Search results for ""author jan aust"

Originally published in 1994. In The Improvement of the Estate, Alistair Duckworth contends that understanding Mansfield Park is fundamental to appreciating Jane Austen's body of work. Professor Duckworth understands Mansfield Park as underscoring the central uniting theme in Austen's work—her concept of the "estate" and its "improvement." The author illustrates Austen's connection to the values of Christian humanism, which she conveys through the uniting theme of estate improvement. According to Duckworth, the estate represents moral and social heritage, so the manner in which individuals seek to improve their estates in Jane Austen's novels represents the direction in which she saw the state and society moving. Finally, Duckworth underscores Austen's awareness of the importance of a society of individuals whose behavior is socially informed.

Read more less

‘Winning and beguiling ... Smith shares Jane Austen’s clarity and gentle irony’ Independent Jane Austen is one of the most beloved writers in the literary canon. Her novels changed the landscape of fiction for ever, and her books remain as fresh, entertaining and witty as the day they were first published. Bursting with useful exercises, beautiful illustrations and enlightening quotations from Austen’s novels and letters, this book will teach you her tips, tricks and methods, including: * Her foolproof guide to plotting a novel * The best ways to introduce, establish and develop characters * Her secret for building suspense * How to write sparkling dialogue * Using irony, ekphrasis and other clever devices * How best to live the writer’s life These techniques have been tried and tested by Rebecca Smith, who is none other than Jane Austen’s five-times-great-niece. The author of five books, she teaches creative writing at the University of Southampton and has been Writer in Residence at Jane Austen’s House Museum

Read more less

The first of its kind, this collection brings together writers from diverse academic and nonacademic worlds to explore how Austen's readers experience and process her novels' erotic power. Are Jane Austen's novels sexy? For many Austen lovers, the answer is a resounding "Yes!" From the moment Colin Firth stripped down to his breeches and shirt in the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice, screen adaptations inspired by Austen's novels have banked on their ability to depict sexual tension and romantic desire. Meanwhile, the success of spin-offs, sequels, and elaborations confirms that Austen's novels have become a potent aphrodisiac for everyday readers. Clearly, the fourteen million viewers who watched Firth's unveiling were onto something: Austen's novels turn people on. Jane Austen, Sex, and Romance: Engaging with Desire in the Novels and Beyond brings together a range of voices-from literary scholars to video game designers-to explore how different types of readers experience the realm of desire and the erotic in all things Austen. In this timely collection, writers, critics, journalists, and authors of internet content weigh in on sex and romance in Austen's works and in the conversations and creations the novels inspire-from sequels to critical analyses to online role-playing games. Contributors examine what is at stake for each set of Austen enthusiasts when Eros is added to the equation, in so doing building on the long tradition of Austen criticism and enriching our appreciation of the novels.

Read more less

Jane Austen's witty, perceptive and romantic novels have delighted readers for two hundred years. With clear sight, common sense and good judgment, she observed the hits and near-misses of her heroes and heroines in love. Relationships certainly haven't got any easier since then and Lauren Henderson believes that we might just have lost touch with the fundamental rules.JANE AUSTEN'S GUIDE TO ROMANCE rights that wrong and brings Austen's Regency wisdom into the twenty-first century. This is the only relationship guide based on stories that really have stood the test of time. It's a fun, insightful book, full of concrete advice and wise strategies that illustrate how honesty, self-awareness and forthrightness do win the right man in the end and weed out the losers, playboys and toxic flirts.Henderson deftly summarizes all the love stories in the books and introduces all the characters, so that newcomers and devotees alike can delight in this fun, fresh and audacious how-to guide.

Read more less

Jane Austen's novels are read all over the globe, and adaptations of her works have graced both film and TV screens.Although sometimes criticised for being detached from the real world, providing nothing more than light-hearted plot-driven story lines, the reality is very different.Jane was aware of the evils of society, of the problems faced by women whether single or married. Underneath the entertaining story lines are much darker aspects of Regency and Georgian life. Staying single resulted in serious problems for young women;there were very few alternatives open to them, whilemarriage itself resulted in other risks. The threats of poverty or becoming a victim of crime were also an issue. Indeed, Jane's aunt spent months in prison and faced the threat of transportation for theft. Other problems society faced included those posed by opium addiction, poor medical standards, and a lack of property leaving young men and women struggling to survive. Many sought solutions in India, leadin

Read more less

Using close readings from Sense and Sensibility, Mrs Dalloway, Emma, The Waves, Persuasion and The Years, this book demonstrates the materialist sensibilities of Austen and Woolf.

