Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane

by Devoney Looser

USA Today Bestseller!

Incisive, funny, and deeply-researched insights into the life, writing, and legacy of Jane Austen, by the preeminent scholar Devoney Looser.

Thieves! Spies! Abolitionists! Ghosts! If we ever truly believed Jane Austen to be a quiet spinster, scholar Devoney Looser puts that myth to rest at last in Wild for Austen. These, and many other events and characters, come to life throughout this rollicking book. Austen, we learn, was far wilder in her time than we’ve given her credit for, and Looser traces the fascinating and fantastical journey her legacy has taken over the past 250 years.

All six of Austen’s completed novels are examined here, and Looser uncovers striking new gems therein, as well as in Austen’s juvenilia, unfinished fiction, and even essays and poetry. Looser also takes on entirely new scholarship, writing about Austen’s relationship to the abolitionist movement and women’s suffrage. In examining the legacy of Austen’s works, Looser reveals the film adaptations that might have changed Hollywood history had they come to fruition, and tells extraordinary stories of ghost-sightings, Austen novels cited in courts of law, and the eclectic members of the Austen extended family whose own outrageous lives seem wilder than fiction.

Written with warmth, humor, and remarkable details never before published, Wild for Austen is the ultimate tribute to Jane Austen.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Audiobook, Adult, Historical, Memoir

327 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 2, 2025

About the author

Hi! I'm Devoney Looser, Regents Professor at Arizona State U. I also go by Stone Cold Jane Austen, especially on roller skates. I'm really excited about my next book, Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane (St Martin's Press), coming out 2 September 2025. It's just in time for Austen's 250th birthday.

I've also written or edited eleven other books, including Sister Novelists and The Making of Jane Austen. Check out my lessons on Jane Austen on The Great Courses and Audible. Then sign up for my free author newsletter on history's strong women, from Jane Austen to roller derby. Thanks so much for connecting here.

P. S. I pronounce my name DEV-oh-knee LOH-zer. It wasn't a great name to have as a kid on a playground, but it definitely made me stronger!

Reviews

[Rosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A nonfiction investigation of the ‘wildness’ contained in Austen’s writing, her life, and in the extraneous ventures capitalising on her name. Thus divided into three sections, the first section was easily my favourite. The second was a bit boring and the third went the mixed way. Might work for some Austen fans, though this Janeite was only partly impressed.

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Given that 2025 has the 250th birth anniversary of the evergreen Jane Austen, there are plenty of books coming out this year celebrating Austen and her timeless works. As a huge fan of all of Austen’s writing, I feel like I have a bonanza of Austen nonfiction to choose from. I have read three such titles so far. I loved ‘Jane Austen’s Bookshelf’ and found ‘The Wicked Wit of Jane Austen’ decent enough. This book, however, wasn't that easy to rate. I absolutely loved some chapters and was thoroughly bored by some others.

Author Devoney Looser (pronounced ‘LOH-ser’) is a regent professor at Arizona State University, a roller skater performing under the name ‘Stone Cold Jane Austen”, AND an Austen scholar. There’s no doubting the extent of her knowledge of all things Austen; every chapter of this book highlights her grasp of the subject. But as is often the case with any topic a person is obsessed about, they fall victim to their bias and refuse to see contrary arguments. They also find it difficult to discard any subtopic from their extensive repertoire and try to include everything possible within their work. Both these shortcomings prevented this work from being more impactful for me.

The book is founded on an interesting query: Is Jane Austen mild or wild? Several scholars and readers might go with the first option, but the author is determined to prove that Austen was not just wild, but she was possibly wilder than most writers of her time. I was quite impressed with this concept as I have always thought of Austen as rebellious. No one else could have made such tongue-in-cheek jabs at the British society in such a sarcastic way that many readers don’t even see the satirical nature of her writing. I was excited to discover how an Austen scholar would present the proof of Austen’s “wildness”.

The introduction of the book spoke straight to my heart, questioning all those who claim that Austen - and by extension, her stories - is unremarkable, ordinary and straightforward. As the author says, "Make no mistake. There are wows aplenty, with remarkable, extraordinary things in the world of Austen and her fiction." The purpose of the book is also made clear: to get closer to Austen's unsung realities. So far, so good.

The book is divided into three parts. Part I, comprising eleven chapters (not counting the introduction), is about Austen’s writings, with each chapter focussing on one of her works. (I am sure her fans know that she has written far beyond the six novels she is most known for.) Part II, which has six chapters, focusses on the wild side of Austen’s family ties, and Part III, with the remaining seven chapters, is dedicated to exploring Austen’s posthumous legacy in fiction and beyond. These twenty-five chapters form about 63% of this 336-pages book. The rest is backmatter, including extensive footnotes. However, the pacing of the book is extremely slow, so even to reach that 63% mark took me ages! Maybe try the audiobook if you have access to it. I have heard that the narrator is good.

I believe that there are two kinds of Austen superfans: those who devour anything Austen and those who devour only Austen. I belong to the second category. I can read and reread any Austen work whenever I want, but I do not venture near any Austen retelling knowingly.

Given the above, it won't take a genius to guess that the first part was, by far, my favourite section. I absolutely loved these eleven chapters, covering not just Austen’s six famous novels but also her novella ‘Lady Susan’, her unfinished works, and the writings of her youth. It came as a shocker to me that Austen wrote poems as well. (No, I won't read poems even for my beloved Jane Austen!) It was great to see the analysis begin with the underrated Juvenilia collection, penned by a teenaged Jane. Anyone who wants to see how mischievous the young author could get, must read Juvenilia. These chapters contain many spoilers, obviously; these can’t be avoided in the analysis of classics.

