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Jane Austen For Dummies (For Dummies)

Joan Elizabeth Klingel Ray

$13.59 (Paperback)

Okay, I wanted to review this book but as I'd start to do it I was overwhelmed by what all it covered. I mean, I truly wanted to do it justice. Catherine is a writer, Jeff writes as well, and they're both good at it. So here I am; I am not to be intimidated. My courage always rises with every attempt of a review to intimidate me  :)

So basically, I'll call this something else other than a review.  Lets call it...um...sitting around the kitchen table talking about books, okay?

I have to say, I really enjoy browsing this book, picking it up at odd times to see where it will take me.  Basically, it's about Jane Austen, the times and ways people interacted when she lived, and how these things affected her writing. In reading this book you'll learn about events in her own life that may have given inspiration for some of her work.   Her novels take place during the Georgian period in England (from 1714 to 1830) and are humorously satirical about women's place in that society.  Much of it revolves around getting a husband, but how to do that within the boundaries set for them. For instance, you learn about the politics of dancing, what it meant to dance more than two dances with the same partner, and the etiquette expected from gentlemen. Usually there were more young women than young men at the dances so gentlemen were expected to ask the ones without a partner to dance. Knowing this was actually expected helped me understand how significant the snubbing of Elizabeth Bennet was by Darcy in Pride and Prejudice!  
This book is divided into five parts: Getting to know Jane Austen, Lady and Novelist; Austen Observes Ladies and Gentlement; Living Life in Jane's World; Enjoying Austen and Her Influence Today; and The Part of Tens (ten most memorable characters, ten best Austen related books, etc.)  It's easy to read, whether you're sitting down and reading through it or just picking it up to read a particular topic. Even if you're not into Jane Austen (yet), if you're interested in history, sociology, or humorous satire, then I think you might also enjoy this book.
There, Catherine, I actually did it! : )

Posted by Cindi on Sun, 10/28/2007 - 5:58pm. | Permalink