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A Fine Brush on Ivory: An Appreciation of Jane Austen
Jane Austen's work was a true triumph of the comic spirit--of deep comedy, rising from the heart of human life. In A Fine Brush on Ivory , Richard Jenkyns takes us on an amiable tour of Austen's fictional world, opening a window on some of the great works of world literature.
Focusing largely on Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park , and Emma , but with many diverting side trips to Austen's other novels, Jenkyns shines a loving light on the exquisite craftsmanship and profound moral imagination that informs her writing. Readers will find, for instance, a wonderful discussion of characterization in Austen. Jenkyns's insight into figures such as Mr. Bennett or Mrs. Norris is brilliant--particularly his portrait of the amusing, clever, always ironic Mr. Bennett, whose humor (Jenkyns shows) arises out of a deeply unhappy and disappointing marriage. The author pays due homage to Austen's unmatched skill with complex plotting--the beauty with which the primary plot and the various subplots are woven together--highlighting the infinite care she took to make each plot detail as natural and as plausible as possible. Perhaps most important, Jenkyns illuminates the heart of Austen's moral she is constantly aware, throughout her works, of the nearness of evil to the comfortable social surface. She knows that the socially acceptable sins may be truly cruel and vicious, knows that society can be red in tooth and claw, and yet she allows the pleasures of comedy and celebration to subordinate them.
Insightful and highly entertaining, A Fine Brush on Ivory captures the spirit and originality of Jane Austen's work. It will be a cherished keepsake or gift for her many fans.
Focusing largely on Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park , and Emma , but with many diverting side trips to Austen's other novels, Jenkyns shines a loving light on the exquisite craftsmanship and profound moral imagination that informs her writing. Readers will find, for instance, a wonderful discussion of characterization in Austen. Jenkyns's insight into figures such as Mr. Bennett or Mrs. Norris is brilliant--particularly his portrait of the amusing, clever, always ironic Mr. Bennett, whose humor (Jenkyns shows) arises out of a deeply unhappy and disappointing marriage. The author pays due homage to Austen's unmatched skill with complex plotting--the beauty with which the primary plot and the various subplots are woven together--highlighting the infinite care she took to make each plot detail as natural and as plausible as possible. Perhaps most important, Jenkyns illuminates the heart of Austen's moral she is constantly aware, throughout her works, of the nearness of evil to the comfortable social surface. She knows that the socially acceptable sins may be truly cruel and vicious, knows that society can be red in tooth and claw, and yet she allows the pleasures of comedy and celebration to subordinate them.
Insightful and highly entertaining, A Fine Brush on Ivory captures the spirit and originality of Jane Austen's work. It will be a cherished keepsake or gift for her many fans.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
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About the author
Richard Jenkyns
14 books9 followersRichard Jenkyns is emeritus Professor of the Classical Tradition and the Public Orator at the University of Oxford. His books include Virgil's Experience and Victorians and Ancient Greece, acclaimed as "masterly" by History Today.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 3, 2014
The title of this fantastic-- and entirely too short-- volume of Jane Austen criticism is derived from an oft quoted line recorded in a letter of Austen’s to one of her nephews, describing her writing as “the little bit (two Inches wide) of Ivory on which I work with so fine a Brush, as produces little effect after much labour.”
Nearly two hundred years later, Richard Jenkyns believes we should see the irony in this statement. I don’t think there are many critics left that can say Austen’s work has produced little effect, either on literature or even popular culture at large. A plethora of movie adaptations, modern sequels to her books and volumes of critical analysis and essays give the lie to such a modest assertion (an assertion we may also believe to have been in jest even as it was written, as Austen was not as purposefully modest and retiring as some would have us think).
It would be easy for me to say that this book is an extended love letter to Austen; it is an “appreciation,” after all, but while a great deal of it is taken up by scholarly praise, it is tempered with a recognition of her faults as a writer. Jenkyns has managed to capture many of the elements of Austen’s writing that I admire the most but have never been consciously aware enough to capture in my own writing, even when studying her work in-depth in college (like this qualifies my expertise or something).
