Jane Austen's England by Roy and Leslie Adkins

I received this book for review from Viking Press. Jane Austen's England will be released on August 15th, and it is one of several books by Roy and Leslie Adkins, a spousal writing partnership. Here they attempt to "show how the mass of ordinary people ... lived and worked in [Jane Austen's] England," focusing not on the genteel society she depicts, but the working people who supported such elegance. It was a time where horribly brutality was both commonplace and extremely public, and they relate detailed instances of babies drowning in cesspools, the market for corpses, the dreadful treatment of animals, and all the horror of child labor. It is a far cry from the ballrooms and parlors Jane Austen's name brings to mind.

Then again, maybe it really isn't. The Adkinses in many ways succeed in painting a vivid picture of what life was like for the majority, but they "have relied upon the words of people who lived at the time" to do so, and most of those who left such writings lived rather genteel lives. Pretty much all the first-hand accounts come from people who are easily comparable to both Austen's fictional characters and those amongst whom she lived. I found it somewhat irritating that the authors insisted on referring to these people as middle-class, when I would definitely describe them as gentry. The primary and most likable voice is that of Reverend James Woodforde, an unmarried clergyman who held the living at Weston Longville in Norfolk for most of his life, and whose life and times correspond pretty exactly to that of George Austen, Jane's father (Woodforde was a few years younger and died two years sooner). He was at least well off enough to be a sufferer from gout. Another major voice belongs to William Holland, another rector, and a rather curmudgeonly one. Most quotes from him involve criticism of his fellow beings, and it's is not until about two thirds of the way through the book that we learn the reason for his bad attitude: four of his five children died within two weeks of each other from scarlet fever. Until he so gained my sympathy, I pretty much had him and his wife pegged as Mr. and Mrs. Elton. Nevertheless, some of his writings are the most interesting included, providing great insight into the inescapable force of gossip during the era. Still more interesting to me were the observations of foreign travelers to England, like Carl Moritz from Germany and Bejamin Silliman from the United States. Georgette Heyer fans will get a kick out of the hostility with which Moritz was treated upon arriving on foot at a coaching inn. The one obscure woman quoted is Nelly Weeton, a governess, and much is made of her inclusion in both the intro to the book and the publicity for it. I suppose female voices are hard to find, and an impoverished governess must always be a figure of interest, but Bronte devotees might find her experiences disappointingly pleasant. Except when her student died in blaze of fire, she seems to have had a very pleasant situation in the Lake District, and she was retained by her employer as companion to the lady of the house (a marriage worthy of Heyer) after the child's decease. 

Whenever relevant, Austen's letters are referenced. Her books are mentioned as well, but to less effect. Each chapter (organized by life events, from birth to death) begins with a quote from on of Austen's novels, but they don't always seem terribly well chosen. It is my suspicion that the authors are more familiar with her letters than her novels, which would make sense for the Adkinses, who are by profession archeologists, but Janeites reading this book might get frustrated with the simplified analysis of her writings. Unsurprisingly, it is usually Pride and Prejudice that is referenced. I admit to beginning this book with some suspicion as to why Jane Austen's name was in the title at all. Could this just be an attempt to capitalize on the Austen mania surrounding the 200th anniversary of P&P's publication? My concerns on that point were laid to rest in the chapter entitled "Dark Deeds," in which the authors tackle criminality. They make wonderful use of the case of Austen's aunt, Mrs. Leigh-Perrot, who was arrested on suspicion of stealing lace, to illustrate the massive inequalities of the justice system. Fascinatingly, William Holland wrote about the trial, assuming Mrs. Leigh-Perrot's guilt, even after she was found innocent. Here's red meat for the Janeite! Too bad they didn't leverage Cousin Eliza de Feuillide experience with the court system during William Hasting's impeachment trial to similar effect. 

What the book attempts is impressive. I was particularly enthralled when menstruation came up, a topic on which I have never found any information. Unfortunately, neither did the authors, but their conjectures on how women might have handled the situation makes this the only resource I have ever found on the subject. Pretty much every detail of daily life is dealt with in depth, presenting an often gory picture of a massively unequal society. While I heartily recommend it, there is one caveat: if you read Austen's works to escape the harshness of reality (as I imagine is the case for most of my readers), than this is probably not the book for you. Though not much of what I encountered in Jane Austen's England was surprising, having it all illustrated so vividly introduces the very real problem of how to read her books without being haunted by images of rats, decomposing bodies, and sewage. Shall I ever be able to write a ball scene again without mentioning the unbearable stench of unwashed flesh and putrid breath? I certainly hope so!   

