One of the notable facts about Jane Austen's life is Jane Austen's death. She was 41 years, 7 months and 2 days old. She died July 18 1817 after an extended period of feeling ill and weak, and then a rather fast progression toward death. Not only is Austen's life full of medical facts and... Continue Reading →
If you're like me, it's not just Jane Austen that gets your engine going. Chances are, you're a general fan of history, particularly those bits of history orbitting the Georgian and Regency Eras. So for this post, I'm keepin' it short and sweet and providing you with a quick list of some of the podcasts... Continue Reading →
Servants. They are the shadowy shapes lingering at the edges of Austen's scenes but rarely given more than the briefest of lines. The Longbourn housekeeper and manservant are perhaps the most active of any of Austen's servants, having a major role in the last chapters when Lydia's elopement is in its crisis. It is the... Continue Reading →
(Image of Bombay harbor during the time of the East India Company) Another brilliant gem from the mines of Paula Byrne's The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things is the story of Jane's aunt Philadelphia. If you'd prefer to get right to the core, here's an article from The Guardian reviewing a book... Continue Reading →
For those who have spent even a little time delving into Austen's life, it comes as no surprise to hear that she had family connections and acquaintances that spanned to the highest reaches of British Society in the Georgian and Regency periods. Best known of course is how greatly she was admired by the Prince... Continue Reading →
I have recently been looking for ways to expand my Austen obsessionism, though I have (ironically for one who has written a book of the same) struggled to find fan fiction I enjoy as much as the originals. About a year ago, I downloaded Persuasion only to discover myself listening to a dramatised scene in... Continue Reading →
While I don't frequently read Jane Austen fan-fiction (a gross lapse in my community membership, I know), I will say that Barron's murder-mysteries were the first I came across some twenty years ago while working at a bookstore during college, and they continue to be the ones I trun to when I need a fresh... Continue Reading →
Ok, I haven't forgotten dear Emma, but it's been a busy time! Nonetheless, let's jump back into this question of the Bates' - no, not the murderous son/cross-dressing mother impersonator. But the very best Miss Bates there could ever be. In truth, the competition with this one is a close one, and while I've named... Continue Reading →
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No holds barred! Winner take all! Battle to the death for the... wait... did she just say "death"?! Hold-up. Ok, so maybe sometimes I like to blend Jane Austen with WWF. You know. How one does.... Ok, shenanigans aside, let's get down to it! Will the real Harriet Smith please stand up? Before we can... Continue Reading →
A Life in Austen 