His opening chapter, fittingly titled “Beginnings,” is devoted almost entirely to the opening chapter of Pride and Prejudice, a construction with the “shape and balance of a piece of music.” Jenkyns analyzes the brilliance of those famous, aphoristic opening lines, followed and supported by the exchange between Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, and comparing this opening to the balance and verse-counter verse structure of the Biblical Psalms. While this may seem like a pretentious comparison, it makes sense in his analysis. The lack of setting and exclusive reliance on dialogue makes Austen’s technique “beautifully unmanipulative,” as it allows the reader to form an opinion, which is then confirmed by the narrator afterwards. Jenkyns’ minute and insightful analysis allows us to finally put to rest the view held by Virginia Woolf that “of all great writers, [Jane Austen] is the most difficult to catch in the act of greatness.”
The lens widens in the next chapter, “The Shape of Comedy,” to examine her other works and their relation to the overall comedic structure of her oeuvre, especially focusing on P&P, Emma and Mansfield Park, with only minor focus on Northanger Abbey, Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility. Though the focus on S&S is admittedly minor, he does make some very good points about why it is a more somber and “angular” book than the others. I was especially caught by his assertion that the imbalance in S&S is a result of Austen’s imagination overriding a simplistic structure through her sheer inability to restrain it, thus producing a far more ambivalent work than was originally intended. In comparing Austen with her contemporaries in this chapter, we can see just how original and experimental her novels really were (and still are). However, while Jenkyns argues that “we need not spend time on the idea of the novels as uniformly sweet-natured miniatures of village romance” as “ that notion was laughed out of court many years ago,” I am a little less sanguine in this assertion, as I’m not sure who “we” are. If this is the “we” of critics, then fine and dandy, but if it is the more populous “we” that allowed the Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice to run headlong into heaving-Bronte territory, then perhaps it is not so accurate.
It is fairly easy to guess what the next chapter is about, as it is simply called “The Character of Character.” Here we are treated to a lively examination of those characters we love but, even better, we also get a look at the profound studies many of her minor characters present. Lady Bertram, of Mansfield Park, is one such character that gives us a bit more substance than at first appears, particularly when compared and contrasted with her sisters, Mrs. Norris and Mrs. Price. I’ve always believed that Austen seems to be very interested in the psychological dimensions of family, from the marriage of the Bennets and Bertrams, to the arguably unhealthy relationship between Emma and her father, as well as the complicated dynamics of the Elliots, she gives her characters more contrasts of light and shade than we may initially surmise, and Jenkyns supports this view with his examples. Even the characters who have died before the action of the novel, such as Anne Elliot’s mother, give us an interesting perspective into the human nature of Austen’s stories. Jenkyns uses the admittedly simple device (first employed by E.M. Forster) of defining characters as “flat” or “round,” but does not allow the dichotomy too much authority.
Like Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma get their own chapters. In “A Park with a View,” Jenkyns gives an argument in favor of MP that I’ve rarely seen anywhere else; not only is it asserted that it is a great novel, but it is “not far from being a perfect novel.” While fighting the prejudice that has plagued poor Fanny Price through generations of readers, he is not afraid to admit that, despite his belief in the near-perfection of it, MP is the “problem” novel of the bunch. This is not in the negative sense of the word, but in the sense that great writers and composers have always had difficulty in transitioning from their earlier triumphs to more subtle and complicated studies. And Jenkyns, like me, lays much of the claims of priggishness at Edmund’s feet rather than Fanny’s.
Now we come to a very interesting chapter, perhaps the most unusual of the bunch. “The Prisoner of Hartfield” shows a side of Emma I had never considered much before, that of The Villain. I have often heard it asserted that Emma has no villain, with the main source of contention being between the heroine and her own blindness, but this may not be the case, if we are to follow Jenkyn’s line of thinking. Who would think that the doddering old valetudinarian Mr. Woodhouse is in fact the dastardly destroyer of peace and harmony in Highbury? Not only this, but Austen’s presentation is so subtle (if intentional) that we aren’t supposed to figure it out anyway! Shocking, I know. I won’t give away anymore here, as it should be read in its entirety to be truly appreciated.
Rounding out the whole is “The Sense in Sensibility,” which is a deceptive title, as it is in fact mostly concerned with Persuasion and then transitions into an overall study of sensibility (and psychology) in all of the major novels, with a focus on S&S only touched on near the very end.
I know that I have devoted a ridiculously large amount of words to a volume that clocks in at under 200 pages, but I can’t help myself. The ideas in this are so stimulating for anyone even remotely interested in Austen, that I dare you not to find something wonderful in its pages, and I only hope that it will receive as much appreciation as it so wonderfully bestows on Austen herself.