Of course, every chapter in this set was a treat to me because I was at an advantage: I have read all of these works. This also meant that I could easily spot some parts where the book forces in a “wild” meaning where there is possibly none. Luckily, this doesn’t happen often and most of the analysis is superlative. I am not sure how anyone unfamiliar with Austen’s writing would find this section. Then again, only hardcore Austen fans would pick up such a nonfiction work, right? 🤭

The second part was informative but boring to me. It felt like the book suddenly shifted from Austen to her family, trying to prove that wildness ran in several family members, whether through relatively trivial misdemeanours such as shoplifting or through participation in major “crimes” such as rallying for abolition or women’s suffrage. The content, evaluated by itself, was researched well and shone light on several unknown facts about Austen’s extended family. However, if the tagline intends to show us a “rebellious, subversive, and untamed Jane”, then such a detailed analysis of her family members feels off topic.

The third part did a somewhat better job in bringing the focus back to Austen, not to her life or novels, but to her legacy, mainly through the myriad branches of artistic works spun off from her original writing. However, the “wildness” factor in this section was quite forced. The topics in this section range from Austen’s portraits (potentially six in existence, though we lay readers see only one used every time!) and Austen’s ghost (No comments!) to the plethora of movie adaptations and fictional spinoffs (mostly interesting) and Austen erotica (I skipped this chapter after reading the first sentence. 🤐) Not having read any of her retellings, I was at a disadvantage when it came to the chapter on Austen spinoffs. I liked the one about her portraits and of course, the one focussing on the TV and movie adaptations. (Reiterating: The 1995 six-episode adaptation of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by the BBC is the best P&P screen work. By far.)

Overall, this book is a highly informative analysis of all things Austen. If I have to rate the book section-wise, Part I will get an easy 5 stars, Part II earns 1.5 stars, and Part III gets 2.5 stars. It might seem like the second and third section would hinder my recommendation, but no. The book would still make a good gift to all hardcore Austen fans, even if they read just the first twelve chapters.

Recommended to Austen superfans.

3 stars. (averaging the sectional ratings.)


My thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing the DRC of “Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

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[Sherwood Smith]

I finally finished this book, having found the last half a trial to get through.

The first half engaged me more. I admire Devoney Looser for her ability to really dig in on the research, and turn up all kinds of quirky and interesting (or "wild") factoids. I also rolled my eyes hard at some of the conclusions she tossed off, mostly interpretations of various bits of Jane Austen's novels that seemed unsupported and even just dead wrong.

For example, in Northangr Abbey, when Catherine begs Isabella not to tell her what is behind the black veil in Mysteries of Udopho, Looser says, "We could interpret this line, wild to know yet not wanting to be told, as pointing to Catherine's desire to remain in a make-believe world. But we ould also interpret it as her admirably stubborn (and rather unfeminine) desire to learn on her own."

Which reads to me as a rather breathless, pearl-clutching way of saying, "Catherine didn't want spoilers."

Looser later quotes a portion of Austen's decidedly tongue-in-cheek ending for Northanger Abbey : "It is a new circumstance in romance, I acknowledge, and dreadfully derogatory of an heroine's dignity; but if it be as new in common life, the credit of a wild imagination will at least be all my own." But then Looser goes on to say, "As this conditional statement must lead us to conclude, although Austen's wild imagination is not an everyday sort of wild, it's wild in the pages of a novel."

Um, no, I don't see that conclusion at all. First of all, Northanger Abbey is no more "wild" than Jane Austen was, from what little we know of her life. She's being sarcastic here! Not wild!

There are other instances where Looser's attempt to hang "wildness" on Austen herself, or on her fictions, strain incredulity in order to keep the word squarely before the reader's eye. So rigorous is this determination that I began to flinch a little each time a new "wild" cropped up

So it took me a long time to finish the book. In conclusion, good points for me: diligent research, and some interesting early chapters. The last half could have been chopped as I have zero interest in tracking down Jane Austen erotic fanfiction (and there's tons more of it than Looser seems aware), nor in Austen films that never got made, or in obscure books that make up facts about Austen with zero support, or in a long list of famous people who loathed or loved Jane Austen's work. But those items might entertain another reader, and read less like they were there to pad out a text to book length, when it just as well could have been a lengthy paper for JSTOR.

[Bkwmlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday continues with more Austen-centered books. This time around, I chose to read the newest essay collection from Austen scholar Devoney Looser (whose Great Courses on Austen is also worth checking out). Those of us who have studied Austen in any capacity are probably familiar with her family’s (specifically her brother Henry Austen and her nephew James Edward Austen Leigh) attempts to paint Austen as a quiet, timid, submissive woman who “never uttered either a hasty, a silly, or a severe expression” – a “myth” that many Austen scholars have “debunked” over the years through close study of Austen’s own words (as relayed through her surviving letters) as well as her various works of both fiction and nonfiction. Looser’s latest book – also a tribute to Austen’s 250th birthday -- is another worthwhile attempt to debunk the “Jane Austen as a quiet spinster” myth. The title of Looser’s book says it all – through a deeply researched exploration of various aspects of Austen’s life (and writings), Looser sets out to show the “wild side” of the beloved author while at the same time, demonstrate why so many of us continue to be “wild for Austen” in a legacy that has lasted for more than two centuries.

The book is divided into 3 sections, with part I covering pretty much all of Austen’s writing, from the Juvenilia of her teenage years to her six completed novels, as well as her two uncompleted novels (fragments) and beyond – Looser even includes excerpts from Austen’s letters and some poems she wrote (the latter of which doesn’t get usually much coverage even among the most ardent of Austen aficionados). Part II explores the Austen family’s “wild connections,” or what Looser states in her Introduction as “the relatives, neighbors, and friends who brought her close to wild adventures, experiences, fortunes, and misfortunes.” Part III is perhaps the most interesting in that it explores Jane Austen’s legacy and fandom – the “people who’ve gone wild over her after her death, especially those who created new uses for and versions of her powerful stories.” I found this last section quite fascinating, especially the chapter on the P&P adaptations that didn’t end up happening (not necessarily a bad thing, to be honest) as well as some of the stories about Austen’s various “afterlives” – the good, the bad, the ugly, and the weird(?) – several of which were truly “wild.”

