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Jane Was Here: An Illustrated Guide to Jane Austen's England
Jane Was Here is a whimsical, illustrated guide to Jane Austen's England - from the settings in her novels and the scenes in the wildly popular television and film adaptations, to her homes and other important locations throughout her own life.
Discover the stately homes of Basildon Park and Ham House and the lush landscapes of Stourhead and Stanage Edge. Tread in Jane's footsteps as you explore her school in the old gatehouse of the ruined Reading Abbey; her perfectly-preserved home in her Chawton cottage, where she spent the last eight years of her life; or her final resting place in Winchester Cathedral.
Whether you want to take this book as your well-thumbed guide on a real Austenian pilgrimage of your own, or experience the journey from the comfort of your own living room, Jane Was Here will take you - with a tone as wry as Jane's itself - on an enchanting adventure through the ups and downs of the world of Jane Austen.
Discover the stately homes of Basildon Park and Ham House and the lush landscapes of Stourhead and Stanage Edge. Tread in Jane's footsteps as you explore her school in the old gatehouse of the ruined Reading Abbey; her perfectly-preserved home in her Chawton cottage, where she spent the last eight years of her life; or her final resting place in Winchester Cathedral.
Whether you want to take this book as your well-thumbed guide on a real Austenian pilgrimage of your own, or experience the journey from the comfort of your own living room, Jane Was Here will take you - with a tone as wry as Jane's itself - on an enchanting adventure through the ups and downs of the world of Jane Austen.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2020
17 people are currently reading
895 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 174 reviews
July 14, 2020
3.5 stars
A delightful afternoon read, Jane Was Here is a travel guide for the Jane Austen fan, filled with the most charming illustrations.
Having planned an itinerary for 4 months (!), the 3 authors of Jane Was Here set out on a 2-week trip to England to visit all sorts of Jane Austen-related locations. And it is this--the fact that its authors have themselves taken the trip that they now guide us on--that makes Jane Was Here a personal, idiosyncratic travel guide. There are all kinds of specific tips and insider bits of information scattered across the book, complemented by the colourful, distinctly styled, and beautiful illustrations of Lexi Nilson. I especially loved that the illustrations highlighted the passing details of the authors' trip: the diverse shapes and colours of various doors, the different kinds of plants encountered, the road signs followed, the tea sets used and glimpsed. It all comes together to form an enjoyable and vicarious experience of the variety of locations you might expect to visit if you were to embark on a Jane Austen pilgrimage yourself.
Thank you so much to Chronicle Books for sending me a review copy of this in exchange for an honest review!
A delightful afternoon read, Jane Was Here is a travel guide for the Jane Austen fan, filled with the most charming illustrations.
Having planned an itinerary for 4 months (!), the 3 authors of Jane Was Here set out on a 2-week trip to England to visit all sorts of Jane Austen-related locations. And it is this--the fact that its authors have themselves taken the trip that they now guide us on--that makes Jane Was Here a personal, idiosyncratic travel guide. There are all kinds of specific tips and insider bits of information scattered across the book, complemented by the colourful, distinctly styled, and beautiful illustrations of Lexi Nilson. I especially loved that the illustrations highlighted the passing details of the authors' trip: the diverse shapes and colours of various doors, the different kinds of plants encountered, the road signs followed, the tea sets used and glimpsed. It all comes together to form an enjoyable and vicarious experience of the variety of locations you might expect to visit if you were to embark on a Jane Austen pilgrimage yourself.
Thank you so much to Chronicle Books for sending me a review copy of this in exchange for an honest review!
August 16, 2020
Not what I was expecting at all. I thought it would be about the places Jane Austen lived and visited. There was a bit of that, but mostly it just details places that were used as sets for Austen film adaptations. There were a few egregious typos that pulled the rating down, but the illustrations are beautiful.
February 3, 2021
a great intro to jane austen as im having some jane austen's in my TBR!!! i have yet to read any of her books at the moment but now im more excited to do so. i think jane austen fans would be able to enjoy reading this more as they would be able to understand certain context that was shared in this book. as someone who is not really familiar of her works yet, i still do enjoy browsing through while looking at the illustrations.
September 9, 2020
Pros: absolutely adorable. this was so much fun---fun to flip through casually and fun to read more thoroughly. lots of cute tidbits, easter egg details, and travel secrets. great for a coffee table or as gift for a janeite friend.