Nearly two hundred years later, Richard Jenkyns believes we should see the irony in this statement. I don’t think there are many critics left that can say Austen’s work has produced little effect, either on literature or even popular culture at large. A plethora of movie adaptations, modern sequels to her books and volumes of critical analysis and essays give the lie to such a modest assertion (an assertion we may also believe to have been in jest even as it was written, as Austen was not as purposefully modest and retiring as some would have us think).
It would be easy for me to say that this book is an extended love letter to Austen; it is an “appreciation,” after all, but while a great deal of it is taken up by scholarly praise, it is tempered with a recognition of her faults as a writer. Jenkyns has managed to capture many of the elements of Austen’s writing that I admire the most but have never been consciously aware enough to capture in my own writing, even when studying her work in-depth in college (like this qualifies my expertise or something).
His opening chapter, fittingly titled “Beginnings,” is devoted almost entirely to the opening chapter of Pride and Prejudice, a construction with the “shape and balance of a piece of music.” Jenkyns analyzes the brilliance of those famous, aphoristic opening lines, followed and supported by the exchange between Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, and comparing this opening to the balance and verse-counter verse structure of the Biblical Psalms. While this may seem like a pretentious comparison, it makes sense in his analysis. The lack of setting and exclusive reliance on dialogue makes Austen’s technique “beautifully unmanipulative,” as it allows the reader to form an opinion, which is then confirmed by the narrator afterwards. Jenkyns’ minute and insightful analysis allows us to finally put to rest the view held by Virginia Woolf that “of all great writers, [Jane Austen] is the most difficult to catch in the act of greatness.”
The lens widens in the next chapter, “The Shape of Comedy,” to examine her other works and their relation to the overall comedic structure of her oeuvre, especially focusing on P&P, Emma and Mansfield Park, with only minor focus on Northanger Abbey, Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility. Though the focus on S&S is admittedly minor, he does make some very good points about why it is a more somber and “angular” book than the others. I was especially caught by his assertion that the imbalance in S&S is a result of Austen’s imagination overriding a simplistic structure through her sheer inability to restrain it, thus producing a far more ambivalent work than was originally intended. In comparing Austen with her contemporaries in this chapter, we can see just how original and experimental her novels really were (and still are). However, while Jenkyns argues that “we need not spend time on the idea of the novels as uniformly sweet-natured miniatures of village romance” as “ that notion was laughed out of court many years ago,” I am a little less sanguine in this assertion, as I’m not sure who “we” are. If this is the “we” of critics, then fine and dandy, but if it is the more populous “we” that allowed the Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice to run headlong into heaving-Bronte territory, then perhaps it is not so accurate.
It is fairly easy to guess what the next chapter is about, as it is simply called “The Character of Character.” Here we are treated to a lively examination of those characters we love but, even better, we also get a look at the profound studies many of her minor characters present. Lady Bertram, of Mansfield Park, is one such character that gives us a bit more substance than at first appears, particularly when compared and contrasted with her sisters, Mrs. Norris and Mrs. Price. I’ve always believed that Austen seems to be very interested in the psychological dimensions of family, from the marriage of the Bennets and Bertrams, to the arguably unhealthy relationship between Emma and her father, as well as the complicated dynamics of the Elliots, she gives her characters more contrasts of light and shade than we may initially surmise, and Jenkyns supports this view with his examples. Even the characters who have died before the action of the novel, such as Anne Elliot’s mother, give us an interesting perspective into the human nature of Austen’s stories. Jenkyns uses the admittedly simple device (first employed by E.M. Forster) of defining characters as “flat” or “round,” but does not allow the dichotomy too much authority.
Like Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma get their own chapters. In “A Park with a View,” Jenkyns gives an argument in favor of MP that I’ve rarely seen anywhere else; not only is it asserted that it is a great novel, but it is “not far from being a perfect novel.” While fighting the prejudice that has plagued poor Fanny Price through generations of readers, he is not afraid to admit that, despite his belief in the near-perfection of it, MP is the “problem” novel of the bunch. This is not in the negative sense of the word, but in the sense that great writers and composers have always had difficulty in transitioning from their earlier triumphs to more subtle and complicated studies. And Jenkyns, like me, lays much of the claims of priggishness at Edmund’s feet rather than Fanny’s.
