Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Reef. Jane Austen: A Life Revealed


Reef, Catherine   Jane Austen: A Life Revealed   
Clarion see Houghton Mifflin  2011  192p  18.99 978-0-547-37021-7 
 hs/adult      VG-BN       
 A well-research biography of the popular 19th century author, Jane Austen.  Created for students wanting to know more about the enigmatic author who left little behind but her novels of romance and social controversy.  Set within the context of 19th century English society in which Austen lived, this exhaustively-researched biography sheds light on an author about who relatively little is known.  She did not marry, nor keep a diary, and most of her letters were destroyed.  Yet, Reef has managed to create a definitive, readable and well-researched biography.  She really does bring Jane Austen, as well as her family and times, to life. 

Black and white period drawings, as well as photos from film adaptations of her novels supplement the text.  Twenty-four pages of bibliographical references are appended at the end of the biography, as well as an exhaustive index and list of credits. 

Although the publisher has indicated that this biography is aimed at students and young adult readers, adults will also enjoy this readable, interesting and well-researched volume.                   Naismith(3), Pat

 

No comments: