Jane Austen: A Life

Jane Austen's stocks rise higher and higher as the years go by. Several of her novels continue to feature in bestseller lists, film and TV adaptations of them abound, and biographies appear regularly. This masterly biography, by Claire Tomalin, is the seventh Jane Austen biography I have read in the past twenty years.Claire Tomalin examines her elusive subject from very possible perspective. The Austen genealogy is probed, every known neighbor and witness and every witness's evidence is weighed and balanced, Jane Austen's writings are examined and assessed, and the situations of her brothers' living descendants are sometimes mentioned. Publishing and republishing histories are given, a family tree is included, and the many illustrations are given punchy captions. Gracing (or disfiguring) the cover is the only known pictorial representation of Jane Austen, an unfinished sketch done by her sister Cassandra, a sketch that was not discovered until long after Jane and Cassandra had died and which a niece said was "hideously unlike" her aunt. Don't assume from all this that the book is merely an exhaustive effort of plodding detection. Sensitive and intelligent guesswork is here. Brilliant deductions are made. What is known, for example is that the Austen daughters and their parents had no permanent home during the "unproductive" decade when Jane was in her 20s and early 30s. What is also known is that Jane Austen had drafted three of her novels before this, as well as the novella "Lady Susan". The fact that Claire Tomalin deduces from this is that Jane Austen must have protected and cared for her manuscripts like a mother with newborn babies. Carriers would have been unreliable, cases of paper could break and spill, and a penniless young woman could hardly command premium quality cartage. Other known facts are sometimes given a creative spin. You will read an especially creative and imaginative account of Jane Austen receiving, accepting and then rejecting a proposal of marriage from Harris Biggs. While all this is very satisfying, the effect of this substantial biography is to leave me still unable to perfectly "place" Jane Austen, an effect that will probably prompt me to read a further seven biographies of her.

Claire Tomalin is a kindred spirit to Jane Austen - her appreciation of Austen's wit and humor comes through every line of this excellent work. She lucidly recreates the social norms and complex personal lives of Austen and her family (and with all the name-changing of brothers and uncles in order to receive inheritances, this is no small feat!). I loved how Tomalin draws parallels between events and places in Austen's life and her various works; she obviously has an intimate knowledge of literary theory. Yet Tomalin does not fall into the mistake of trying to render Austen's books autobiographical - she clearly states what Austen experienced and what was fiction. You practically weep at the destruction of all the correspondance (and Jane Austen was a prolific letter writer in her lifetime) by family members - so few letters survive to give us insight into this intriguing character. Thank goodness Tomalin is able to write such an excellent biography despite this lack of primary material.

I was pleasantly surprised to have enjoyed this biography so much. Yes, I am a fan of Austen's work, but Claire Tomalin writes from a totally unbiased perspective and, amazingly, is able to put together a clear picture of Austen in spite of an unfortunate lack of written record from Austen herself. While many may find her life boring and uneventful, the relationships Austen had with her family and friends were genuine and admirable and help us learn more about her as a person. We are able to see how those relationships built upon her own character and the inspiration for her writings.This biography helped me gain a new perspective on the works I have read and made me eager to read the rest that I haven't. I would recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed Austen, and it would make a great companion for any literary study.

I was 'reader' from Sydney below. I did lend it to my friends (and sat on the edge of my seat hoping they wouldn't be the kind who don't return your precious books!)Anyway, I did read it again, and I love it just as much. I re-read Austen at various times, whenever I feel like 'hearing' that crisp, ironic dialogue and beautiful observations that somehow still seem fresh today.Tomalin has achieved something magical in this volume. She has managed to make it feel as if I really know something about Jane, her society and surroundings.When first introduced to Jane Austen in high school, she seemed remote, a woman of another time and place. What could she possibly have to say to a young woman from a distant land? Well, perhaps not much at 15....a bit more life experience would be a good thing. But maybe a good place to start would be this biography. I was fed on the stereotype that Jane Austen was a sickly, sheltered girl and woman, one who had little experience of life outside the drawing room, a sort of consumptive, repressed being. Tomalin shows how far from the truth that portrait is. Jane knew about the ins and outs of the country ball from active participation. She could draw affectionatley hunmorous word pictures of some of her characters through experiencing them. She was quite well-travelled for a woman of her generation, own country, sure, but then only the most extraordinary women were off on the 'Grand Tour'. All these things are obvious in her books if you think about it - Miss Musgrove and friends - male and female- off on their jaunt to Lyme Regis, for example. Jane could write about love and engagement through experience. She did love, and was loved in return, but chose not to marry. Children (nieces and nephews) were a joy to her and she was actively involved in the upbringing of some of them. But never, ever, do we meet an anachronistic Jane. Tomalin does NOT try to shoe-horn her in to some modern day feminist iconography. What we are left with is a portrait of a thoroughly modern woman of HER times. A woman who lived a full life , on her own terms, but within the boundaries of the society of which she was part. That she managed to offer us, the modern reader, such a beautifully resonant portrait of her class and times, that stays fresh today, is a tribute to Austen. That Tomalin has brought that so vividly alive in introducing us to Jane Austen the woman is a tribute to Tomalin.

Oh, this is just the most marvellous biography. Anyone who loves Jane Austen will find it a must. It is written from a woman's point of view. It never tries to ascribe modern sentiment to Austen's motivations.I came away with a portrait of a witty, life-loving, much beloved woman, who had her share of joys and disappointments in life.I will read it again, after my friends have finished with it.