Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence
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Book Reviews of Becoming Jane Austen
Book Review: Best Bio of Jane Austen
Summary: 5 Stars
A life-long Jane Austen fan, and one who re-reads her books frequently, I have also read several of the most noted Jane Austen biographies, and have found this to be by far the best, most thorough, most intriguing. Spence, a Professor of English literature, clearly spent a great deal of time as a detective, readng family letters, diaries, and published memoirs of family members. He does not beat the reader over the head with "Jane Austen as a proto-feminist" as some biographies have done; but he also recognizes and make clear the female perspective in that era, the Regency era of England. Woman were not yet as overly protected and made to appear as childlike as they would be in the upcoming Victorian age, but for a woman of a genteel family, as Austen was, it was expected she would marry, or if not, she would spend her life living with her parents or after their deaths with married siblings, and being of help to her large extended family. Instead, Austen seems to have accepted her "spinster" status at quite a young age, and aside from fulfilling all the duties of the spinster aunt in a very large family, she also began, from childhood on, to write quite seriously. The publication of her first book, under the the name of "anonymous", caused a great stir, became a hugely popular book, and soon her anonymity was destroyed and she became an early celebrity. This biography presents her in the context of her time and in her role within her large extended family--other biographies have,in my opinion, seemed to present her as a postmodern woman writer would be seen, that is, as an individual, with freedom and the ability to make choices. Austen was typical of her times, and was outwardly conventional and self-effacing. Her later celebrity, as Spence points out, coming shortly before her early death, led to several relatives writing memoirs about their famous relative. Unfortunately,most of these were written in Victorian times with a Victorian view, and made every attempt, consciously or not, to present Austen as the Victorian female ideal that she never was. A worthwhile biography to read, for anyone who loves Austen's works, and one which is well researched, very readable, and without an agenda.
NOTE: a movie was made of this book---please avoid it.
Book Review: Seeking her fortune....
Summary: 5 Stars
BECOMING JANE AUSTEN by Jon Spence is the biography upon which the 2007 film was based. I must admit that while I disliked the film at first, I have since come to appreciate it after viewing it on cable television innumerable times. The movie Becoming Jane captures the poignancy of the great author's first and only love which would haunt her life and novels until her death at the age of forty-one. The book, however, fleshes out the depth of the influence which the clever, charming Irishman Tom Lefroy had upon Jane's psyche. Taken from upon an exhaustive study of the letters and writings of Jane Austen and her family and friends, much of what the author concludes about Jane's emotions and her relationship with Tom is speculation, but intelligent speculation.
I am impressed by how the constant theme of money arises throughout the book. How vital it was for a young lady to have some kind of a fortune or dowry in order to marry well, unless a wealthy man chose to marry her for love alone. Without a fortune and an offer of marriage, a young woman would have to earn her own living, either as a governess or a teacher or by learning a trade. Jane chose to earn an income by her writings. While earlier portrayals of Jane present her as a lady of leisure writing for pleasure and the good of humanity, Jon Spence meticulously shows that Jane took on writing not just for love of her craft but as a business venture. While she never enjoyed the full pecuniary reward of her labors during her lifetime, the legacy Jane left to the body of English literature is surely beyond price.
Book Review: Very good source.
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this book because I'm preparing to teach a Jane Austen class. Spence makes some interesting points and does a good job of backing them up. I don't think we can take everything as fact, but he does support his arguments very well. Unfortunately, there is so much left up to guesswork when it comes to Austen. When it comes to Austen biographies, this book is very easy and enjoyable to read. It reads more like a novel than a biography. The movie that is based on this book takes a few more liberties than the books does. Considering all of the books that I have used in preparing my class, this is one of my favorites.Book Review: Loved It!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was skeptical about this book when I got it. But I ended up loving it. The information is presented in a way that makes it very interesting. You get to know more than just Jane, you get to know her family and friends too. I would recommend it to any Jane fan.Book Review: The Story Behind the Stories
Summary: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this one! I read it right after taking a course on Jane Austen's novels, and still learned even more. This book really helped to point out the parts of Jane's life that made it into her books. It is a great read for a Jane Austen fan.