Jane Austen

by Heather Lehr Wagner

Describes the life and novels of the nineteenth century British author, Jane Austen, known for her vivid portrayals of ordinary people in such novels as "Pride and Prejudice", "Emma," and "Sense and Sensibility."

Genres: Nonfiction

112 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

Dr. Heather Lehr Wagner is an editor and writer of numerous books exploring social and political issues. She earned a B.A. in political science from Duke University and an M.A. in government from the College of William and Mary.

Reviews

[BookSweetie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this slim volume in the young-adult non-fiction WHO WROTE THAT series, author Heather Lehr Wagner skillfully introduces readers to none other than Jane Austen, author of such well-known literary works as PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and SENSE AND SENSIBILITY.

For readers like me who may know little about the person Jane Austen, this book is a wonderfully quick way to become better acquainted with the famous author, her family, and the era in which she lived and wrote. Austen, born in 1775, was close to her large family, and she was particularly close to her slightly older sister Cassandra. However, in English society during Jane's life, females were dependent upon males and Jane and Cassandra were no different. While her sister was happily and romantically engaged, her intended fell ill and died before he could return to England from the Caribbean where he was serving briefly as a chaplain. And Jane had her own heartbreak and a very fleeting engagement. When I closed the book, I had gotten to know her whole history better and also enlarged my sense of how Austen had translated her own experiences into memorable fiction

If this volume is any indication of the quality of the others in the series, readers will be happily informed about the authors behind many of our favorite books.

[Lauren Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to learn the story of this amazing author.

[Robyn]

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