Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World - Hardcover

Harman, Claire

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805082581 ISBN 13: 9780805082586

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co., 2010

Synopsis

“Wonderful . . . not only scholarly but indecently entertaining . . . her prose rings with good sense, affection, and humour.”—Daily Mail

Mention Jane Austen and you’ll likely incite a slew of fervent opinions from anyone within earshot. Regarded as a brilliant social satirist by scholars, Austen also enjoys the sort of popular affection usually reserved for girl-next-door movie stars, leading to the paradox of an academically revered author who has served as the inspiration for chick lit (The Jane Austen Book Club) and modern blockbusters (Becoming Jane). Almost two hundred years after her death, Austen remains a hot topic, and the current flare in the cultural zeitgeist echoes the continuous revival of her works, from the time of original publication through the twentieth century. In Jane’s Fame, Claire Harman gives us the complete biography—of both the author and her lasting cultural influence—making this essential reading for anyone interested in Austen’s life, works, and remarkably potent fame.

About this title

Book Description:

The first book about Jane Austen to dissect the industry around her - a completely original approach to one of Britain's most enduring popular novelists

From the Back Cover:

'Fascinating' Evening Standard
'Witty' Daily Telegraph
'Exhilarating' Literary Review
'Wonderful' Daily Mail

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

'Jane's Fame is an exhilarating look at the rise of the Divine Jane's worldwide influence. Harman charts its course with wit and style, as well as scholarly precision, making this a book that no Austen addict will want to resist.'
Mark Bostridge, Literary Review

'Splendid . . . there is no doubt that Harman is the first to treat this fascinating subject in an accessible, lively manner unshackle by academic jargon. There is much to enjoy in this book . . . it's the quality of the insights and the interpretations that make this book such a good read.'
Paula Byrne, Sunday Telegraph

'An extraordinary book, crammed with scholarship and glittering with trivia . . . A fantastic compendium of
absolutely everything relating to Austen.'
Elspeth Barker, Independent on Sunday

About this edition

• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0805082581
• ISBN 13: 9780805082586
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304