As a Jane Austen fan, I definitely enjoyed this book. Further though, I appreciate Devoney Looser’s take on Austen’s legacy and the necessity of finding the right balance in both how we approach her works and how we view Austen the author. This quote from Looser’s concluding chapter I feel illustrates this point best: “By jettisoning the idea of [Austen] as perfect, timeless, or universal, we also allow ourselves to see the ways in which her outsized influence and popularity have done good for some but may also have caused harm to others…I believe those of us who say we love her owe it to her, to ourselves, and to those who say they’ve been harmed in some way by her books or their legacy to look more deeply at the full range of effects they’ve had, past and present.” Sound advice that could apply not just to Austen, but also any other author or public figure essentially.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect here since wild or rebellious aren't exactly the first adjectives I would come up with to define Jane Austen or her works. However, I was really interested to see this author's take and am very glad I did.

There were breakdowns on each of the different books and the different uses of 'wild'. Like when Lizzie Bennett walks to Netherfield, and Caroline Bingley calls her 'almost wild'. In Emma, Mr. Woodhouse is afraid his daughter is going to end up tangled in some 'wild thing'.

My favorite part of this book, though, was the chapter about all the Pride and Prejudice movies that almost got made, and the chapter on Austen Erotica. I have never heard of the Wild and Wanton classic series before, but it's amazing.

Definitely would recommend this book!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

An absolute must-have for all the Jane Austen lovers in your life, especially yourself. Devoney Looser divides the book into three sections. In the first section, the author's writing is explored, and all of her novels are thoroughly explored. In the second section, the life of the author herself reveals a family tree of interesting personages. In the third and final section, the continued fascination of fans shows that the author's works have a longevity that will last well into the future.

I quite enjoyed this one. The book is appropriately named because in her lifetime, Jane Austen did dance to her own little beat. In my lifetime, I have been "wild for Austen" since age 13, and this volume just heightened my interest to give all the novels a re-read this winter.

Publication Date 02/09/25
Goodreads Review 13/09/25

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeously written, rigorously researched portrait of Jane Austen and her impact by esteemed scholar Devoney Looser, who adds profound insights and a unique look at our favorite novelist. In sum: Jane was an untamed rebel! Who knew?

Thanks to Devoney Looser, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

[Erin Clemence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: Sept. 2, 2025

Devoney Looser is a next-level Jane Austen fan. As a professor who focuses on Austen as subject matter, she has written “The Making of Jane Austen”, as well as several other published works on the author, so you can say she knows her stuff. Her new story, “Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane” highlights the woman behind the name, the reputation she built, and both the rumours and the facts that spread about Austen’s personality and novels.

Of course I’m a Jane Austen fan, but I didn’t know much about the woman herself, so I was interested in this story for that reason (among others). I was curious as to who Jane Austen was, how she developed her talent and how she survived as a female author in the nineteenth century.

The first few chapters of this book break down each of her six novels, including some more unknown works, discussing not only Looser’s opinion of them, but how they have been reviewed and interpreted by others throughout the years. As is the title, Looser focuses on the “wild” parts of the characters and the books, connecting them to Austen’s frame of mind and personality. I’ve read Austen’s books, although it’s been years for some, but I found this part of the story to be dry. It read more like a book report, summarizing the plot and characters. Of course, Looser connected the novels to Jane as a person and as a woman, which was intriguing, but I struggled through this part as a whole.

Moving forward, we see Austen as an influential feminist figure, and her involvement in the abolitionist and suffrage movements are discussed. Looser makes assumptions based on information collected, and discusses other opinions of Austen academics, from both sides.

There is another section where Looser talks about Austen’s family and members of her social circle, which was definitely more interesting. Austen knows some interesting characters and Looser connects these to characters in Austen’s novels, and there are many similarities. Although this section wasn’t exactly Austen specific, the members of her family and community have some great stories to tell.

“Wild” was dry in parts but it did have some interesting sections. I loved learning about Austen and her existence as a female author and how she has become the icon she is today. Looser is definitely an avid Janeite, and “Wild” presents an unexplored side of the influential author.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I write this review with the knowledge that someone far smarter than me has peer reviewed this tome.

I, like the author, am indeed wild about Austen. The study of Austen and the term “wild” is a fascinating one given the fanaticism that tends to follow the late author. However. This book really spreads itself too thin while casting its net too far. The things I were interested about, i.e., how Austen’s characters were wild or how her books could be considered wild, felt brief with only about 40% of the book diving into her work. The rest is a LONG (and boy do I mean LONG) look at her extended family and how they were wild. (And the brief chapter regarding Austen-inspired erotica.)

Devoney Looser is smart and passionate about her love of Jane Austen. It is evident in every sentence. The book is well-researched and I learned a lot about Austen, the rumors surrounding her love life, and the influence she has had on media and pop-culture. I really enjoyed the book overall, but it was simply too long for what it was.

As I listened to the audiobook, I would like to point out that the narrator did a stellar job. Her voice is amazing and really kept me steeped into the book. The editing can use some work, however, as the re-recorded bits were incredibly noticeable.

Thank you NetGalley!

[Dee (in the Desert) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - Very interesting, informative and different non-fiction about Jane Austen. The author is an academic and did quite a lot of research and had quite a varied look here - some biography, literary analysis, looks at retellings, movies & other Austen pop culture references (but I could have done without the erotica!) I do agree with the overall thesis that Jane was not the “quiet spinster” conformist, and she would have likely hung with the BlueStockings if she’d had the opportunity. Overall an educational and informative read for any Jane-ite

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting look at not only Jane Austen's books, but also her family, extended family, awareness of social and political topics, and "afterlife" of the way people have responded to her through the years. I will say that I find the labels "rebellious" and "subversive" to be a bit click-baity and somewhat of an oversell, though I don't question that Austen did have opinions and experiences that definitely go beyond what people usually imagine. I found the chapters on her family and acquaintances to be the most fresh and educational part of the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this digital review copy.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly what I thought this book was going to be about. There is a lot of information, some of it is interesting. I love Jane Austen, but it was a bit much for me to process it all. A book you may need to read more than once to get everything. There was a bit to much personal info and stories about the author, for me. I enjoyed the narrator.