Read more less

When a time travelling Jane Austen gets stuck in modern-day Bath it's up to avid Janeite Rose Wallace to save her… because she's the only one who knows that Jane exists!Rose Wallace’s world revolves around all things Austen, and with the annual festival in Bath – and the arrival of dishy archaeologist, Dr Aiden Trevellyan – just around the corner, all is well with the world…But then a mysterious woman who bears more than a passing resemblance to the great author moves in upstairs, and things take a disastrous turn. Rose’s new neighbour is Jane Austen, whose time travel adventure has been sabotaged by a mischievous dog, trapping her in the twenty-first century.Rose’s life is instantly changed – new home, new job, new friends – but she’s the only one who seems to have noticed! To right the world around her, she will have to do whatever it takes to help Jane get back home to write Rose’s beloved novels. Because a world without Mr Darcy? It's not worth living in!Praise for The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen 'This book was just so much fun to read.' Reader Review'A fabulous book, beautifully written. I shall be buying more from these authors.' Reader Review'This story has adventure, charming characters and a unique premise. It's a great romcom historical fiction read.' Reader Review'The story was different from anything I've read recently and really captured my attention. It was so well written and the characters were fantastic.' Reader Review'I absolutely loved this novel. I started reading it assuming it was a straightforward romance so was really pleasantly surprised with the unpredictable twists that this book contained.' Reader Review

Read more less

15 beautiful embroidery projects from the era of Jane Austen. Jane Austen was as skilful with a needle as she was with a pen. This unique book from Jennie Batchelor and Alison Larkin showcases recently discovered 18th century embroidery patterns expertly repurposed into 15 exciting modern stitching projects. The patterns and projects are brought to life with glimpses into the world of Regency women and their domestic lives by lively historical features, quotes from Jane Austen’s letters and novels, enchanting illustrations and inspirational project photography. The book opens with an illustrated introduction on historical embroidery. Next comes the materials and methods section, clearly explaining the key stitches, as well as providing information on threads, fabrics and frames. The practical section includes 15 projects for modern items. The projects are divided into three chapters according to the item the 18th century pattern was originally intended for with patterns for different skill levels: Embroidered Clothes: Dressed to Impress: Projects include Simple Sprig Pattern (Two Ways), Pencil Case, Clutch Purse, Apron, Housewife.Embroidered Accessories: How Do You Like My Trimming?: Projects include Napkin Set, Mobile Phone Pouch, Tablet Sleeve, Jewellery Pouch, Muslin Shawl.Embroidery for the Home: A ‘Nest of Comforts’: Projects include Tea Box Top, Work Bag, Cushion, Sewing Set, Tablecloth. It is more than likely that Jane herself would have used these very patterns for her own embroidery, and now, with Jennie and Alison’s help, readers can stitch-a-long with Jane to make a selection of beautifully embroidered, practical items.

Read more less

Just as the fashions of Jane Austen’s era define it as a unique moment in history, so do the pleasures and pastimes. Each occasion and activity brought the pleasure of choosing a new outfit, and the choice on offer to young men and women was, at the time, unparalleled. Showcasing the styles and fashion of the period, Sarah Jane Downing touches on a variety of themes including pleasure destinations such as parks and zoos, cultural activities such as the theatre, romantic pastimes such as dances held in spectacular settings, and many more. We are familiar with many of the most popular places and activities from Jane Austen’s novels, but this book will put them into broader historical context, complimenting them with an abundance of contemporary fashion plates and images.

Read more less

Sanditon is Jane Austen’s last novel, unfinished when she died in 1817. A comedy, it continues the strain of burlesque and caricature she wrote as a teenager and in private throughout her life. In her ground-breaking essay, Todd contextualizes Austen’s life and work, Sanditon’s connection with Northanger Abbey (1819) and Emma (1816), Jane Austen’s insecurity of income and home, and the Austen family’s financial speculations. She examines the work’s discussion of the moral and social problems of capitalism, entrepreneurship, and growing tourism, and their effect on traditional values and rural communities. Todd explains the early nineteenth-century culture of self: the exploitation of hypochondria, health fads, seaside resorts, and miracle cures. Arguing that Sanditon is an innovative, ebullient study of human beings ’ vagaries (rather than using common sense, Sanditon’s characters follow intuition and bodily signs), she shows Austen’s themes to be akin to contemporary concerns about self-obsession and the culture of narcissism, as well as a comic study of the gap between how we think of ourselves and how we appear and sound to others.