Now we come to a very interesting chapter, perhaps the most unusual of the bunch. “The Prisoner of Hartfield” shows a side of Emma I had never considered much before, that of The Villain. I have often heard it asserted that Emma has no villain, with the main source of contention being between the heroine and her own blindness, but this may not be the case, if we are to follow Jenkyn’s line of thinking. Who would think that the doddering old valetudinarian Mr. Woodhouse is in fact the dastardly destroyer of peace and harmony in Highbury? Not only this, but Austen’s presentation is so subtle (if intentional) that we aren’t supposed to figure it out anyway! Shocking, I know. I won’t give away anymore here, as it should be read in its entirety to be truly appreciated.
Rounding out the whole is “The Sense in Sensibility,” which is a deceptive title, as it is in fact mostly concerned with Persuasion and then transitions into an overall study of sensibility (and psychology) in all of the major novels, with a focus on S&S only touched on near the very end.
I know that I have devoted a ridiculously large amount of words to a volume that clocks in at under 200 pages, but I can’t help myself. The ideas in this are so stimulating for anyone even remotely interested in Austen, that I dare you not to find something wonderful in its pages, and I only hope that it will receive as much appreciation as it so wonderfully bestows on Austen herself.
July 12, 2022
Someone who loves Austen's novels explains intelligently why they are brilliant; of course I adored this book.
January 24, 2018
3.5 stars
Succinct, well-argued, and insightful. I'd call this book 'refined gushing': Jenkyns loves Austen, and you can tell that just from his writing, but his love for her books doesn't prevent him for writing a polished, substantive piece of literary criticism.
Succinct, well-argued, and insightful. I'd call this book 'refined gushing': Jenkyns loves Austen, and you can tell that just from his writing, but his love for her books doesn't prevent him for writing a polished, substantive piece of literary criticism.
April 10, 2022
Generous and warm hearted. Scholarly and insightful. Focused on her novels and craft.
December 28, 2025
This is a short but brilliant book about Austen’s work, focusing primarily on Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma. The author explores Austen’s genius in character portrayal, the beginnings of the novels, and plot. His chapter on Mansfield Park is insightful and sympathetic of Fanny Price. This book will encourage you to think about the novels in new ways. Highly recommended!
September 2, 2013
Very interesting!
Jenkyns' perception of theatrical (theatre-like) style of Austen's novels is intriguing. (I haven't read the fairly recently discovered play-version by Austen of one of her favorite novels, SIR CHARLES GRANDISON, yet imagine if she had become a professional playwright! Anyone know if there's a novel--among the hordes of "imitations" and "continuations" inspired by her works--that elaborates on that facet? Among the Austen-time-travel sub-genre, "Jane Austen, 21st century screenwriter"? (To do it well would take a huge helping of her genius, so maybe we shouldn't encourage anyone who lacks the talent which Jenkyns opens our eyes to in his study.)
Echo of Church reading and response he notes in rhythms of her writing is just one of the details that escape most of her wannabe imitators.
P.S. "Jane Austen and the Romantic Poets" (by author of "A Jane Austen Education") also has some interesting comments on her work; for instance, meaning of dates cited and names chosen in PERSUATION, which add to interpretation of that novel.
Jenkyns' perception of theatrical (theatre-like) style of Austen's novels is intriguing. (I haven't read the fairly recently discovered play-version by Austen of one of her favorite novels, SIR CHARLES GRANDISON, yet imagine if she had become a professional playwright! Anyone know if there's a novel--among the hordes of "imitations" and "continuations" inspired by her works--that elaborates on that facet? Among the Austen-time-travel sub-genre, "Jane Austen, 21st century screenwriter"? (To do it well would take a huge helping of her genius, so maybe we shouldn't encourage anyone who lacks the talent which Jenkyns opens our eyes to in his study.)
Echo of Church reading and response he notes in rhythms of her writing is just one of the details that escape most of her wannabe imitators.
P.S. "Jane Austen and the Romantic Poets" (by author of "A Jane Austen Education") also has some interesting comments on her work; for instance, meaning of dates cited and names chosen in PERSUATION, which add to interpretation of that novel.
January 10, 2016
While the author is definitely a hardcore fan of Austen, this was a thoughtful and nuanced look at several of her books. Personally, I think this is the way literary criticism should be conducted. His manner and passion brings you into a better understanding and appreciation of her books.