The Jane Austen Handbook by Margaret C. Sullivan

I have been terribly remiss in neglecting to review The Jane Austen Handbook: Proper Life Skills from Regency England by Margaret C. Sullivan (editrix of the fabulous AustenBlog) for so long, which the good people at Quirk Books were so kind as to send me, but life has become rather complex as my pregnancy nears its end (so tired!). I have also been slow to read the book, as I have not sat down and just consumed it from cover to cover, as I usually do with the books I review, but meandered through it instead, reading bits and pieces here and there. Often I have picked it up as I write, either because it might confirm an historical quandry I have, or as a means of combating writer's block. This is actually the same manner in which used the first edition of the book which, until its successor arrived, had a permanent place on my desk. For example, there is a scene in the novel I am currently working on which sets Lady Catherine up as a matchmaker, so upon hitting a part in the dialogue in which I was stumped as to how to move forward, I opened up my trusty Jane Austen Handbook and turned to the section entitled "How to Marry Off Your Daughter", where I was treated to twelve handy tips on making a match for eligible young ladies. Not only did this prove to be the perfect means of rekindling the creative juices, but I was further delighted by the short section that followed, "Is Mrs. Bennet the Hero of Pride and Prejudice?" The book is filled with delightful deviations such as this one, in which Ms. Sullivan explores different aspects of Austen's works, as opposed to the more strictly cultural/social information that makes up its bulk. I particularly enjoyed the list of Austen's sickly ladies in "Hypochondriacs in Jane Austen's Novels" and a similar delineation of the "Worst (and Funniest) Proposals in Jane Austen's Novels".

But this book is in no way geared to those, like myself, who write about, live for, and hungrily devour all things Austen. I have to imagine that it proves even more useful to those just engaging in Austen's world, or those who have long loved her novels without exploring the cultural realities that inform the stories. For example, have you been wondering why Catherine Morland took a sedan chair home from the assembly rooms in Bath as opposed to a carriage, or why Gretna Green was the destination of choice for an eloping couple and how it differed from a reading the banns? If any of this has puzzled you, you will find The Jane Austen Handbook a very handy tool. Alternatively, maybe you'd like to learn how to engage in the endless needlework and crafts that seem to fill each day for the ladies in Austen's novels. If so, Ms. Sullivan has provided a handy primer on how to engage in netting, as well as full instruction on making a filigree basket. From details on the different types of dress, morning through evening, to inheritance laws, The Jane Austen Handbook proves itself time and time again an invaluable source of information on Regency life. I highly recommend this delightful book to all Janeites. It is truly a must have volume.  

Jane's Fame by Claire Harman: Review and Giveaway!

The incredible height of my TBR pile prompted me to postpone reading Jane'e Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered The World when it was first released, but when the kind people at Picador (check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/picadorbookclub)offered me a free copy for review, I bumped Claire Harman's exploration of the meteoric rise of Austen's reputation to the top of my priority list. Despite my great appreciation for and love of any free book, I really wish I had broken down and bought a copy in order to read this sooner. I found it absolutely fascinating and far more informative than yet another biography, which is what I had been led to largely expect. While the book does offer much information regarding Austen's life, the focus always remains on her notoriety, particularly how an unmarried lady from Hampshire went from a moderately successful novelist who, after her early death, began to fade into obscurity, into the massively popular cultural phenomenon that she is today. While many of us Janeites are highly familiar with the end of this tale (and I found it highly gratifying to read the names of some of my favorite Austen blogs towards the end of the book), the light Harman sheds on the years that really solidified Austen's renown, from about the middle of the 19th century though the early years of the 20th, was a revelation to me. I highly recommend this absorbing account to anyone with a love for the "Devine Jane".

