Jane Austen: A Companion

by Laura Dabundo, Laurence W Mazzeno, Sue Norton

Written for readers at all levels, this book situates Jane Austen in her time, and for all times. It provides a biography; locates her work in the context of literary history and criticism; explores her fiction; and features an encyclopedic, readable resource on the people, places and things of relevance to Austen the person and writer. Details on family members, beaux, friends, national affairs, church and state politics, themes, tropes, and literary devices ground the reader in Austen's world. Appendices offer resources for further reading and consider the massive modern industry that has grown up around Austen and her works.

248 pages, Paperback

Published May 14, 2021

Reviews

[Nancy Broe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased and read this book after hearing author Laura Dabundo speak on "Jane Austen and the Shadow of Slavery." I immediately appreciated her enthusiasm for bringing academic insights to non-academic but educated Austen fans. This 240-page book continues that mission. It is a volume in the McFarland Companions to 19th Century Literature and, like others in the series, provides an accessible collection of entries on Austen's family members, key literary influences, friends and acquaintances, cultural and historical background, geographic settings and more.

I particularly appreciated Dabundo's summaries of Austen's other works, which served as handy refreshers on those books of Austen's I have read, as well as her analyses of those I have not. The entries are arranged in alphabetical order, like an encyclopedia, and there is a comprehensive index as well.

Though the book is by no means exhaustive, it provides a solid resource that is not too weighed down with academic terminology. For those wanting to go deeper, she cites other Austen academics, authors, organizations, and commentators. She discusses books and films (accurate up to the 2021 publication date) that comprise what she refers to as the "strange 'literary-industrial complex' of her afterlife in later adaptations." A fun resource for dedicated Janeites!