Small criticism, though: the author apparently doesn't consider Persuasion to be one of her better books, but never explains why and also, why all the comparisons to George Eliot? It was difficult as a die hard Eliot lover not to get my blood up about the comparisons. (As much as I love Austen, she never reached Eliot's level, but, then again, I think only a few have.) If it were just about Austen's merits, it would have been more palatable to me.
Small criticism, though: the author apparently doesn't consider Persuasion to be one of her better books, but never explains why and also, why all the comparisons to George Eliot? It was difficult as a die hard Eliot lover not to get my blood up about the comparisons. (As much as I love Austen, she never reached Eliot's level, but, then again, I think only a few have.) If it were just about Austen's merits, it would have been more palatable to me.
August 2, 2013
Read Geektastic's review here. Much better than this one, and makes most of what I had to say redundant.
Loved this book. Finally, someone else who appreciates Fanny Price! Plus he put into words things I'd sensed but never been able to pin down with Pride and Prejudice.
Although I was surprised to discover most people don't see Emma's father as a villainous character; I thought he was pretty clearly a manipulative jerk, but apparently that isn't the usual interpretation. Now I think on it, I was also shocked by the many people who didn't see Mother Gothel as doing anything really wrong in Disney's Tangled. Parent figures get a free pass when it comes to manipulation, I guess.
Loved this book. Finally, someone else who appreciates Fanny Price! Plus he put into words things I'd sensed but never been able to pin down with Pride and Prejudice.
Although I was surprised to discover most people don't see Emma's father as a villainous character; I thought he was pretty clearly a manipulative jerk, but apparently that isn't the usual interpretation. Now I think on it, I was also shocked by the many people who didn't see Mother Gothel as doing anything really wrong in Disney's Tangled. Parent figures get a free pass when it comes to manipulation, I guess.
October 16, 2021
It's a typical literary criticism book. Deals mostly with interpretation of characters and themes of Pride and Prejudice, Emma and Mansfield Park, briefly mentions Sense and Sensibility. Similarly to other works of literary criticism I find it quite interesting even when I (sometimes) disagree with the author.
Some interesting points:
- brands Mr Woodhouse a villain of Emma. It sounds preposterous but he backs it up with extensive quotes. Makes a surprisingly solid case against him and details the ways he tyrannizes people around him, especially Emma who's in fact his prisoner. He softens his verdict a little bit at the end when he admits that Mr Woodhouse is doing most of his "black deeds" unintentionaly, there's no premeditation or ill intent - doesn't change the outcome though.
- delves into the relationship and state of marriage of Mr and Mrs Bennet. Stresses how deeply unhappy Mr Bennet is in the marriage (doesn't excuse his poor parenting though), how much he despises his wife and that Elizabeth knows about it.
Mr Bennet is most of the time all sharp wit and sarcasm but when he first learns about Elizabeth's and Mr Darcy's engagement he's shocked into sincerity: "My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life." The italicized "you" was put there by Jane Austen. It reveals so much. Mr Bennet doesn't respect his wife and talks about it openly with their daughter.
- interesting study of Mrs Norris. What would have happened if her circumstancces were different, e.g. if she was the sister who married Mr Price? She's probably much better equipped to deal with difficulties than Mrs Price (Fanny's mother), who is characterwise much closer to lazy, emptyheaded Lady Bertram but circumstances forced her to be active. Makes an interesting case for possible mental illness of Mrs Norris. And points out how JA at the end of the book downplayed Aunt Norris's one unselfish act when she decided to "shelter" disgraced Maria and live with her by making the sniding remark about their temperaments becoming their "mutual punishment".
There was more but these stood out to me.
Some interesting points:
- brands Mr Woodhouse a villain of Emma. It sounds preposterous but he backs it up with extensive quotes. Makes a surprisingly solid case against him and details the ways he tyrannizes people around him, especially Emma who's in fact his prisoner. He softens his verdict a little bit at the end when he admits that Mr Woodhouse is doing most of his "black deeds" unintentionaly, there's no premeditation or ill intent - doesn't change the outcome though.
- delves into the relationship and state of marriage of Mr and Mrs Bennet. Stresses how deeply unhappy Mr Bennet is in the marriage (doesn't excuse his poor parenting though), how much he despises his wife and that Elizabeth knows about it.
