![]() |
#1 | |
Professor of Law
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 3,663
Karma: 66000000
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Device: Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Libra H20, Kobo Aura One, KoboMini
|
Jane Austen at Home: A Biography by Lucy Worsley
I thought I'd start a thread since at least one other person is reading this right now.
I won't spoil my thoughts on the book as a whole, but I do feel like I got more out of it because I've also read Claire Tomalin's biography, which Worsely references (and argues with) throughout. I appreciated the tone overall, and the approach. Late last year, I read Jenn Shapland's My Autobiography of Carson McCullers. This quote from Worsley's introduction struck a very similar tone: Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
o saeclum infacetum
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 20,460
Karma: 224100568
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: New England
Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5
|
I’m halfway through and I have mixed feelings. It’s a pleasant, entertaining read but I don’t feel as if I’m getting much depth or insight from it. I’ve read better books about women’s lives in Georgian England; this is good about that but it doesn’t add to my understanding. Perhaps it’s the fannish aspect that sets my teeth on edge a bit.
Every now and then, Worsley says something insightful about one of the books and those are my favorite parts. I hope there’s more of that now that Jane’s hitting her writing stride. I have to note that Worsley got the date of Louis XVI’s execution wrong. Just sloppy and not important, but I wish books in general did a better job of fact-checking. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 | |
Professor of Law
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 3,663
Karma: 66000000
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Device: Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Libra H20, Kobo Aura One, KoboMini
|
Quote:
There is some definite depth lacking, but some real bright spots. I do rather enjoy an author actively debating points from other books/sources in the text. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
o saeclum infacetum
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 20,460
Karma: 224100568
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: New England
Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5
|
I noted your mention of the Tomalin biography. I’ve only read her biography of Nelly Ternan, Dickens’ mistress, which was fantastic. I doubt I’ll bother with her Austen bio as this will be enough Jane to hold me for quite some time. Mostly, I’m not all that interested in author’s biographies unless the life itself was interesting or it casts a wider net, which in fairness this book by Worsley does. I attribute that in part to a very influential high school English teacher who was a strong advocate of New Criticism.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 | |
Professor of Law
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 3,663
Karma: 66000000
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Device: Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Libra H20, Kobo Aura One, KoboMini
|
Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
Wizard
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 2,648
Karma: 43070209
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ohio
Device: iPhone 7+, iPad mini, 2021 iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8"
|
Thanks for mentioning this, it sounds interesting, and my library had it available to borrow. I'd been looking for something new to read. I know I'll hear Lucy's soft "r" in my head as I read it. 😄
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#7 |
Snoozing in the sun
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 10,137
Karma: 115423645
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch
|
I'm about a quarter of the way through at this stage. I'm enjoying it, especially after having read the whitewashed efforts by Austen's family members, who seemed intent on turning her into a saint, and succeeded only in making her seem rather boring.
Like issybird, I do enjoy her comments about one or other of the Austen books and hope to have more of that as the book progresses. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Romance Austen, Jane: The Novels of Jane Austen vol. I V.1 9 July 2011 | crich70 | ePub Books | 3 | 09-14-2011 10:17 AM |
Romance Austen, Jane: The Novels of Jane Austen vol. II V.1 9 July 2011 | crich70 | Kindle Books | 0 | 07-09-2011 01:05 AM |
Romance Austen, Jane: The Novels of Jane Austen vol. II V.1 9 July 2011 | crich70 | ePub Books | 0 | 07-09-2011 01:00 AM |
Short Fiction Austen, Jane: Jane Austen's Minor Works. v3. 29th Aug 2009 | HarryT | ePub Books | 0 | 08-29-2009 06:53 AM |
Biography Austen, Jane: Letters of Jane Austen. v1. 29th Aug 2009 | HarryT | ePub Books | 0 | 08-29-2009 06:41 AM |