Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels

by Deirdre Le Faye

Explores the society and culture of England during the period of Austen's novels, including foreign affairs, fashion, social ranks, and transportation.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Books About Books, British Literature, Literature, Regency

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 19, 2002

About the author

Deirdre Le Faye was an English writer and literary critic.

Reviews

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had this on my history shelf for a while, but after reading it I'm placing it with other books about books. Le Faye walks us through Austen's life and all of her novels, placing them as well as she can in their historical settings, with maps, portraits, even images of items from the novels, like the filigree work Elinor and Lucy Steele do in Sense and Sensibility, and the mysterious japanned cabinet from Northanger Abbey.

One of the more interesting aspects of this book, for me, was Le Faye's research into portraiture, and images that she felt captured the spirit of Austen's characters. Austen referenced a particular painting that fit her mental picture of Jane Bennet, for example, and Le Faye included the image. More than anything else, these portraits show how much our concepts of facial beauty have changed over the centuries, and how much clothing and hairstyles can suit, or not suit, the face. Sort of a reverse fancasting, if you will. Le Faye also included locations that match descriptions of places in the novels.

My least favorite part was Le Faye's imaginings of what happened after the novel concluded. Marianne be widowed and marry a widowed Willoughby? That does not do it for me. (She has a similarly low opinion of Edward Ferrars, for shame!) There's a lot of hope for widowing and remarriage, including for Mr. Bennet. She even wishes death on John Thorpe! While all of this can be taken as farcical, it's discordant with the rest of the book. I was, however, interested to learn that the Austen family opinion was split on Fanny Price, whether she was bland or brilliant.

Recommended to fans of the novels who want their visual imaginations to be shaped more by history rather than by adaptations.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

With pictures galore, Le Faye gives a short bio of Jane Austen, some cultural background of her world, and runs through each of Austen's works. Also includes contemporary maps (i.e., from about 1805) of the English counties Jane either set her stories in or that she personally lived in.

Most of the pictures were great, especially of places and scenery, the buildings and architecture of the time. Sometimes Le Faye tried to suggest a personal portrait as maybe portraying this or that character, and IMHO she was way off base, for I never agreed with any of her ideas.

I pored over the maps, but found them extremely difficult to read. Either the background color didn't work, or the font needed to be different, or they needed to fill the page better, but I had to use a magnifying glass. Still, they're maps -- of England!! (lol)

I didn't gain much new information, either about Jane Austen or her world. I'd already read a couple of biographies, and I'm a pretty fair reader of English history and culture.

And I did not at all like Le Faye's discussing the novels. I don't need a re-telling of Jane's works, and she had no scholarly insight to give. I especially didn't like her suggestions for what could maybe happen to everybody after the novel ends.

So, I guess it's a keeper. If, though, later on it gets pulled from my shelves to make room for something else, I don't think I'll mind too much.

[Lady Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential reference for any serious Janeite.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of factual information about Jane Austen's life and times and how those topics relate to her novels. It includes information about cultural activities such as games and dancing, homes of the day, the Royal family and much much more. There are full color plates and photographs which enhance the information. Though I've read considerably on Jane Austen, the Regency era and her novels, I enjoyed this book and learned a few things. I especially liked seeing the pictures of Jane Austen's writing desk and table as well as the portraits of what her characters may have looked like. This is a great book for new and old Jane Austen fans and a worthy addition to any Janeite's library.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to four, the half point deduction due to lack to sources (at least sources cited) since this book is all facts. Worth reading for those who have read the novels at least once and are curious about, for example, what the type of carriage a family uses says about their social and economic standing or what type of bonnet a lady would wear in town, in the country or in London society. Lots of the information presented is commonplace and would be generally known by avid readers of Austen--the place of the Navy and naval officers in the social order or the different ranks of nobility on might encounter during the season.

[grllopez ~ with freedom and books · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an excellent little book about the mind and heart and life of Jane Austen.
My review: Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels by Deirdre Le Faye.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The object of this book, then, is to provide for the modern reader an outline of Jane Austen’s own world — her biography and background — and to fit into this historical framework specific and often long-forgotten details of the late Georgian and Regency social scene. . . . It is intended that these details of social history, together with the illustrations that accompany them, will serve to throw light on Jane Austen’s second world, that of her novels she wrote and the lives of the characters she created, and so make for deeper understanding and even greater enjoyment of her works.”

This was a fantastic read. Opening with an introduction to Jane Austen’s world — including her family life, siblings, homes, habits, experiences, letters, and more — the book also provides important historical and societal context that helps the reader to better understand not only the goings-on of the time period, but how they played a role in Austen’s works.

Also including a chapter dedicated to each novel (even those left incomplete), the book gives the reader fascinating food for thought. It features real portraits that may have inspired (or may resemble) characters from Austen’s novels, conjecture on what may have happened to characters beyond the end of each novel (something I, as a reader, think about all the time!), historical maps, and much more. And while I haven’t checked to see whether such versions exist, I have to say that I’d love to read Austen’s works with annotations from this book in the margins, which would surely give new depth and fresh insight to the reading experience. A must-read for history lovers and Austen enthusiasts!

[Margie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half of the book gave political, geographic, and sociocultural context for Austen's novels, as well as some personal history for Jane herself. The second half gave summaries of the novels along with a few contextual asides.

Reproductions of portraits from the era are useful mostly for information on how people dressed. Le Faye's tendency to suggest that various portraits looked like specific characters in the novels felt forced, incorrect, and lessened her authority. Maps were difficult to read.

Seemed a bit of Austen "lite".

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars, because it’s Jane.

[Emily Pankhurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing was light and it was very well presented. I liked the images (and the accompanying notes) that were added throughout the book because it gave a bit of life and visualisation to what we were reading about.

Whilst the book was good, I did find it hard going to read large chunks of it at a time. It is definitely a dip in and out of book.

The book was split into two parts; the general life of Jane Austen and then focussing on the novels. I enjoyed both parts, but I particularly liked going through each novel and seeing how it related to the life that Jane Austen was living at the time and looking at what could have inspired her to write the novels. Whilst a lot of it is guess work, it is backed up by maps, witness accounts and letters from Jane Austen herself. It all felt very well researched.

Overall an interesting read that adds a wonderful extra layer to her novels.

[Emily Weathers · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m pretty sure I could have found the same information in Wikipedia entries.
First half: Pitiful surface-level “research” is more of a collection of Jane Austen time period trivia.
Second half: What I anticipated to be critical analysis of each novel ended up being speculative and summative commentary.

[Elizabeth Fama]

Very useful for summarizing the plots of each of Jane's novels with enough detail and analysis to get a good feeling for the book (if you haven't read it) or a good reminder of the book (if you have).

There are some serious digressions into the probable locations of the various fictitious scenes in the novels, based on geographical considerations, names of towns in the area, places Jane had visited and would therefore be familiar with, etc. The author likes to tell us which new road corresponds to the old road that the character is traveling on, for instance, and since I'm not familiar with UK geography I had to skim those passages -- they were a bit dry for me. But I can see that if you wanted to recreate the writing of each text based on Jane's experiences, this otherwise tedious exercise would be a valuable resource for you.

So for summaries of all 6 plots, this was superb. I still prefer The Annotated Pride and Prejudice as a means of examining every single Regency factoid in that particular novel, and it would be sort of cool to have an annotated version of the other 5 as well (get to work David M. Shapard!).

[Maria Grazia · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my little spare time, these days, I'm experiencing a total immersion in the world of Jane Austen and her novels. The enriching, masterful essay by Deirdre Le Faye has revealed itself an unexpectedly pleasant reading.
I've read through Part I: "The world of Jane Austen" and just finished the long chapter titled "England and the world". What I want to share with you is the detailed description Le Faye proposes of the differences between male and female education, career chances, occupations and pursuits.
I've always admired Jane Austen for her witty outlook, her intelligent irony, at dealing with these discriminating decisive differences in her novels; Deirdre Le Faye, instead, collected facts taken from documents and provides the modern readers an outline of that world, so that they can step through the looking glass and find themselves in the England of two centuries ago. They little by little discover what being a man or a woman might be like.
GO ON READING at
1. http://flyhigh-by-learnonline.blogspo...
2. http://flyhigh-by-learnonline.blogspo...

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read and a very lively presentation of Jane Austen's world. Unlike other Austen-related books, this one is written in a very readable style and offers very interesting insight into Austen's life, Regency England (historical, social & economic facts which Le Faye links to Austen's novels) and of course into Austen's novels themselves. There are also beautiful illustrations throughout the book: maps, portraits that match Austen's characters description and other illustrations of the topics discussed such as houses, landscapes clothing, coins...

This is not one of these scholarly/barely readable books that drop out of your hands after reading the first 20 pages but a very enjoyable read that make Austen's novels come to life in a wonderful way. A must-read for all Austen fans!

[Bookmaniac70 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderful book which offers a fascinating glimpse of Jane Austen`s world. The first part was brilliant. I enjoyed each chapter with its detailed descriptions of domestic,social and cultural habits of that time. The second part was a bit of disappointment, as it didn`t provide much more than a synopsis of each book, and it contained spoilers,too, which I consider quite unnecessary and annoying. But overall it was a very nice read.

[Rebecca Huston · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the very best books about Jane Austen and the culture, society and events that she lived in and drew inspiration from. One of my keepers, and never get rid of it. If you're going to read just one nonfiction book about Jane Austen, this is the one to look for. Very much recommended.

For the complete review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_17960...

[natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for a continuing ed history class called Jane Austen's World. Along with the class, really enjoyed learning more about the society and culture that are such an integral part of Jane Austen's novels. Gives me a broader context and helps better understand the details. This book makes me want to go back and read the novels all again immediately.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic detail packed book on Austen and the time period and world around her novels. I found it very helpful when on a visit to Britain to use the book as a guide to places of interest where Austen had lived or visited. Well worth reading for all those who are familiar with her novels and want to learn more about the time period.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I reviewed this for BookPleasures.com last fall. It's a very beautiful and beautifully written book with plenty of lovely illustrations. It succinctly places Austen's family and novels within a historical context.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Austen: The World of her Novels is just that. Deidre Le Faye provides historical, cultural, and social perspectives to better understand the context of Austen's work. Le Faye provides general information, as well as in depth information about each book.

[Juliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything about this book, but my favorite part is the chapter on her publication history--how each book came into being and the shenanigans and pitfalls along the way. I think any modern writer can take heart from it.

[Shrewsbury Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The object of this book, then, is to provide for the modern reader an outline of Jane Austen’s own world . . . and to fit into this historical framework specific and often long-forgotten details of the late Georgian and Regency social scene. . . . It is intended that these details of social history, together with the illustrations that accompany them, will serve to throw light on Jane Austen’s second world, that of the novels she wrote and the lives of the characters she created, and so make for deeper understanding and even greater enjoyment of her works.”

Opening with a biography of legendary author Jane Austen, this nonfiction work imparts fascinating historical information on everything from food, social customs, and sanitation to fashion, cosmetics, and travel. Since much of Austen’s life story has been pieced together through letters, diaries, and accounts from family and friends, concrete period subtleties provide context to her writings, particularly in instances where descriptive details are scant.

Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels also includes chapters dedicated to each of Austen’s works — both published and incomplete — providing more in-depth commentary, conjectures, and reactions surrounding periods, locales, storylines, and characters. Comprehensive maps, beautiful photographs, colorful portraits, and intricate illustrations are scattered throughout, all of which equip readers with a true sense of time and place and give new insight and enhanced depth to the reading experience. A must-read for Austen enthusiasts and history lovers, this book is available via the CW MARS catalog.

