January 22, 2016

At Home with Jane Austen


"Whether you are a newcomer, or a longtime Austen devotee, this book cannot fail to encourage your own further exploration of her life, times and work."
                                                         Mary Guyatt, Curator of Jane Austen's House Museum

I so enjoyed reading this book!!

It's filled with facts and information about the time and places Jane Austen lived in. Places like Steventon, where her father was rector at St. Nicholas Church, an enchanting 13th century building that still stands today. The city of Bath, with it's architecture and entertainments of the day, including the pump room and spa, where you could enjoy the warm spring waters. As well as includes the cities and towns of Southampton, Chawton, London and Winchester.


St. Nicholas Church


Intertwined with this information are quotes from Jane's novels, letters she personally wrote to family and friends and gorgeous photos on nearly every page.

Jane Austen is well known for writing about real places and real personalities. She never wrote about places she hadn't been and experienced, and always wrote her characters from personality traits of those she knew or encountered in her life.


Bath-Royal Crescent (This always brings to mind the novel Persuasion!)


This is beautifully laid out in this book. For example the chapter on the city of Bath introduces us to this lovely city, then shares a letter to her beloved sister Cassandra and later a quote from Northanger Abbey.

"In 1801 she wrote to Cassandra: 'On Sunday we went to church twice, & after evening service walked a little in the Crescent fields, but found it too cold to stay long,' (May 12) and in 1805: 'We did not walk long in the Crescent... It was hot and not crouded enough; so we went into the field.' (April 8) 

Her characters enjoyed walking by the Crescent as well. 

In Northanger Abbey, 'As soon as divine service was over, the Thorpes and Allens eagerly joined each other; and after staying long enough in the pump-room to discover that the crowd was insupportable, and that there was not a general face to be seen, which everybody discovers every Sunday throughout the season, they hastened away to the Crescent, to breathe the fresh air of better company."


Field in front of the Royal Crescent

I especially liked the chapter on when Jane lived at Chawton cottage. There she did most of her writing and revising of her novels. The photos in this chapter were lovely, as the place must of been to live.


Chawton Cottage

Below is my favorite photo from the book, as Jane's favorite flower was Syringa (lilacs), as is one of mine!





Jane's last residence was in Winchester, and there is where she passed away in 1817 from a unknown illness. Some believe she may have had, as the author states here:

"Hodgkin's lymphoma, cancer, recurrent typhus, tuberculosis, and even arsenic poisoning. The most common theory, based on her symptoms, is that she suffered from Addison's Disease, a disease of the adrenal glands, which at that time was fatal."

When I first saw this book I wasn't intending to read through it all, but rather skim through the photos and read a little here and there, but I'm so glad I took the time to read it all. What a delight! I am now looking forward to reading this authors two other books, 'In the Garden with Jane Austen' and 'Tea with Jane Austen.'








*Note: All photos, unless specified, were found on the internet, not the book.


Buy it HERE on Amazon


34 comments:

  1. What a fun way to put Jane Austen's books all together in your mind as reading them. Seeing these places and knowing more about the places she writes of, placing her characters there, makes the stories come alive. Thanks for sharing this book.

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    1. It was a fun read! I enjoyed how the author pieced things together.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. Such a fun way for anyone to learn more about Jane Austin and her writing. Glad to have been neighbors this morning at Faith 'n Friends. Have a great weekend!

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  3. Thank you for this review. The book looks beautiful.

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    1. It was a very beautifully laid out book. Lots of photos. : )

      Thanks for stopping by Annie!

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  4. This book looks wonderful. When I was a kid, my parents had a coffee table book (forget the title) that covered all the places mentioned in Austen's novels. I used to love leafing through it, and these books look equally fun.

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    1. Sounds like another nice Austen book. Thanks for stopping by Amy!

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  5. I love Jane Austen. This looks like a great book! Lilacs are my absolute favorite flower :) I hope you can stop by:

    http://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2016/01/songs-on-sunday-greater-is-he-by-blanca.html

    Colletta

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Colletta! Will stop by soon. : )

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  6. I found this post so interesting having just finished for the very first time Pride and Prejudice! I had no idea about the story behind the writer.

    Thanks so much for sharing!

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    1. Hope you enjoyed Pride and Prejudice! Glad you stopped by Karen. : )

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  7. What fun pictures and details. I have such good memories of savoring Jane Austen's books over the years.

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    1. It was fun to read. : ) Thanks for stopping by Michele!

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  8. What an interesting way to reflect on Austen's life and works. Thanks for the review.

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  9. I am excessively fond of the cottage. If I had any money, I would build one myself ;)

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    1. The cottage is so pretty and the gardens, oh I love the gardens!

      Thanks for stopping by Amanda. : )

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  10. I have so much to catch up on. I read Jane Austen in college. I loved her books. This book seems fascinating. Thanks for sharing on Literacy Musing Mondays.

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    1. I love her books too. Thanks for stopping by Mary!

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  11. Oh, it sounds lovely! My husband and I are daydreaming about a trip to Europe for our 25th anniversary (2019) and he said there must be some sort of Jane Austin tour. I think he's caught me watching P&P one too many times! ;)

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    1. There are Jane Austen tours, I've searched them. : ) We'd love to go to England some day too. Hope you get a chance to.

      Thanks for stopping by Shecki!

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  12. Sounds like a good book. I loved Jane Austen as a kid. My sister and I also videoed the BBC series of Pride and Prejudice and watched it over and over again!!!

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    1. I love the movies too. I just recently watched the Keira Knighley version again for the umpteenth time. : )

      Glad you stopped by Anna!

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  13. I always enjoy details of famous author's lives, where they lived, what they loved, who they knew.. it sounds like a lovely book! I adore Jane Austen, too! What a pleasant surprise visiting here! I'm a book worm, so this has been fun! Visiting today from TellHisStory

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    1. I really enjoy biographies and autobiographies too. This one was nice with all the photos to go with some of Jane's life.

      Thanks for stopping by Kathy!

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  14. I love Jane Austen. How fun to see your blog. Our dog has Addison's so I found that fact interesting.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed my post. Thanks for stopping by Debbie!

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  15. The book sounds really lovely. It is something I would definitely want to read myself, too. I think it would be fascinating to know more about her world, and the world of her characters's too.

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    1. It was fascinating. I love that time period, so many interesting things to learn about.

      Thanks for stopping by Joanna!

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  16. That is such a fascinating time period, for sure! Thanks so much for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday!
    Tina

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  17. Love all things Austen! Thanks for sharing this one with us. :)

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Feel free to leave your own thoughts in the comments. I try to respond to all of them by the end of the week. : )