Read more less

‘I wish you a Merry Xmas but no compliments of the season’ – Jane AustenChristmas comes up time and time again in Jane Austen’s books, from childish chaos in Persuasion to fraught festivities in Northanger Abbey. Join Christmas historian Maria Hubert on a delightful meander through Georgian Christmases both fact and fiction.Eavesdrop on Austen family letters, immerse yourself in prose, drama and poetry from Jane and her contemporaries, or use the recipes to cook exemplary vegetables for your own Regency Christmas – Jane Austen’s Christmas is essential reading for an Austenite’s long winter nights.

Read more less

A comprehensive and beautifully illustrated examination of dress, clothing, fashion, and sewing in the Regency seen through the lens of Jane Austen’s life and writings This lively book reveals the clothing and fashion of the world depicted in Jane Austen’s beloved books, focusing on the long Regency between the years 1795 and 1825. During this period, accelerated change saw Britain’s turbulent entry into the modern age, and clothing reflected these transformations. Starting with the intimate perspective of clothing the self, Dress in the Age of Jane Austen moves outward through the social and cultural spheres of home, village, countryside, and cities, and into the wider national and global realms, exploring the varied ways people dressed to inhabit these environments. Jane Austen’s famously observant fictional writings, as well as her letters, provide the entry point for examining the Regency age’s rich complexity of fashion, dress, and textiles for men and women in their contemporary contexts. Lavishly illustrated with paintings, drawings, historic garments, and fashion plates—including many previously unpublished images—this authoritative yet accessible book will help readers visualize the external selves of Austen’s immortal characters as clearly as she wrote of their internal ones. The result is an enhanced understanding of Austen’s work and time, and also of the history of one of Britain’s most distinctive fashion eras.

Read more less

Marianne, Louise and Cassandra Knight were nieces of the great 19th century novelist who gave us Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. Jane knew the girls well, reading and sewing with them as they grew up, and they were often the subject of her witty letters. The Knight sisters went on to lead lives remarkably similar to those of Jane’s heroines, experiencing the pains of blighted love, the joy of patience rewarded, and the sorrow of losing their childhood home, but even Austen could not have imagined that they would find themselves in Donegal at a time when Ireland was riven with famine and war. May, Lou and Cass tells for the first time the story of the Knight Sisters and their extraordinary journey from the ordered world of Regency England to the turbulent upheaval of Northern Ireland, exploring Irish History and the heritage of the Austen family.

Read more less

What are the right and wrong ways to propose marriage? What do the characters call each other, and why? And which important Austen characters never speak? In twenty short chapters, each of which answers a question prompted by Jane Austen's novels, John Mullan illuminates the themes that matter most to the workings of Austen's fiction. Inspired by an enthusiastic reader's curiosity, based on a lifetime's study and written with flair and insight, What Matters in Jane Austen? uncovers the hidden truth about an extraordinary fictional world.

Read more less

What happened when Jane Austen’s heroines and heroes were finally wed? Marriage is at the centre of Jane Austen’s novels. The pursuit of husbands and wives, advantageous matches, and, of course, love itself, motivate her characters and continue to fascinate readers today. But what were love and marriage like in reality for ladies and gentlemen in Regency England? Rory Muir uncovers the excitements and disappointments of courtship and the pains and pleasures of marriage, drawing on fascinating first-hand accounts as well as novels of the period. From the glamour of the ballroom to the pressures of careers, children, managing money, and difficult in-laws, love and marriage came in many guises: some wed happily, some dared to elope, and other relationships ended with acrimony, adultery, domestic abuse, or divorce. Muir illuminates the position of both men and women in marriage, as well as those spinsters and bachelors who chose not to marry at all. This is a richly textured account of how love and marriage felt for people at the time—revealing their unspoken assumptions, fears, pleasures, and delights.