Mr Bennet is most of the time all sharp wit and sarcasm but when he first learns about Elizabeth's and Mr Darcy's engagement he's shocked into sincerity: "My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life." The italicized "you" was put there by Jane Austen. It reveals so much. Mr Bennet doesn't respect his wife and talks about it openly with their daughter.
- interesting study of Mrs Norris. What would have happened if her circumstancces were different, e.g. if she was the sister who married Mr Price? She's probably much better equipped to deal with difficulties than Mrs Price (Fanny's mother), who is characterwise much closer to lazy, emptyheaded Lady Bertram but circumstances forced her to be active. Makes an interesting case for possible mental illness of Mrs Norris. And points out how JA at the end of the book downplayed Aunt Norris's one unselfish act when she decided to "shelter" disgraced Maria and live with her by making the sniding remark about their temperaments becoming their "mutual punishment".
There was more but these stood out to me.
November 15, 2019
I very much enjoyed this academic but accessible analysis of Austen and gained some new insights. Of course it is gratifying to have someone much more learned than me confirm all my enthusiasm for Austen’s books, so I was predisposed in its favor. :)
February 10, 2017
An excellent look at some of Jane Austen's genius. There are points I very definitely agree on (Mr Woodhouse is insidious and dangerous (for Emma, at least), rather than harmless), but others that I'm less inclined to agree with his opinion of (I think Sense and Sensibility is supposed to show that everyone unites most characteristics to some degree and thinking of people in black and white, rather than nuanced grey, is the problem that needs to be overcome). I adored the ways in which he contrasted and compared Emma and Mansfield Park - more similar than different, and in my opinion her two best works. Of course, I find Emma too painful to read and love Mansfield. His description of Sense and Sensibility's second chapter as one of the finest passages in all literature ever, is undeniably correct. I found his analysis of Pride and Prejudice interesting, and it actually revived my opinion of the book (which, to be frank, is my second least favourite). I wish he'd taken the time to deal with Persuasion (I have some ideas about the 'large, fat sighings' myself that are not quite in line with his, but it's hard to tell because he didn't really talk about this one). I didn't miss the neglect of Northanger Abbey, because I like it least of all. All in all, an excellent book.
July 10, 2015
This was such a pleasure to read. It really was an appreciation of Jane Austen's novels, and the writer did her justice with his bright, scholarly review. While I occasionally disagreed slightly with Jenkyns' opinions, he gives Jane Austen much credit as an innovator among novelisst and a groundbreaking character developer. He speaks of her as if he were personally acquainted.Jenkyns focuses on Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility,and Mansfield Park, but explores her other works as well as those of contemporaries, and delves into Austen's biographies and recollections from her family and friends. I wish all literary criticism could be this insightful and enjoyable.
April 14, 2015
Lots of food for thought in this book, some I agree with and some of his theories I'm doubtful of, but interesting nonetheless. I'd never thought of Mr. Woodhouse as evil, so I'll need to look at him more closely during my next read of EMMA. On a par with Mrs. Norris??? I'll need to ponder on this book for awhile before I try to re-read it.
August 27, 2022
Probably the best work of literary criticism on Jane Austen I have read. The author highlighted a lot of small details that are very meaningful but also easy to overlook. He was also very judicious in his opinions and argued his points very well. If you are a fan of Jane Austen, definitely give this one a read.
March 18, 2009
I loved this book! Written by an Oxford professor and relative to Jane Austen herself, this book was a fluid and fascinated read. I didn't quite appreciate Austen's incredible talent nor did I see how truly innovative she was in her time. This book made me see both.
April 24, 2009
A lovely little book on Jane Austen's writing. Jenkyns is clearly a fan and defends her writing against criticism from others, but he also doesn't addresses some of the short-comings and where she does and does not succeed with what she was trying to portray. My main complaint is it was too short.
January 19, 2015
"A Fine Brush On Ivory" is the best book I have ever read about Jane Austen's work. Reading it has given me a deeper understanding and a greater admiration of Austen's writing skills. The book is so good and so filled with information I plan to reread "A Fine Brush On Ivory".
February 22, 2008
Wonderful appreciation of Jane Austen by an excellent classical scholar. If you love Jane Austen but have trouble explaining exactly why, this book will help.
August 12, 2020
A small but perfectly formed piece of literary criticism. Very accessible and his chapter on Mansfield Park is exceptionally worthwhile.
April 19, 2011
a terrific analysis of some of Jane Austen's books and their characters. I found the insights led to better understanding of the novels.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews