The closest you’ll get to sharing tea and scones with the famed novelist.
Are you guilty of naming a beloved pet Mr. Darcy? Were you disappointed to discover that Austenland isn’t a real resort? When you dream, do you see yourself in elegant but stifling formalwear that requires assistance to put on? If so, Joe Giampaolo’s The Reader’s Companion to the World of Jane Austen should be next on your reading list. Described as “a concise, fast-moving account of Jane Austen’s life,” this essential book is a well-rounded biography of one of the greatest English novelists of all time. Based on what seems like every piece of available research on Austen, Giampaolo takes a large body of information and creates a delightfully palatable portrait of Austen’s day-to-day life, infusing it with as much drama as a modest biography allows. The author breaks down everything from the branches of Jane’s family tree to her famous novels and other lesser known writings. Learning more about Austen’s family relationships, home life, financial status and other personal dramas help readers gain insight into the kind of vibrant heroines she was so fond of creating. The conversational quality of the narration ensured that I was so absorbed in her familiar life story that I was completely blindsided by her death. Even fans that have read and reread her beloved novels will find some new morsel to savor from Austen’s regrettably short life.
Few writers are the subject of so much adulation as Jane Austen, and this compact yet comprehensive book will heighten your appreciation for this celebrated author even more. In the way Giampaolo fluidly weaves Jane’s own life experiences into what she put into her novels, readers will glean new insights into a time period culturally far removed from the bustle of our modern lives. One fascinating example details the job prospects for men of the day and how those options changed dramatically between financial stations. Another tidbit surrounds fashion trends of the time. Catchy visual illustrations depicting how styles evolved throughout Jane’s life are quite illuminating. From maintaining her own wardrobe to making home-brewed beer, fans will discover just how industrious and intelligent Jane Austen was. Factual and articulate, Giampaolo is meticulous in chronicling what is known and believed to be true for the esteemed author. The closest you’ll get to sharing tea and scones with the famed novelist, The Reader’s Companion to the World of Jane Austen is an ideal way to expand your Austen knowledge and enhance any Regency collection.