Cons: will absolutely make you want to round up your besties and go on an austen trip.
Pros: when you take that trip, you have the guide you need.
Cons: will absolutely make you want to round up your besties and go on an austen trip.
Pros: when you take that trip, you have the guide you need.
December 12, 2020
I enjoyed the art and some of the details about Jane’s geography and the filming locations for Austen adaptations, but a lot of the drawings just seemed arbitrary and it felt overall like a rough draft of a traveling sketchbook. I would have enjoyed some photographs of the authors visiting the locations and maybe some more personal insights? It felt slightly lacking in purpose or theme.
August 12, 2020
Wonderful + detailed descriptions! Beautiful and classy illustrations! A lovely tribute to Jane 💕
December 30, 2020
This was a really cute and enjoyable book, and it led to a lot of googling to find out more about some of the locations. That led me to a virtual tour of Burghley House which is incredible! Some of the hand drawn cursive font is hard to read, and the composer of the 2005 Pride and Prejudice score had his name misspelled, but other than that it was delightful!
December 28, 2023
While re - watching all the movies, this was a nice touch (and also made me wanna travel in England because damn ♥️)
August 11, 2020
Absolutely charming. I laid out an itinerary last winter for an Austen literary trip this summer but covid changed that. Cannot wait to use this as a resource for the trip next year.
August 10, 2020
A very sweet, gorgeous little guidebook that is equal parts travel advice and unabashed Austen fandom gushing.
July 7, 2020
J'ai d'abord découvert le compte instagram de ces trois jeunes femmes, amoureuses de Jane Austen, et je suis instantanément tombée sous le charme des illustrations de Lexi. Alors autant vous dire qu'à l'instant où j'ai appris qu'un ouvrage était en préparation, je n'étais que joie.
L'histoire de ce livre commence par un projet de fin d'étude et un voyage en Angleterre sur les traces de Jane Austen, des lieux emblématiques de sa vie à ceux du tournage des différentes adaptations. C'est donc un guide de voyage que nous livrent ici ses auteurs, illuminé du coup de crayon de Lexi.
À la réception, le coup de coeur s'est confirmé, ce livre est tout simplement une petite pépite. Les illustrations sont sublimes et très nombreuses. Je peux vous dire qu'il est assez rare de voir un ouvrage aussi beau, avec autant de pages, autant de dessins et une couverture rigide pour un prix si raisonnable.
Quant au contenu, il nous emmène en voyage, c'est indéniable et j'ai apprécié l'humour qui
émaille l'ouvrage. J'ai adoré également les pages supplémentaires comme celle consacrée aux lettres de Jane Austen à sa soeur. Bien sûr, si je voulais chipoter, je pourrais dire que j'ai parfois été étonnée des choix de lieux ou qu'on ne parle pas de Steventon par exemple, mais je pense que c'est une décision assumée que de montrer un petit peu autre chose. Vous l'avez compris de toutes façons, c'est un tel coup de coeur que je suis prête à tout leur passer. J'ai d'ailleurs pris tout mon temps pour le parcourir, le savourer au maximum et nul doute que je le feuillèterai à nouveau régulièrement. Ce livre est désormais l'un des joyaux de ma collection et je ne me lasse pas de le contempler.
http://janeausten.hautetfort.com/arch...
L'histoire de ce livre commence par un projet de fin d'étude et un voyage en Angleterre sur les traces de Jane Austen, des lieux emblématiques de sa vie à ceux du tournage des différentes adaptations. C'est donc un guide de voyage que nous livrent ici ses auteurs, illuminé du coup de crayon de Lexi.
À la réception, le coup de coeur s'est confirmé, ce livre est tout simplement une petite pépite. Les illustrations sont sublimes et très nombreuses. Je peux vous dire qu'il est assez rare de voir un ouvrage aussi beau, avec autant de pages, autant de dessins et une couverture rigide pour un prix si raisonnable.
