Becoming Jane: The Wit and Wisdom of Jane Austen
by Anne Newgarden
List Price:
Our Price: $0.88
You Save: $12.07 (93%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.87 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Anne NewgardenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2007-07-03
ISBN: 1401309046
Number of pages: 208
Publisher: Miramax
Book Reviews of Becoming Jane: The Wit and Wisdom of Jane Austen
Book Review: will make you fall in love with Austen
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read and loved Jane Austen's novels for a long time, but I must admit that I didn't know too much about Jane Austen herself. When first glancing at the picture from the Miramax film of the same title on the cover of Becoming Jane, I figured the book was going to be solely about the romance aspect of Jane Austen's novels. I was wrong.
Becoming Jane is a small, fairly short book full of quotations and history about Jane Austen's life. The passion the editor has for Austen and her work comes through in her writing; you can tell how eager she is to show you the things she loves about Austen. Romance and love were important to Austen, and to the characters in her novels, but that is by far not the only theme to her writing.
There are chapters on everything from family to money to fashion to letter writing. She fully embraces humanity, with all of its failures and follies, and rejoices in finding the humor in life. Alongside quotes from Austen's novels are quotes from the many letters she wrote to her family and friends. It was the quotes from her letters that I found the most interesting.
I also enjoyed the historical context at the beginning of each chapter; I learned just how little control and autonomy many women of the time had over their lives. Austen was in favor of marriage and love and accepted in some ways the basic idea of the man as the main breadwinner as it was such a part of the culture she was living in, but she was able, in subtle ways, to poke fun at and expose the double standards for men and women.
For those who already know and love Jane Austen, this book will make you want to go back and reread some of your favorites. For those who haven't read her before and perhaps just saw the film version of Becoming Jane, it's a quick introduction to her wit and wisdom that hopefully will inspire you to read one of her many novels. Its size makes it perfect for a gift.
Literature & Fiction Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Books by and about Jane Austen for Students and Enthusiasts
JANE AUSTEN; A COLLECTION OF CRITICAL ESSAYSby WATT IAN (EDITOR)
PRENTICE-HALL; Published: 1963; Paperback; Book
Speaking of Jane Austen,by Sheila Kaye-Smith
Harper; Published: 1944; Unknown Binding; Book
Jane Austen in HollywoodUniversity Press of Kentucky; Published: 2000-12-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $19.80
Price in other shops:
Pride and Prescience: Or, A Truth Universally Acknowledgedby Carrie Bebris
Forge Books; Published: 2007-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.25
Price in other shops:
Jane and the Genius of the Place: Being the Fourth Jane Austen Mysteryby Stephanie Barron
Bantam; Published: 2000-02-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.89
Price in other shops:
Dear Jane Austen: A Heroine's to Life and Loveby Patrice Hannon
Plume; Published: 2007-06-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen (Weldon, Fay)by Fay Weldon
Basic Books; Published: 1999-11-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.68
Price in other shops:
Becoming JaneBuena Vista Home Video; Release date: 2008-02-12; DVD
Best price: $9.84
Price in other shops:
Jane Austen in Boca: A Novelby Paula Marantz Cohen
St. Martin's Griffin; Published: 2003-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.04
Price in other shops:
Jane Austen in Scarsdale: Or Love, Death, and the SATsby Paula Marantz Cohen
St. Martin's Press; Published: 2006-04-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Atonementby Ian McEwan
Anchor; Published: 2007-11-27; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.89
Price in other shops:
Jane Austen For Dummies (For Dummies)by Joan Elizabeth Klingel Ray
For Dummies; Published: 2006-07-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.95
Price in other shops:
The Jane Austen Handbook: A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her Worldby Margaret C. Sullivan
Quirk Books; Published: 2007-04-19; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.51
Price in other shops:
Masterpiece Theatre: Northanger AbbeyWGBH BOSTON VIDEO; Release date: 2008-01-22; DVD
Best price: $13.59
Price in other shops:
Jane Austen's Lettersby Jane Austen
Pavilion Press; Published: 2003-05-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.95
The Jane Austen Book Club (movie tie-in)by Karen Joy Fowler
Plume; Published: 2007-08-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
PersuasionSony; Release date: 2000-02-01; DVD
Best price: $7.57
Price in other shops:
Becoming JaneRelease date: 2007-07-31; Music CD
Best price: $11.33
Price in other shops:
Becoming JaneBuena Vista Home Video; Release date: 2008-02-12; DVD
Best price: $5.48
Price in other shops:
Becoming Jane Austenby Jon Spence
Continuum; Published: 2007-07-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.90
Price in other shops: