Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered The World (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which combined scholarship with readability. I found it very interesting to read a book on Jane Austen which explored her changing influence after her death, as opposed to focussing simply on her life. Harman's ideas on why Austen's novels have stood the test of time seem very probable to me. Harman writes with humour and clarity, enabling the general reader to digest a large amount of factual information; at the same time she provides more detailed references for the student in the footnotes. If I had one criticism, it would be that the book ends rather abruptly - I was expecting some kind of summing up, conclusion or looking forward to the future...However, I would highly recommend this book for anyone who loves Jane Austen. And, if like me, you have often puzzled over the scene in 'What Katy Did Next' where Katy visits Austen's grave in Winchester and the verger asks her what Austen did that made so many people visit her grave... well, lets just say the key to that puzzle is between the covers of this book! This is a very informative book on Austen's fame; from her own lifetime to the present. It gives a bit of biographical information, quotes a lot of famous scholars through the ages and their opinion of Jane Austen and does a good job in documenting the rise of Janeism. The style is not always scholarly, but this makes it a fairly easy and pleasant read.Unfortunately, there's a but. The last chapter differs enormously from the rest, in that the author reveals herself as a thorough Austen fan (which is alright, though unnecessary - I got that from the fact you wrote a 250 page book on her). All scholarliness is thrown out of the window in the revelling in all things Austen and, something even worse, she is very opinionated as to certain adaptations and their value. It's still an overview, this last chapter, but a very biased one, and that is a pity.
What do You think about Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered The World (2009)?
I liked this book. I discoverd stuff I would have never guessed about Jane Austen. very interesting.
—Try
This is nonfiction of a high order: well-researched, intelligent, and not at all dry.
—iszy
Suspending reading this until I finish reading more of Jane's books.
—skydog
