A Latter-day Bluestocking

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Jane’s Fame by Claire Harman is not strictly a biography or a scholarly analysis of the various books but a straightforward and satisfying romp through all things Jane. It begins within her lifetime with the publication of her books and the modest success she achieved. It looks at the years immediately after her death, the family assuming she would be all but forgotten. She was neglected for about 20 years and then a rediscovery of her books and a biography encouraged a longing for more and more.

Her fame is now, nearly 200 years later, a phenomenon; re-prints in the millions, translations into every conceivable language, and biographies to satisfy the craving for all things Austen. And now with the instant access of the internet Jane Austen has become a cultural wonder. Claire Harman reveals that Jane Austen still offers something to everyone. I recommend this book wholeheartedly and without reservation to anyone who answers to the description of Jane-ite!