*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.

[Heather Moll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. The first section focus on Austen’s life and works. I particularly liked the look at Mansfield Park’s reputation during Austen’s day, but Looser gives great insight to all of Austen’s works. Part II centers on her family, their literary talents, connections, and their own wildness, and their potential influence on Austen and how we view her today. I had followed recent articles about her brothers’ involvement with abolition with interest and I’m glad to see it highlighted here. And then part three focuses on Austen’s continued influence and legacy in other mediums. This section was a little slower for me; I just found the “wild” connections flimsier even though parts were interesting.

I enjoyed how the author presented evidence from Austen and her family’s behavior that the myth of Jane Austen’s excessive authorial modesty and hesitancy to publish is ridiculous. It also demonstrates how Austen’s scope of novels wasn’t the extent of her knowledge of the world. Her own life experiences and acquaintance was far beyond the few country families of her fiction. She was not a naive nor a nonpolitical writer.

Obviously, I was disappointed that Austen-inspired fiction gets a bad wrap. It’s all erotica, apparently. Looser says they should be taken seriously when investigating Austen’s legacy, but I think she misunderstood variations and the fandom and their dedication to Austen.

This is a great look at Austen’s wild books and characters for both devotees and casual fans. Looser will show you reasons to love and respect all of Austen’s heroines. Yes, ALL of them. This was extensively researched and well paced with a conversational style. Plus I’m dying to know what Austen adaptation actor inappropriately came on to the author. Someone spill the tea.

I received an arc from NetGalley

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A thoroughly researched and considerate look into Jane Austen's writing, life, and afterlife in a refreshing light.

Although Jane Austen is arguably the least gatekept author in the Western canon, there's something about her that makes us feel... possessive. The way Austen hits the heart isn't unique, but it is exceptional.

**Slight rant I just compared my MBTI with Jane Austen and got Fanny Price (INFP). Quelle nightmare. Please tell me if you have done the same.

Wild for Austen examines wildness in Austen's life and work. Devoney Looser shines as an Austen scholar and professor - I felt like I was in my favorite lecturer's class. Looser's writing is accessible and informative. She includes interesting anecdotes (roller derby!) without veering too far away from her subject of study. My favorite section of the book was Looser's exploration of Austen's diction. The word "wild" in its various connotations, denotations, and how its significance ties back to themes and contexts floored me. I would highly recommend this book for AP/university students in need of a top tier exemplar on what their instructors are looking for in literary analysis essays.

[Sigrid A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Austen scholar Devoney Looser has written an informative and entertaining book that reflects the author's extensive and life-long study, along with some of her recent discoveries made through historical newspaper database searching. I always have trouble keeping the details of Austen's biography straight in my head, so I enjoyed this deep dive and reminder. I especially enjoyed the anecdote about Austen's relative who was accused of shoplifting by a dishonest shopkeeper hoping to be paid off.

While this is a pleasant read, it is too long and loosely focused. Looser struggles to make her conceit of Austen's wildness accommodate a kitchen sink's worth of information and readings. It's easy to lose track of the focus of a chapter, much less the main argument, even if I was loving getting lost in the details and conversational tone of Looser's prose.

I received an arc and alc of this novel from St. Martin's and Libro.fm in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary Nolan-Fesmire · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoy the Austen books, but this was not really what I expected. I read about 1/2 of it. It was sort of a deep dive into the meaning behind each the Austen novels. I lost interest at about 20% sadly.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a bit of a mess. Essentially, Looser wants the world to know that Jane Austen was the not the quiet, retiring writer some of her descendants portrayed her as; she wants the world to think of Austen as being "wild." It's in the title and Looser uses the word over and over and over, many times in situations where it is, at best, a stretch. And the book itself is a random collection (though one that I could see making a solid syllabus for an Austen course); it starts out with discussions of Austen's writings, including her juvenilia, writings other than the main six novels, and some writings that may or may not be Austen, then moves into discussions of her family (both during and after her lifetime), and finishes with a collection of chapters on random topics from rumors of Austen having a lover in Switzerland to Austen films that were never made to the use of Austen in court cases to Austen-related erotica.

A lot of my issue with it is that Looser is clearly pushing against a portrayal of Austen largely created by Austen's nephew James Edward Austen Leigh, who wrote of his aunt "Jane Austen lived in entire seclusion from the literary world: neither by correspondence, nor by personal intercourse was she known to any contemporary authors" (Ch. 15). People think of Austen as "staid," so Looser wrote this that we might think of Austen as wild. I don't hate the argument, honestly, but Looser is trying so hard to make it happen that the reader can't help but roll their eyes a bit.

In the early chapters, Looser goes through Austen's writing and highlights where she thinks Austen's wildness shows through. I appreciated the discussions of the juvenilia and other lesser-known works, where you can really see Austen be less staid, as it were, than in her novels. But in the chapters on the books, Looser makes some assertions that I don't think the material warrants.

I found some of the later chapters more interesting, if less directly reflecting Austen. Looser has a chapter on Austen used in both pro- and anti-slavery and pro- and anti-suffrage arguments and clearly wants to show the Austen as being abolitionist and pro-suffrage. There's a lot of interesting material about the relationship of the Austens to slavery and the abolitionist movement, but I don't know that Jane Austen's nephew being an abolitionist is necessarily reflective of anything. (I did like this, though, from the section on the suffrage movement:

It's true Cambridge then was stuffed to the gills with adult children of dead authors and intellectuals, including descendants of Charles Darwin. The Austen Leighs rubbed elbows with many there who had fascinating family and friendly literary connections. Nevertheless, her saying something publicly under the Austen surname would have added weight to the anti-suffrage movement." [Ch. 18])

There were also chapters on what Austen's relatives were up to--marrying into the French aristocracy, someone who was possibly a spy, someone who was accused of shoplifting and had a high-profile court case--as well as Jane possibly having some interaction with progressive-type authors. "Look!" Looser says, pointing at these. "Jane Austen had a wild life!" By which she means...Jane Austen had knowledge of these things, and wrote letters about them, and had some nice visits with people who were involved. I don't know that it necessarily makes Jane Austen herself "wild."

