A Memoir of Jane Austen: And Other Family Recollections

by Caroline Austen, Anna Austen Lefroy, J.E. Austen Leigh, et al.

Book Overview

James Edward Austen-Leigh's Memoir of his aunt Jane Austen was published in 1870, over fifty years after her death. Together with the shorter recollections of James Edward's two sisters, Anna Lefroy and Caroline Austen, the Memoir remains the prime authority for her life and continues to inform all subsequent accounts. These are family memories, the record of Jane Austen's life shaped and limited by the loyalties, reserve, and affection of nieces...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B006RF6ENE
• ISBN13: 9780199540778
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.0" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

The critics are split on this, but...

The book has taken alot of critism because the "biography" is very partial to Jane. But, I didn't find it that way. It has tons of information on her family, homes and an amazing timeline. It also has rare illustrations. While you can see that the author loved his aunt, he plainly say's this is what i remember and these are all the sources i have. He also includes some of her little known work. Overall I loved it, but the intoduction (by the newer editor) was long and repetitive, I almost suggest skipping or skimming over it and getting to the heart of the memoir.

AMemoir of Jane Austen: and Other Family Recollections

You provided excellent service in processing our order. We received it, it seemed, very quickly for Christmas. My daughter loved the book. Thank you very much for your prompt service.

Enjoying Jane

If you enjoy Jane Austen novels, you really should read this memoir from her nephew. It is like meeting his aunt and adds a special touch to the reading of her novels.

All Personal memoirs brought together, nice to read with the letters

Primary sources to Jane Austen's life are few and far between. This version includes the few personal family accounts which were published. James Edward Austen-Leighs is the largest of these, although still not very substantial. His two sisters also published them. This includes four memoirs of Aunt Jane, all written much after her death by Caroline Austen, Anna Lefroy, James Austen_leigh and Henry Austen. Some are better reads than others but they add to the sparse amount of biographical and family information on Austen. Handily, there is a family tree provided as well as a chronology. There are also useful explanatory notes. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone but a keen Austen fan - one of the excellent biographies available are much more readable and entertaining. For an avid Janeite this book provides a substantial source of primary information. I would highly recommend reading this with the collected letters which have been collected and edited by Claire Tomalin. It is a nice collection and it is great to see all these published, as they ought to be together in one volume.