The Friendly Jane Austen

The Friendly Jane Austen: A Well-Mannered Introduction to a Lady of Sense & Sensibility is a wonderful resource for the die-hard Austen fan as well as Austen newbies. Ms. Tyler takes each book in turn, gives a synopsis of the plot and places it in historical context and in the context of Austen's life. She then explains those details that might be abstract to those not familiar with Regency culture, such as entailed property, the importance of walking and the attitude toward marriage, making the reader comfortable with the novel. She includes illustrations, interviews, quizzes and delightful bits on the side such as "10 Surefire Ways to be Vulgar", a table of average income and "Sense and Sensibility: A Checklist". In addition, she finishes the book lists of movie versions, book spin-offs and sequels and shows Austen's role (her "legacy") in our century. An Austen fan from way back, I found this a truly delightful book. Ms. Tyler is humorous as well as informative and her enthusiasm for Austen is apparent. This is a must-have for Austen fans, no question about it; the resources provided in The Friendly Jane Austen further the enjoyment of reading Austen's novels. It is also an excellent book for those that have just started reading Austen. With this book by your side, you can't fail to see just how wonderful Jane Austen was, and still is.

I am a newcomer to the joys of Jane Austen (kind of embarrassing because of my age)and I read this after having read Ms. Austen's 6 completed and most widely read novels. I really enjoyed reading this book,it has a little biographical info, trivia and insight into the stories themselves. Although I didn't agree with everything the author expressed, I would turn a page and learn something about something else. And of course, as I was reading it, I kept saying to myself, oh, I need to go back and reread this book and see what this author is talking about. How cannot you not recommend a book that inspires you to reread all of Jane Austen's books! This book could also be useful in a classroom of high school students, what a fun way to introduce Jane Austen to students who think she is boring or hard to read.

This is easily one of the most entertaining books I've read on Jane Austen (and, believe me, I've read lots!). It's a must-have for Janeites everywhere and is loaded with fascinating facts, fun tidbits and even interviews from actresses to authors to scholars who have been involved in Jane Austen work in varied forms. This is the kind of book that you would return to over and over again. This book, along with Daniel Pool's "What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew," is one of the best ever written on Ms. Austen. Highly recommended!

The stuff you NEVER learned in that Sophomore Lit class, and should have. This book makes (re)reading Jane Austin all the more more enjoyable. Ms Tyler is a talented writer, witty and engaging. A good read!

We see a different side of Jane in this captivating book. There is something new to discover on every page. I loved learning what sort of Janeite I am. A quiz will classify you. Tyler is a witty and erudite writer. She kept me turning pages to the end.