And admittedly, I got annoyed with Looser patting herself on the back throughout the book, mentioning new information that she herself unearthed in research! And like, good job finding a reference to Jane Austen that nobody in the past 250 years has before; that honestly is pretty impressive. She just mentions it a bit more than I'd like; there's a "Be impressed!" tone that didn't sit well with me.

There's some good, new information in here, and Looser does a good job of putting Jane Austen in context of the world where she lived and about which she wrote. But the book is uneven and is sometimes a bit of a slog, unfortunately. Still worth a read by Janeites, though I'd recommend picking and choosing chapters.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Kathleen Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always happy to have reason for thinking about Jane Austen, so I was excited to be able to preview WILD FOR AUSTEN. It’s truly a love letter to Jane Austen, featuring Devoney Looser’s special blend of nerd-level Austen knowledge and a prose style that’s both informative and fun to read.

"Wild" might at first seem a strange word in the context of Jane Austen. Her life was not only brief (she died at 41) but outwardly uneventful. Born in a village in the south of England, a clergyman's daughter, she never married nor traveled far from home. Her first biographers – a brother and later some nephews and nieces – made a point of emphasizing the quiet, ladylike and modest nature of their subject.

Her novels did not appear under her own name until after her death. They are also notable for their lack of dramatic incident, being about people from the social class Austen knew herself, going about daily life. The most Gothic-novel moments, like elopements, duels and secret engagements, tend to happen off the page and not to the main characters. Austen lived through turbulent times – the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, with two of her brothers seeing action as officers in the British Navy – but her fiction alludes to these events so glancingly that a casual reader can miss them.

Partly because of this, the effort to cast Austen as modest, unassuming and basically outside of history succeeded for many years. Even among the many later writers and critics who admired her genius, there was a sense that the work and by extension the woman, was, well, tame. Decorous, subtle, a stranger to the passions, as Charlotte Bronte might have put it.

This view has started changing in more recent years, but Looser’s book seeks to put a spike through the heart of the myth entirely.

It starts by tracing the use of the world “wild” through Austen’s writing. Who knew it was there so much, and used in such fascinatingly different contexts? It then moves on to consider some less well-known biographical facts revealing that however quiet her own life, Austen had close contact with some pretty crazy stuff.

We meet, among others, the aunt put on trial for shoplifting; the charming cousin whose first husband was guillotined; the sophisticated London acquaintance who later proved to be a spy (and was fatally stabbed by his own servant) and some deeply eccentric distant female relations who also wrote novels. I knew something of these things, but the details were new, and fascinating.

The book next turns to the afterlife of Austen, something of a specialty of Looser’s, which also turns out to be full of surprises. Who knew that she had 19th-century relatives active on both sides of the debate over female suffrage, for example? Or that there had been plans afoot, tragically unrealized, to make a musical-version movie of “Pride and Prejudice” starring Judy Garland, with music by Cole Porter? Certainly not me!

I enjoyed this book immensely, and I learned a lot. My thanks to Devoney Looser for writing it, and for giving me an early look.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was broken down into three separate parts and unfortunately I think it dropped off after the first section. And the constant bringing up a fact or tidbit and then saying “but this will be discussed in chapter 14” “this will be discussed in chapter 23” made it feel like the book was one long introduction.

[Jenny · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have rarely been so offended by an author's bad scholarship and blatant misrepresentation before. I almost went through page by page to quote specific examples of her perfidy, but decided my time was much better spent elsewhere.

The short version is that Looser falls into the trap of many modern academics--desperately wanting a historical figure to reflect her own views and willing to grasp at any straw or twist any piece of evidence to "prove" it. (And really, all any intelligent reader needs to know is that she feels the Bridgerton show has something to teach us about the Regency period in England.) But the author makes it clear that this is all personal. "I feel as if a small part of the historical shift of Austen's going from mild to wild was my lived experience." She needs Austen to be "wild" in order to justify her own beliefs and choices. And that need unfortunately led to this piece of horrible scholarship. She insists that writing and publishing novels anonymously was "a social gamble" and proves that Austen was a "risktaker" (despite the fact that many other contemporary women were authors, and many of them used their own name). She devotes an entire chapter to one of Austen's cousins, and argues because this cousin had a "wild" life and Austen must have known about it, Austen must therefore be "wild" too. It's sad that this is the standard we are holding our academics to and this is the garbage that our students are being taught in classrooms.

Was Austen a perpetual paragon of virtue? Of course not. She was human. Her surviving letters show us that she was sharp and witty and sometimes unkind. Her works show us that she was a keen observer of human nature, had a tremendous sense of humor, and took a great deal of enjoyment in the folly of others. She also existed--apparently very peacefully--within the social order of the day. She was not a "secret radical". She was not "subversive". No amount of wishing on the part of modern readers will make her so. If you can't enjoy an author's works unless their lives and beliefs mirror your own, you have a problem.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I definitely consider myself a Janeite but I certainly learned some new things from this book. Some things I wanted to know and others I wish I had skipped over, frankly. I enjoyed the historical portions about her past and family, and didn't even mind the little retellings of her novels. I kind of felt like I should have had my social justice checklist along with me to make sure the author ticked off all the boxes. (She did.) I guess with Austen's level of fame people are bound to try to place their own worldview and ideas into her writings, but I find it contrived.
The concept that she must have been "wild" by today's standards, in my opinion, is somewhat ludicrous. Just because men were some of the ones that wrote about her, doesn't exclusively mean they made up some falsehoods about who she really was. Only she actually knew herself fully.
Yes, she certainly had failings as we all do, and was a victim of her time period and the morals and standards of that time. I think we tend to look for a hero/heroine who might have risen above all the oppression of the day as is easier for us to do today, and while certainly there were some, most did not.
Minus a chapter or two and some 2025 ideas of who Jane should have been, this story was entertaining.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting read. I particularly loved the parts about Jane Austen's bonkers extended family and other close connections.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like the encapsulated equivalent of taking an English Literature class completely focused on Jane Austen, which is something I would have absolutely LOVED to have had the opportunity to do when I was in college. I found this book wildly interesting, and I effusively recommend that anyone who loves Austen, whether it be those on the milder end of the spectrum who may have just seen a movie or two, all the way to the die-hard Janeites, should read or listen to this book.

There was so much that I learned while reading this book! It focuses on finding the "wild" in relation to all things Jane Austen, and as the subtitle of the book suggests, all things that were subversive, untamed, and rebellious within Austen's writings, personal life, the time period she lived in, and the people she met, was related to, associated with, and influenced. The term "wild" is something I hadn't ever noticed or appreciated within Austen's novels, but it was fascinating to dive into it at the beginning of the book and then have Ms. Looser weave the thread throughout the remainder of the book as she goes through a wild-focused literary analysis of her novels and writings (published and unpublished) in the first section of the book. In part two, Looser explores and expounds on the context of Austen's life and writings as she wrote each of them, the people she knew and interacted with and who may have influenced her, and the historical events and cultural norms that would have undoubtedly affected Jane's life and perspectives. In part three (and to some extent, in part one as well), Looser reviews all the many ways Austen's novels have influenced the literature and pop culture that followed it.

As a lifelong Austen movie adaptation fan, I initially read all of the Austen novels in college roughly two decades ago, and this year I've come full circle, rereading the books and even making specific stops on a recent UK trip earlier this year in a quasi-homage to her writings. With double the life experience, and having read hundreds more books in the interim, I have to say that I appreciate Austen and her genius more than I ever have, and this book helped me to do that in a more in-depth and detailed way, enhancing my appreciation and love for her work, intelligence, feminism, and her wildness.

By reading this book, I was able to go well beyond my perceptions of the demure and spinstery Jane Austen that was previously portrayed in my childhood, to knowing in-depth and with so much more detail and context. I will be able to proceed forward with a deeper appreciation and understanding of books such as Northanger Abbey or Mansfield Park (my least favorites) as I reread them this year. I have a feeling they'll be able to be appreciated in their own rights, instead of being overshadowed by the perfection of Pride and Prejiduce, or the loveable characters in the other Austen books that I prefer. Additionally, as someone who likes to read historical fiction and romance as well, which are inevitably influenced by and often make references to Austen novels, (in fact, the past two books I've read as well as the current book I'm reading have all referenced them), I feel more well-informed and appreciative of the influence of Austen in literature I read henceforth.

As a busy mom who appreciates but often falls asleep reading nonfiction in print form, I was endlessly appreciative of being able to listen to this book in audiobook format, which is exactly what I needed to really get invested in the book. I felt the narrator did an excellent job in making the content engaging and interesting with her inflections. I really did feel as if I was taking a university class on Austen literature and that I was attending lectures, and learning as much as I would have learned had it been an actual class.

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read the introduction and the chapters on Lady Susan, Sense and Sensibility, and Mansfield Park. There has been some research. But it is difficult to see why this book was written and why it has been hyped so much. It could have been a cute little 2-page article somewhere. The author hangs everything on the word “wild” and its variations (even “bewildering”). The thesis is twisted into whatever shape will hold the idea of “wild.” OMG. Repetition. Trying so hard to make everything, even Jane Austen, fit. AND the author calls Jane Austen “Jane.” Do we call Henry James “Henry”? The writing here is dumbed-down, crammed with puns and metaphor, and finally unconvincing, warmed-over stuff. Read Jane Austen and the Price of Happiness if you want insight and decent writing.

[Christina O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This year is the celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday and "Wild For Austen" is focused on Austen’s legacy. In the era of Tradwives, Looser is arguing that viewing Austen as a sheltered “Aunt Jane” is to not understand Jane Austen or her novels at all. The book is split into 3 sections: wildness in Austen’s writing, her family and friends circle, and in the afterlife of her books. The book is very academic in structure, but fairly accessible and entertaining in its writing style.

[Cindy Spear · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first saw this title Wild For Austen by Devoney Looser, I knew I had to read it—especially being a Jane Austen fan. I was also intrigued by the title and presentation. The only authenticated picture of Jane adorns the cover but with a slight alteration to one of her eyes: the wink has been added to reflect a playfulness and accommodate the subtitle of ‘A Rebellious, Subversive and Untamed Jane.’

It is apparent very quickly there will be deliberate pet use of the word ‘wild’. For the author wants to show us a side of Jane we may not have considered. Was she “sweet,” “loving,” with a “remarkably calm and even” personality as her nephew describes her in his Victorian biography? Well, Devoney Looser certainly presents her case and challenges us to see Jane in another light through her ‘writings, family circle and paralleled legacy.’

This well researched scholarly non-fiction collection is delivered in a warm, down-to-earth readable style. It is definitely not a list of dry facts by any means as it is dotted with humour, wit and accessible inciteful morsels of knowledge. All six of Jane Austen’s novels, as well as her juvenilia, unfinished fiction, poetry and essays are explored and I definitely learned a few things I did not know! The number of movies adapted from her novels is vast and yet there were a number never to be released.