Read more less

For fans of Longbourn and The Other Bennet Sister, this beautifully told story of marriage, duty and friendship follows Charlotte's story from where Pride and Prejudice ends.Everybody believes that Charlotte Lucas has no prospects. She is unmarried, plain, poor and reaching a dangerous age.But when she stuns the neighbourhood by accepting the proposal of buffoonish clergyman Mr Collins, her fortunes change. Her best friend Lizzy Bennet is appalled by her decision, yet Charlotte knows this is the only way to provide for her future.What she doesn't know is that her married life will propel her into a new world: not only of duty and longed-for children, but secrets, grief, unexpected love and friendship, and a kind of freedom.------Praise for Charlotte'Sparkling . . . Will delight Jane Austen fans' Louisa Treger'Beautifully written . . . paint[s] a vivid picture of female life in the 19th Century' Rebecca Mascull'An utterly compelling read' Laura Carlin'Astonishing' Stylist

Read more less

For fans of Longbourn, The Other Bennet Sister and Bridgerton, this beautifully told story of marriage, duty and friendship follows Charlotte's story from where Pride and Prejudice ends.Everybody believes that Charlotte Lucas has no prospects. She is unmarried, plain, poor and reaching a dangerous age.But when she stuns the neighbourhood by accepting the proposal of buffoonish clergyman Mr Collins, her fortunes change. Her best friend Lizzy Bennet is appalled by her decision, yet Charlotte knows this is the only way to provide for her future.What she doesn't know is that her married life will propel her into a new world: not only of duty and longed-for children, but secrets, grief, unexpected love and friendship, and a kind of freedom.------Praise for Charlotte'Sparkling . . . Will delight Jane Austen fans' Louisa Treger'Beautifully written . . . paint[s] a vivid picture of female life in the 19th Century' Rebecca Mascull'An utterly compelling read' Laura Carlin'Astonishing' Stylist

Read more less

In Matters of Fact in Jane Austen: History, Location, and Celebrity, Janine Barchas makes the bold assertion that Jane Austen's novels allude to actual high-profile politicians and contemporary celebrities as well as to famous historical figures and landed estates. Barchas is the first scholar to conduct extensive research into the names and locations in Austen's fiction by taking full advantage of the explosion of archival materials now available online. According to Barchas, Austen plays confidently with the tension between truth and invention that characterizes the realist novel. Of course, the argument that Austen deployed famous names presupposes an active celebrity culture during the Regency, a phenomenon recently accepted by scholars. The names Austen plucks from history for her protagonists (Dashwood, Wentworth, Woodhouse, Tilney, Fitzwilliam, and many more) were immensely famous in her day. She seems to bank upon this familiarity for interpretive effect, often upending associations with comic intent. Barchas re-situates Austen's work closer to the historical novels of her contemporary Sir Walter Scott and away from the domestic and biographical perspectives that until recently have dominated Austen studies. This forward-thinking and revealing investigation offers scholars and ardent fans of Jane Austen a wealth of historical facts, while shedding an interpretive light on a new aspect of the beloved writer's work.

Read more less

Part biography and part cultural history, this splendid book not only tells the captivating story of Jane Austen's life, but also her literary legacy. The slow growth of Austen's fame, the changing status of her work, and what it has stood for in English culture is a story of personal struggle and family dynamics as well as a history of critical practices and changing public tastes.Jane's Fame is essential reading for anyone interested in Austen's life, works and unshakable appeal.

Read more less

Alice is an eighteen-year-old student and aspiring novelist with green spiky hair, a child of the modern age who recoils at the idea of reading Jane Austen. In a sequence of letters reminiscent of Jane Austen's to her own neice, 'aunt' Fay examines the rewards of such study. Not only is her correspondence a revealing tribute to a great writer - it is also an original and rewarding exploration of the craft of fiction itself.

Read more less

With imagination and authenticity Joan Aiken captures the customs and language of Austen’s England in this one of a kind sequel to Jane Austen's classic novel, Mansfield Park, revealing a subversive and unique heroine.Harriet Ward, know as Hatty to her sisters, is treated with utter contempt by most of her family. Lacking the beauty that her older sisters inherited she is left without a dowry to care for their ill mother once her sisters are married off.Sent to Portsmouth to live with her rumbustious uncle and cousins, Hatty turns her creative flair to poetry and believes she must become a governess. That is until handsome Lord Camber passes through town . . .Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park famously narrates the story of poor little Fanny Price sent to live with her mother's grander sisters - the Ward family. Written almost two centuries later, Joan Aiken’s powerful sequel reverses the story and introduces us to The Youngest Miss Ward, Hatty, sent to fend for herself with the poor relations.'Joan Aiken's invention seemed inexhaustible, her high spirits a blessing, her sheer storytelling zest a phenomenon. She was a literary treasure, and her books will continue to delight for many years to come.' Philip Pullman