[Fern F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deirdre Le Faye's short (but supremely heavy because the paper quality is *chef's kiss*) book puts Jane Austen's life and her novels in context. The book is divided into two parts: the first focuses on Jane Austen's biography (including that of her family) and the world she was born into, while the second half explores each of her novels (including the unfinished Sanditon and The Watsons... but not Lady Susan), adding context to the details in them. As Le Faye says, these novels were written for contemporary readers, so there are details about the houses/clothes/media consumed/etc that had a second meaning for Austen's contemporary readers, but that fly completely over one's head nowadays. Le Faye also spends a lot of time placing the scenes in each novel in their modern location and explaining how Austen might have learned about the place (e.g., by visiting it, or by knowing people who lived there). That part will be particularly interesting to someone who lives in England or is planning on visiting it (post-Covid-19 of course). With each novel, Le Faye also includes a sampling of how it was received by critics and -- when Austen spoke of the future of her characters past each novel's ending with her family -- snippets of that future which is quite fun.

[Desirée · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a satisfying read as an Austen fan. Deirdre Le Faye offers a thorough, almost archival look at the world surrounding Austen, giving readers a sense of the culture she lived in and wrote from. The book provides a wide-ranging context that stretches from the start of Austen’s writing life through her death — and even beyond it.

Nearly half the book is dedicated to mapping out the social and domestic realities of Austen’s era before Le Faye turns her focus to the novels themselves. The only drawback, for me, was the repetition in those early chapters. For instance, the story of Austen having a book specially bound for the Prince is explained in detail at the beginning, then revisited again when that particular novel is discussed later.

The geographical deep-dives and tracing modern UK locations and speculating where Austen’s stories might have unfolded did became a bit tedious at times. I imagine readers in the UK would find that aspect interesting and familiar in a way I couldn’t. The illustrations throughout are genuinely helpful. They ground the reader in the landscapes and provides visuals — from period artwork to imagined likenesses of characters and depictions of the homes Austen wrote about.

Overall, this is an excellent resource for anyone seeking deeper insight into Austen’s life, her world, and the historical scenes that shaped her writing.

[CharlotteReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am truly enjoying this book - it is not a light, fluffy read but a well-researched dive into the context of Miss Austen's life, family life, and education. It provides a solid context to fully understand her works and her world. After watching many people in an online forum misinterpret Mr Bennet's scolding of Kitty I consider it essential to read Austen's works in annotated form and with a solid history in hand. Understanding the details makes the events in JA's novels all that much richer. Also, if a person writes JA Fan Fiction, I recommend this text even more for JAFF authors as it will increase the quality of the very creative and beautifully told alternate story lines: how far can a horse travel on a English Regency road in a day? How much did a book cost? How much money was an average dowry? It is worth the read.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved learning more about Austen's writing process, how she developed her characters, and her life. To be honest, I skipped several pages that were detailing the landscape and climate of England at the time of Austen's life. I wasn't interested in all of that. I really enjoyed the stories from her family's letters, talking about where she imagined her characters after the finish of the books. I wish she had been given the opportunity to leave us more. In my opinion, she is one the greatest authors of all time. I've spent many years reading and re-reading her stories, but this is the first time I've put any effort into learning about her as a person. It won't be the last.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

A respectable reference book, covering Austen's life; pertinent historical, cultural, and social information; and a brief examination of each of her books. Overall, I think it would be valuable to a reader beginning their journey into the world of Jane Austen's works.

That said, for anyone wanting to make a more serious study, there are more complete biographies, more expansive works on the social/cultural practices of the day, and much more in-depth (and more interesting!) works of literary scholarship examining Austen's novels that I would recommend before this particular book.

[Dawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly researched overview of Jane Austen's world as well as a detailed overview of each of Austen's novels including the author's feelings in regards to each book. Le Faye also covers the Austen family & the help & support they gave to Jane. I found it delightful that, with one particular novel, it is noted that her sister Cassandra emphatically tried, in vain, to get Jane to change the ending.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall enjoyed this, strong in the first half when it was almost entirely history and historical context, but the second half of the book where the author shifted to synopses of the novels needed more history woven in. There was more than one error in the synopses themselves (such as the timeline around events when Elizabeth & the Gardiners were in Derbyshire) and the work seemed to struggle to decide if it were a history book or a literary review.

[Marilyn Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good historical read about early 19th century society. Deidre La Faye covers food, manners, clothes, needlework and many more social history aspects of life at that time. She deals mostly with the middle classes but dips in to agricultural labourers' lives and those of the nobility. A steady read.