Jane Austen: A Family Record

An account of Jane Austen's life, background and literary career drawn largely from family letters and diaries.

Deirdre Le Faye (Author)

9780521826914, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 November 2003

408 pages, 26 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.7 cm, 0.77 kg

'Clear and quick-witted, this biography offers insights into Jane's personality and her relationships with her family and acquaintances … Not to be missed.' Good Book Guide

This book is the outcome of years of research in Austen archives, and stems from the original family biography by W. and R. A. Austen-Leigh, Jane Austen: her Life and Letters. Jane Austen, A Family Record was first published in 1989, and this edition incorporates information that has come to light since then, and provides new illustrations and updated family trees. Le Faye gives a detailed account of Austen's life and literary career. She has collected together documented facts as well as the traditions concerning the novelist, and places her within the context of a widespread, affectionate and talented family group. Readers will learn how Austen transformed the stuff of her peaceful life in the Hampshire countryside into six novels that are amongst the most popular in the English language. This fascinating record of Austen and her family will be of great interest to general readers and scholars alike.

Illustrations
Foreword Joan Impey
Preface
Acknowledgments
Notes and Abbreviations
Chronology of Jane Austen's life
1. Austens and Leighs, 1600–1764
2. Deane and Steventon, 1764–75
3. India and France, 1752–85
4. Childhood and Steventon, 1775–86
5. Family Life, 1786–92
6. First compositions, 1787–92
7. The young Jane, 1792–6
8. Later years at Steventon, 1796–9
9. The Leigh-Perrots and Bath, 1799–1801
10. Bath and the West Country, 1801–4
11. Bath and Southampton, 1804–8
12. Southampton and Chawton, 1808–9
13. First publication, 1809–12
14. Pride and Prejudice, 1813
15. Mansfield Park and Emma, 1814–15
16. Emma and Persuasion, 1816–17
17. Biography, 1817 and after
References
Bibliography
Family pedigrees
Origin and descent of biographical information on Jane Austen.

Subject Areas: Biography: general [BG]