The book is divided into three parts of ‘Wild Writing,’ ‘Fierce Family Ties’ and ‘Shambolic Afterlies’ portraying wildness in her writing, glimpses of it in her life and in the ventures that have capitalised on her legacy. Each section is filled with fascinating headings, thought-provoking comments and unusual discoveries that reveal the extent of Austen’s influence. Besides exploration of her writing titles, there are intriguing sections on ghost sightings, Jane Austen’s books in court, her imaginary lover in Switzerland, her brother’s involvement in the abolition of slavery movement and the use of her name, image and books during the women’s suffrage movement. Jane became an iconic author for those who chose careers over domestic life.

There is a lot of valuable information here to be grasped, distilled and processed. But Devoney Looser makes it easy to read and not once did I lose tract of her explorations, interpretations and conclusions. At times I smiled, nodded, laughed and felt sadness. Jane’s popularity has meant she has been at risk of misinterpretation— especially concerning who she was as a person. The very fact that her works, mystery personality and day to day living have created so much controversy, shows how effective and influential she was as a fearless communicator and daring story teller.

Looser’s second to last chapter on ‘Loving (And Hating) Jane Austen’ makes many wise statements about how we should view Jane. When asked if she will ever get tired of Jane Austen, she says it has not happened yet. Will it. Maybe. But probably not. For when that question pops into her mind, she asks herself if she is just tired today or is she finally tired of Jane Austen? Then she does what most Janeites would do. “I’ll have an Elizabeth Bennett-style laugh at myself and move on.’ Jane’s fans are dedicated and their love of her work is lasting.

The closing chapter reminds us of the 250 anniversary of Jane Austen, the effects and magnitude of her talent, the subsequent artistic endeavours inspired by her works and the wild ride and connection between Jane Austen fans. Her “reputation is morphing from that of a prim, staid figure of propriety and constraint into the newest wild child of the nineteenth- century novel.” The book leaves us with the questions: which is the most convincing picture of her: wilder or milder? Will her works endure? And like the author of Wild For Austen, I believe her popularity will continue because her stories offer much needed hope as she champions love and friendship and fosters independence. In many ways, she was a rebel writer in her times blending satire, romance and comedy while providing an honest and unsettling view of the world in which she lived.

I certainly recommend this insightful and entertaining tribute to Jane Austen. A must read for Janeites. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Ultimo Press for my review copy.

[andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audio copy!

this is out September 2nd, 2025.

--

this book gave me so much to think about, especially around the way women are flattened into palatable versions of themselves, even after death. looser shows how austen's male relatives curated her image as meek, god-fearing, and unambitious, and how that version of her has overshadowed the actual woman we see in her letters and juvenilia. it's gutting to realize her gravestone reflects those lies. even in legacy, women aren't allowed to be fully human.

i loved the parts of this book that focused on austen's actual writing. looser argues convincingly that austen's work was wild for her time, in how it portrayed women with autonomy, dignity, and intelligence. there are no moral lessons shoved down your throat. there's no tidy box to put her in. she wrote women who thought for themselves and valued their minds, and in a time where education was discouraged for girls, that alone is subversive.

the section on her novels was the strongest part for me. seeing the wildness in lizzie bennet's refusal to marry without love, or in austen's earlier work where girls run off not with men but with bonnets, made me smile. i was also fascinated by the idea that emma is considered the character most like austen herself, especially since emma is often read as queer-coded.

i wish we had gotten the full version of sanditon, especially because it includes a biracial character. it could have told us more about austen's views on race and empire. looser touches on the fact that austen did reference slavery and colonialism in her work, even if her intent isn't always clear.

the back half of the book, which focuses on her extended family, friends, and acquaintances, felt much less successful. it drifted away from austen herself and spent a lot of time on stories that were only loosely connected to her. while i understand the goal of showing the chaotic world around her and how it may have influenced her writing, it made the book feel stretched too thin. the title promised a book about jane's wildness, and at times it felt like we were getting more of other people's stories than hers.

that said, looser's admiration and respect for austen is obvious in every chapter. i really appreciated her bringing up how jane's sister burned her letters to protect her, while her male relatives preserved and distributed. once again, men benefiting from a woman's words without honoring the full complexity of who she was.

overall, this is an insightful, well-researched read that brings nuance to a figure who has long been boxed into the idea of "proper womanhood." even if the book meanders, it's worth it for the moments when austen's wildness shines through.

[Becky Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Austen’s “wildness” is not a new topic, but it remains an intriguing one, and it’s particularly relevant as we seem to have fallen back into pushing the popular “mild” narrative which does a real disservice to the texts! If you’re looking for a nonfiction Austen to read as we approach December celebrations, I’d really recommend this one for its timeliness.

Between personal interest, an English undergrad, and writing two Austen theses, I’ve read plenty of books on Jane Austen. Whilst this book held few surprises for me, it still held my interest and was a pleasure to read. I felt it walked the fine line between academic and accessible without sacrificing nuance. A great pick for those who want to read more on Austen and further contextualise her works; so long as you aren’t precious about spoilers with any work you haven’t read -though you could opt to skip those chapters.

I liked the approach to the topic with part one dealing with Austen’s writings -including those often left out of the conversation like her verse and ‘The Watsons’. Part two discusses Austen’s family and legacy. The legacy topic is especially apposite as we approach the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth. I particularly enjoyed the section on films that almost were -most of which was news to me -I can’t stop picturing Peter Sellers as Mr. Bennet! Also new to me was Looser’s research on abolition and the Austen brothers -a topic many want to discuss particularly in relation to ‘Mansfield Park’, but previously there’s been little to discuss without speculation. Given the variation between part one and two, the latter is dryer but I found it to be the more interesting of the two.

🎧The audio aspect🎧 I was pleasantly surprised by how well this worked on audio. Looser’s relaxed textual voice pairs well with the narrator’s [Marisa Calin] voice work. I liked the choice of English narrator, matching the subject rather than the author, it made the regency period language smoother to my ear. The narrator’s tone of voice, interested but not excitable, made it easier to stay immersed in the information in a way that some audiobooks miss. In terms of audio editing, each part and chapter are clear and don’t blurring together. I liked the musical interlude at the beginning of the audiobook; it would’ve been nice if a shorter version of this accompanied chapter introductions.
As if often the case, acknowledgements were sadly not included in the audiobook format.

