadful situation when she is confronted by her former fiance, whom she chucked on the mistaken advice of her best friend, but still loves deeply. Personally, I was really in suspense nearly the entire time as to how it would turn out, because the entrance of Anne's cousin, Mr. Elliot, hints at an attachment with him. It' s a well-written and of course ironic and well worth reading if you remotely enjoy Austen's style.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The irony!, October 11, 2001

By 

Carolyn (Lafayette, LA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen: Volume V: Northanger Abbey and Persuasion (Hardcover)

Northanger Abbey was a very entertaining novel. The heroine, Catherine Morland, is a very mediocre but charming girl whose only wish in life is to have an exciting Gothic adventure, which of course will end up with herself saving the day. Like Austen's other work, it is entertainingly ironic, mainly due to the idea that throughout the entire story, Catherine creates the most Gothic of Gothic mysteries out of a situation that is completely normal. Catherine's innocence and amiability are completely captivating, proving that a good heroine need not be particularly witty or mysterious or in any way alluring. It is, on the whole, a very light, entertaining novel.
Persuasion is also very entertaining, but it has a more solid conflict. The heroine, Anne Elliot, is a really wonderful person, which irritatingly is only apparent to the reader and one or two other characters. Anne faces a dreadful situation when she is confronted by her former fiance, whom she chucked on the mistaken advice of her best friend, but still loves deeply. Personally, I was really in suspense nearly the entire time as to how it would turn out, because the entrance of Anne's cousin, Mr. Elliot, hints at an attachment with him. It' s a well-written and of course ironic and well worth reading if you remotely enjoy Austen's style.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars hand which guided the pen now mouldering in the grave, September 10, 2008

By 

amania "bingereader" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen: Volume V: Northanger Abbey and Persuasion (Hardcover)

I particularly like this version for the Biographical Notice of The Author written in 1817 after the death of Jane Austen.The writer of these notes (Chapman??) praises her as never harshly judging another person. My opinion is that she lets her characters speak for themselves-good or not so good.Also thought the last line very interesting as it gives insight into the religious thought of the times "and her opinions accorded strictly with those of our Established Church"