Quant au contenu, il nous emmène en voyage, c'est indéniable et j'ai apprécié l'humour qui
émaille l'ouvrage. J'ai adoré également les pages supplémentaires comme celle consacrée aux lettres de Jane Austen à sa soeur. Bien sûr, si je voulais chipoter, je pourrais dire que j'ai parfois été étonnée des choix de lieux ou qu'on ne parle pas de Steventon par exemple, mais je pense que c'est une décision assumée que de montrer un petit peu autre chose. Vous l'avez compris de toutes façons, c'est un tel coup de coeur que je suis prête à tout leur passer. J'ai d'ailleurs pris tout mon temps pour le parcourir, le savourer au maximum et nul doute que je le feuillèterai à nouveau régulièrement. Ce livre est désormais l'un des joyaux de ma collection et je ne me lasse pas de le contempler.
http://janeausten.hautetfort.com/arch...
August 22, 2020
Oh my gosh, this book is just absolutely adorable! Whenever I picked up "Jane Was Here", I had a huge smile on my face, and loved every single page of this book.
I love anything and everything related to Jane Austen, adore England, and am a proud history nerd! As soon as I heard about this book combining three of my favorite things, I just knew I needed to read it. I am so glad I did!
It is so clear from the very start how much Nicole Jacobson, Devynn Dayton, and Lexi K. Nilson adore their topics. You can just tell as the reader how much fun they had creating this book, and their enthusiasm jumps right off of the page. The writing style is so inviting and fun, and the illustrations are just so beautiful and adorable! I felt like I was another friend traveling with them! Their research and love for Jane Austen and her life and times is so clear, and they brilliantly weave historical facts, locations, etc. about her and her novels with more modern references as well. From background on Jane's family to fashion to dogs to SO MUCH MORE, I learned a lot, and enjoyed it every step of the way. I truly felt like I went on a vacation without ever leaving my couch! I don't want to spoil too much of what is in the book, so, you will just have to read it to see!
If you love Jane Austen, I highly recommend this book! I can't wait to read it again and again, and discover new gems I might have missed the first time through. It is truly beautiful, special, unique, and such a joy to read!
Thank you so much to Hardie Grant Books for sending me a review copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own!
I love anything and everything related to Jane Austen, adore England, and am a proud history nerd! As soon as I heard about this book combining three of my favorite things, I just knew I needed to read it. I am so glad I did!
It is so clear from the very start how much Nicole Jacobson, Devynn Dayton, and Lexi K. Nilson adore their topics. You can just tell as the reader how much fun they had creating this book, and their enthusiasm jumps right off of the page. The writing style is so inviting and fun, and the illustrations are just so beautiful and adorable! I felt like I was another friend traveling with them! Their research and love for Jane Austen and her life and times is so clear, and they brilliantly weave historical facts, locations, etc. about her and her novels with more modern references as well. From background on Jane's family to fashion to dogs to SO MUCH MORE, I learned a lot, and enjoyed it every step of the way. I truly felt like I went on a vacation without ever leaving my couch! I don't want to spoil too much of what is in the book, so, you will just have to read it to see!
If you love Jane Austen, I highly recommend this book! I can't wait to read it again and again, and discover new gems I might have missed the first time through. It is truly beautiful, special, unique, and such a joy to read!
Thank you so much to Hardie Grant Books for sending me a review copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own!
October 11, 2020
I would have loved this book 15 years ago. The whimsical illustrations are delightful and the idea is clever. As a reader now, I wish it had been longer and included a few other places and focused a bit more on Persuasion, Emma, and Northanger Abbey. I love the little quirky details included and wish there had been more. They definitely try to hit something in all of the films/books(even the awful Mansfield Parks and the, in my opinion useless, 2005 P&P). But, when you get to the end and see their travel plans, it's impressive how much they did fit in. I liked it much more than Austenland and would love to see it become a travel series of sorts.
The trouble with creating this sort of book is that too many people have their own opinions(and mine are all too obvious here). However, this is great with tons of useful tidbits for even the non-Austenite London traveler.
The trouble with creating this sort of book is that too many people have their own opinions(and mine are all too obvious here). However, this is great with tons of useful tidbits for even the non-Austenite London traveler.
May 16, 2021
4.5 stars
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This was such fun! Basically a tour guide for an Austen-themed trip to England, the attention to detail and little tips throughout were so fun.
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I now need to spend 2 weeks following this guidebook as I travel around Austen's England.
.
This was such fun! Basically a tour guide for an Austen-themed trip to England, the attention to detail and little tips throughout were so fun.
.
I now need to spend 2 weeks following this guidebook as I travel around Austen's England.