Read more less

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER'A wonderful book, a wonderful read' Karen Joy Fowler, bestselling author of The Jane Austen Book ClubOnly a few months after the end of the Second World War, a new battle is beginning in the little village of Chawton. Once the final home of Jane Austen, the Chawton estate is dwindling, and the last piece of Austen's heritage is at risk of being sold to the highest bidder... Drawn together by their love of her novels, eight very different people - from a local farmer to a glamorous film star - must unite to attempt something remarkable. As new friendships form, and the griefs of the past begin to fade, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society, and to save the beloved novelist's home and legacy. But can her words change all their lives in return?A heartbreaking and uplifting novel of hope, loss and love. Perfect for fans of Miss Austen by Gill Hornby and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer'A charming and memorable debut, which reminds us of the power of books to unite and heal'Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris

Read more less

A LIGHT-HEARTED, INTIMATE AND EMPHATICALLY FEMINIST HISTORY OF DATING 'A new approach to romance . . . The heroines of Regency novels could teach today's young women a trick or two' Sunday Times'Entertaining and well-researched' The Lady'Pacey, intelligent and authoritative with bags of wit' Law Gazette'A whistle-stop tour of dating through history' History ExtraWhat if Mr Darcy had simply been able to swipe right?Dating has never been easy. The road to true love has always been rutted with heartbreak, but do we have it any easier today? How did Victorians 'come out'? How did love blossom in war-torn Europe? And why did 80s' video-dating never take off? Bursting with little-known facts and tantalising tales of lovelorn men and besotted women, Nichi Hodgson's intriguing history of amorous relationships, from enamoured Georgians to frenziedly swiping millennials (and everyone in between) may leave you grateful that you live - and love - today.

Read more less

AN EMPHATICALLY FEMINIST HISTORY OF DATING'A new approach to romance... The heroines of Regency novels could teach today's young women a trick or two' Sunday TimesWhat if Mr Darcy had simply been able to swipe right?'This book was a real education for me. It's like a Lonely Planet guidebook to dating.'Gilo'Lessons to learn for committed singletons and happily married alike, and everyone in between.'Anon'I loved it.'Adele Taylor'I found it hard to put down.'richie666Dating has never been easy. The road to true love has always been rutted with heartbreak, but do we have it any easier today? How did Victorians 'come out'? How did love blossom in war-torn Europe? And why did 80s video-dating never take off?Bursting with little-known facts and tantalizing tales of lovelorn men and besotted women, Nichi Hodgson's intriguing history of amorous relationships, from enamoured Georgians to frenziedly swiping millennials (and everyone in between) may leave you grateful that you live - and love - today.

Read more less

54 CARD DECK - A set of playing cards featuring illustrations of Austen's most famous characters. Features standard playing card suits, numbers and court cards: can be used in exactly the same way as normal playing cards FUN, COLOURFUL ILLUSTRATIONS: Illustrator Barry Falls perfectly captures some of Austen's most loved characters. Suits are themed on character traits, with hearts for the Heroines and Heroes and spades for the Fools and Bores BOOKLET INCLUDED: The accompanying booklet includes the rules to Regency card games and their mentions in Austen's novels EASY HANDLING: The cards will not crack or bend when shuffled or flexed due to their weight. Held within a box these cards are perfect for taking anywhere on the go GIFTS: The playing cards make the perfect gift for any bookworm, or fan of Jane AustenPlay cards with Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet as King and Queen of Hearts, Henry Crawford as Ace Rogue, and many more of Jane Austen's most memorable characters. Add some 19th-century drama to your favourite card games or learn to play the ones featured in Austen's stories with the help of the accompanying booklet.

Read more less

Elizabeth Bennet has politely declined your friend request and asks that you do not slide into her DMs again. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, will probably be verified on social media. The characters of Pride and Prejudice are navigating the same struggles on unfamiliar channels - social media channels, to be precise. When authors Claire McGowan and Sarah Day imagined how 'Pride and Prejudice on Social Media' might look, retelling the story through mocked-up social media posts, their post instantly went viral. Have you ever wondered what Austen's most famous couple might be like if it played out online? Well, here is the story in full . . .Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy . . .

Read more less