⏩️I listened at 1.00x speed and didn’t feel a need to adjust that. I did try at 1.25x speed and everything was still clear, but it was faster than I choose to listen.

With thanks to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things I learned from Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Austen by Devoney Looser:

-Sense and Sensibility was published on commission. This meant Austen kept the copyright and would reap more financial rewards. It also meant she assumed most of the risk. The latter is likely why it was done by only 4% of published works at the time.
-The wildness contained in Austen’s juvenilia
-There are only 3 portraits historians are confident are her.
-Northanger Abbey was published last despite being written first. The publisher who held the manuscript wouldn’t publish it and said she could buy it back. Her brother took great pleasure in buying it back and telling them it was by the author of Pride and Prejudice
-Historical context for Persuasion during the Napoleonic wars. Wentworth made something of himself having seen the ugliness of war. The happy ending will be interrupted with more bloodshed from Napoleon
-The thorough examination of the Austen’s family’s stance on slavery (half her brothers became staunch abolitionists.)
-The first actor to portray Mr. Darcy on stage was a woman in a college theater production in 1899
-There are 2 degrees of separation between Jane Austen and Judy Jetson
-The deep dive into Austen erotica was informative and highly entertaining

Looser sticks to the theme of wildness. With historical context, Austen’s work and life was more wild than we realize. It’s an interesting way to retell what’s been told many times. Because Jane Austen’s history is one with a lot of missing pieces and perspectives, there’s significant conjecture. Mostly, the educated guesses make sense with the occasional ‘the curtains were blue.’

If you’re only casually familiar with Austen and her works, this is a fun place to start. I was intrigued and informed. 4/5

[Library of Dreaming (Bookstagram) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some days I’m extra thankful to be a book reviewer and today is one of those days! Getting an early look at WILD FOR AUSTEN by Devoney Looser was an absolute treat! Thank you so much to the publishers.

WILD FOR AUSTEN is a nonfiction blend of biography and literary analysis on the incomparable (and surprisingly subversive) Jane Austen and her work in honor of the 250th anniversary of her birth!

Divided into three sections, WILD FOR AUSTEN explores instances of “wildness” in Austen’s writing, family, and life. At each point, Looser counters the prevailing myth of Austen as a meek wallflower and instead reveals her innumerable facets as a rebellious and complicated writer. The final section of the book also explores Austen’s wildly expansive legacy and how people have reacted to her books across the centuries.

As a passionate history and Austen fan, WILD FOR AUSTEN feels like it was made just for me. Devoney Looser has obviously done her research and backs up all her work with detailed analysis. At first, I was worried that the subtitle “A rebellious, subversive, and untamed Jane” was just a marketing ploy, but I found Looser’s arguments well-rounded and persuasive. I especially appreciated how she fleshed out Jane’s experiences during her lifetime and countered the myth that she was “forgotten” until the late 19th century.

Even though I’ve read my share of Austen biographies/paraphernalia, I learned a lot from this book! It prompted me to think more deeply about her life and work in a way that has undoubtedly enriched my appreciation for all things Austen. I thought the book might take a more sensationalized approach, but it felt extremely grounded and plausible.

The last section in the book was probably the weakest. I could’ve done without the musings on the use of Austen’s work in legal cases and the failed Hollywood adaptions of her work as it just didn’t seem very interesting. I definitely wish I had skipped the section on Austen erotica as I need a few cases of brain bleach now! 😂 [laughing and crying emoji]

However, I appreciated the emphasis in the final pages on the wonderful potential of Jane Austen and her work to create community. I join Looser in hoping that we continue discussing, dissecting, and developing our ideas on Austen for the foreseeable future!

If you’re a fellow Janeite, I highly recommend WILD FOR AUSTEN! I feel like it fits well with the brilliant JANE AUSTEN’S BOOKSHELF (released earlier this year) as it simultaneously roots Jane in the context of her world and highlights her genius. This is the perfect book to pick up to celebrate the anniversary of Jane’s birth and is definitely one of my favorite books of 2025!

[Marles Henry · Rating 2 out of 5]

My exploration of Jane Austen and books about her has crossed many decades. I’ve read several of Austen’s novels. In high school I read Fay Weldon’s Letters to Alice: On first reading Jane Austen, which offered insights into Austen’s craft through letters from Weldon to her niece. More recently I read Ruth Wilson’s The Jane Austen Remedy, a memoir recounting a woman’s journey re-reading Austen’s novels. Naturally, I was eager to read more about Austen’s writing, given its brilliance and the enduring mystery surrounding her influence.

Devoney Looser’s Wild for Austen promised to challenge the traditional view of Austen as mild and proper, instead portraying her as daring, unruly, and rebellious - wild - like a rebel in a satin bonnet and slippers. While the premise was enticing, I found the execution somewhat lacking. The first section attempted to link Austen’s fiction to notions of wildness, particularly through her female characters who subtly pushed social boundaries without fully breaking them. While I appreciated this analysis, the application of wildness to Austen often felt forced and overextended, diminishing its impact.

The second section, which delved into Austen’s life, was more compelling. Looser dispelled the myth of Austen’s life as dull, revealing stories of near-scandals, passionate attachments, and social risks that painted a more vibrant picture of the author. This part brought Austen’s world alive, added depth and supported her literary craft. The final section felt superficial, focusing on erotic Austen spin-offs and pop culture adaptations. This part seemed trivial compared to the earlier analysis, and again the repetition throughout the book hindered my interest. While Wild for Austen aimed to portray Austen as a rebellious figure, it ultimately fell short of that boldness. Austen was more of her time than timeless: she reflected her era, and there’s definitely nothing wrong with that.

Thanks #ultimopress for this thought provoking #gifted copy.