January 31, 2021
Lovely book! Makes me want to return to London... and explore more outside of London, as well! Heavy on the film adaption trivia, yet still charming. A good read for a Jane Austen fan before traveling to England.
August 25, 2021
Oh, if only I could pack this book, take my best friend, Marci, and make the 2-week tour of Jane Austen's England--according to Jane Was Here! That would be a dream vacation for sure.
This read was sheer delight! I reveled in the places where I have been: The Chawton Cottage (The Jane Austen House Museum), Bath, Stourhead Garden, Winchester Cathedral; and I dream of places I could go!
The authors--all former students at my Alma Mater, Brigham Young University--have created a Janeite treasure! Even the wry tone hearkens to Jane herself.
Thank you, my dear friend, Marci, for the gift of this book. It will most certainly find a prominent position on my "favorite reads" book shelf! Oh, if only we could take that trip together!
This read was sheer delight! I reveled in the places where I have been: The Chawton Cottage (The Jane Austen House Museum), Bath, Stourhead Garden, Winchester Cathedral; and I dream of places I could go!
The authors--all former students at my Alma Mater, Brigham Young University--have created a Janeite treasure! Even the wry tone hearkens to Jane herself.
Thank you, my dear friend, Marci, for the gift of this book. It will most certainly find a prominent position on my "favorite reads" book shelf! Oh, if only we could take that trip together!
January 1, 2022
Un must-have pour toutes les Janeites !
July 12, 2024
A great birthday gift (thanks again, Al) and a delightful read that got me excited for my upcoming move to London. I would like to go on the next trip, please!!
December 16, 2020
Jane Austenin jalanjäljissä kulkeva kirjailijakolmikko on kerännyt kauniiseen pakettiin faktaa Austenin liikkeistä Englannissa sekä hänen kirjojensa filmatisointien kuvauspaikoista. Suosittelen lämpimästi kaikille Austenin faneille. Itselle tuli ainakin pakottava tarve päästä käymään Lyme Parkissa, joka toimi Pemberleyna vuonna 1995 kuvatussa Ylpeydessä ja ennakkoluulossa.
April 18, 2024
Utterly charming and completely lovely. The details!
August 6, 2025
Guía ilustrada de la Inglaterra que tiene que ver con Jane Austen. El libro está dividido por zonas y nos muestra los principales lugares de interés (sobre todo en cuanto edificios históricos). Encontré algunos sitios que aún no tenía en la mira pero no da tanta información si es que realmente estás planeando un viaje. Aún así las ilustraciones son divinas y nunca cae mal una buena dosis de datos austenitas.
September 12, 2020
I REALLY wanted to love this.
So disappointed.
There are some lovely illustrations of dogs, doors, & buildings.
Not well written, and could have used a fact-checker.
Was briefly in a zoom with the authors, it is a charming story of college friends who put together & completed a plan; but l really feel as though the text was created by people who don’t read much.
London description excerpt:
It’s where Jane Bennett is kept from Mr. Bingley, where Elinor and Edward are kept apart by the fickle Lucy Steele, and where Lydia and Mr. Wickham elope under the inconspicuous watch of Mr. Darcy.
inconspicuous =
not clearly visible or attracting attention; not conspicuous.
So, huh?
There are several phrases that would have benefited from editor with dictionary.
So disappointed.
There are some lovely illustrations of dogs, doors, & buildings.
Not well written, and could have used a fact-checker.
Was briefly in a zoom with the authors, it is a charming story of college friends who put together & completed a plan; but l really feel as though the text was created by people who don’t read much.
London description excerpt:
It’s where Jane Bennett is kept from Mr. Bingley, where Elinor and Edward are kept apart by the fickle Lucy Steele, and where Lydia and Mr. Wickham elope under the inconspicuous watch of Mr. Darcy.
inconspicuous =
not clearly visible or attracting attention; not conspicuous.
So, huh?
There are several phrases that would have benefited from editor with dictionary.
May 26, 2022
Super fun, quirky and cute book to give you an overview of Jane Austen and her world.
July 28, 2022
A charming and modern look at real life places related to Jane Austen, with tips on making visiting these places a real experience, and organized by geographic area. You could use this guide to plan your Jane Austen tour of England (a fantasy of mine). Each place is illustrated with cute drawings I would want to make in my travel journal if I were going: ceiling decorations, vases, dogs, as well as broader landscapes and house elevations, done in a whimsical modern style.
