Jane Austen: A Literary Life

by Jan Fergus

Previous biographies have set Jane Austen within her social context. This biography places her firmly within her professional context as one of an increasing number of women who published novels between 1790 and 1820. Being a professional writer was, apart from her family, more important to Austen than anything else in her life.

Genres: Jane Austen, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1991

Reviews

[Julie Bozza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good title in the Literary Lives series. I appreciated all the context about women's writing (and published writing) during the period, and there were some insights and thoughts on Austen and her writing that were new and interesting to me. Maybe not quite up to the volumes on Keats and Marlowe, but that says more about how very wonderful they are.

[Crissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the focus on Austen as a professional writer, not just on her family life!