"Jane Was Here" includes houses and towns that are places from Jane Austen's life (such as Chawton), places in her novels (the Cobb at Lyme Regis), and also places used in the filming of several well-loved adaptations (Lyme Park, "Pemberly," with the pond). At first the authors --millennials!-- seemed to be fixated with the 2005 P&P movie, but they made up for it by the end of the book by including several locations from THE P&P: the 1995 miniseries, as well as other book adaptations, of course.
The guide gives suggestions for a whirlwind Jane Austen trip through England. If you want more solid history and detailed paper maps about the locations you'll need to purchase another guidebook. But you could do this whole trip with nothing but this book and directions you could find on your phone's map and historic information found at each place (many being museums) and you'd have an amazingly enriching trip.
Reading through the book itself, cover to cover, almost made me feel like I was on this lovely tour. And, putting aside teasing the authors for being millennials, I would have loved to be on this trip with them. (And we all attended the same university, so there you go: potential besties.)
Oh! I forgot to write about the other cute information in the book! There's a spread on plein air sketching for any budding amateur artist, pages on regency dress, etc. Even if you have no plans to do a "Jane Was Here" tour, any Janeite will delight in this book.
"Jane Was Here" includes houses and towns that are places from Jane Austen's life (such as Chawton), places in her novels (the Cobb at Lyme Regis), and also places used in the filming of several well-loved adaptations (Lyme Park, "Pemberly," with the pond). At first the authors --millennials!-- seemed to be fixated with the 2005 P&P movie, but they made up for it by the end of the book by including several locations from THE P&P: the 1995 miniseries, as well as other book adaptations, of course.
The guide gives suggestions for a whirlwind Jane Austen trip through England. If you want more solid history and detailed paper maps about the locations you'll need to purchase another guidebook. But you could do this whole trip with nothing but this book and directions you could find on your phone's map and historic information found at each place (many being museums) and you'd have an amazingly enriching trip.
Reading through the book itself, cover to cover, almost made me feel like I was on this lovely tour. And, putting aside teasing the authors for being millennials, I would have loved to be on this trip with them. (And we all attended the same university, so there you go: potential besties.)
Oh! I forgot to write about the other cute information in the book! There's a spread on plein air sketching for any budding amateur artist, pages on regency dress, etc. Even if you have no plans to do a "Jane Was Here" tour, any Janeite will delight in this book.
March 17, 2021
This was a delightful read to accompany a warm bath. Full of illustrations, this book is primarily a travelogue between friends and the great places they went in England that are tangentially related to Jane Austen. Most are where various film adaptations were filmed and while there were some good travel secrets (I assume...I've not been on my Jane Austen pilgrimage yet), there was also a full page spread of illustrations of dogs these friends met on their journeys. And another of the beautiful doors. And it really just felt like these friends went on a trip and got someone to publish a book about their adventures. Now, the illustrations are quite good and I will definitely keep the itinerary at the back of the book in mind whenever I plan future travel adventures, but there wasn't a whole lot of substance to this book (besides the pretty pictures).
June 8, 2024
I really enjoyed this, but I think you really have to be a “Janeite” (as they call it) to appreciate it. Three American ladies took a trip to England to trace the steps of Jane Austen’s life and her novels and movie adaptations. They kept track and drawings of all the things they saw, not just buildings but also people and animals and plants. Really charming collection, and I will definitely use this as a reference when I make my way to England!
December 3, 2021
This book was so much fun! There's not a year that goes by that I don't watch multiple movies/miniseries based on Austen's novels. I loved this journey through Jane Austen's England, along with the beautiful illustrations. I hope someday that I can follow the journey taken in the book and see all the Jane sites.
October 20, 2021
Not that much text, but the incredibly charming illustrations just draw you in to a delightful world you will regret having to leave.
Most of the focus is on P&P, including both the mini-series and more recent film.
Most of the focus is on P&P, including both the mini-series and more recent film.
March 19, 2022
Beautiful book with whimsical illustrations about fun Jane Austen-related places to visit. Some locations are destinations visited by Jane in her lifetime, while others have been featured in the film adaptations of her books. This reads like a traveler's love letter to Jane.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 174 reviews