The information included in the book is far too dense to recount in detail here, so I will instead focus on the aspect of it that I found most remarkable: the massive diversity of those who have found in Austen both solace in times of turmoil and political justification of their causes. The most astounding example of the first is probably the fact that Winston Churchill, when planning the-day operation with Roosevelt and Stalin, suffered from a severe fever which he weathered by reading Pride and Prejudice. Overall, this book offers a wonderful new argument for me to leverage against all those who so frequently claim that Austen is strictly chick-lit. Harman recounts her popularity amongst troops in the trenches during World War I, for whom Austen represented the calm and peace that was so absent from their lives. She was also recommended reading to soldiers recovering from wounds, as her novels were considered therapeutic. This is a far cry from the modern image of bonnet-wearing, cat-loving Janeites who swoon over Colin Firth in a wet shirt (not that there is anything wrong with that), and I loved every detail of  Harman's stereotype busting narrative. I was further mesmerized by Harman's highlighting of the ability political opponents have to leverage Austen in the name of the disparate causes. Suffregettes looked to her as an example of the powerful nature of the feminine mind, while their opponents held up her values as ideals of traditional femininity. The latter argument was further complicated by her popularity amongst anarchists, who saw in her wit an execration of the bourgeois lifestyle. Harman proves over and over again that Austen can be all things to all people. Her novels are open to as large a variety of interpretations of the Bible.

And here is your opportunity to be similarly delighted by your very own free copy of this intriguing book. For those of you who might shy away from the notion of reading non-fiction, let me assure you that Harman is highly readable and accessible to all, not just those with an academic bent. If you love Jane, I find it hard to believe you will not be enthralled by Jane's Fame. For your chance to win simply leave a comment, including your email address, by Wednesday, March 16th. For a second opportunity to win, let me know why you think Austen's novels have such a broad and lasting appeal. Good luck to all who enter. The lucky winner will be the owner of a wonderful celebration of Austen's unprecedented popularity.        

The Quest for a Title and More

Becoming Jane - http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2008/aug/11/week

I haven't been quite on top of blogging these past few weeks. I was posting at an almost frantic pace in January, and the early part of this month was kept very busy between finishing my entry, entitled "Henry and Maria", for the Jane Austen Made Me Do It Short Story Contest and putting together my post for the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Celebration at My Jane Austen Book Club (read about S&S on film and enter to win a copy of the 1995 DVD here). Now that things have calmed a bit, I am now trying to focus on all that has been recently neglected. Unfortunately, that has kind of puts blogging on the back burner. I have lots of posts in mind, and here is some of what you can look forward. I have a pile of Heyer that I want to review (yes, the hubby and I are still reading and rereading these delightful novels), including one of my very favorites, Friday's Child, and The Convenient Marriage, which we just read for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed. I also need to get rolling on Northanger Abbey Janeicillin, which I hope to start posting at the beginning of March. Furthermore, I am almost finished reading Jane's Fame by Claire Harman, the review for which will include a giveaway of this fascinating book. Unfortunately, I put it aside before finishing it in order to read all the JAMMDI entries (which are fabulous!) so I can vote before the February 28th deadline. As I embark for Texas tomorrow, I hope to finish all this backlog of reading in flight. However, journeying out of town (I am off to see my grandparents before I am too large to travel comfortably) will necessarily postpone any hopes of blogging until I return next week. There is also a partially completed character profile of Edward Ferrars to finish and more of Amy Vanderbilt's etiquette to share.  

As I have now almost made it to the third trimester, my thoughts have necessarily turned towards baby furniture and other necessities, which has proven rather distracting, but I am trying to get as much work completed on my second novel, the continuation of First Impressions, that I can before delivering. This brings me to a request for assistance from you, my lovely readers, as I am rather stumped as to what to call this book. I have been using the working title of Second Chances, which feels rather lackluster, and would love it if some of you would throw out your ideas. I have not yet written a formal blurb for the story (hard to do when the narrative isn't complete) but here is a brief summary of the plot. Any and all suggestions for a title are highly welcome, but if you haven't read the first book, be warned that the following will act as a spoiler:

A year has past since the Darcy were married. Kitty, having made great progress at her school in Bath, has been invited to join Darcy, Elizabeth, and Georgiana in London for the season. It is there that the two young ladies become acquainted with two eligible bachelors, Mr. Simon Brooks and his friend, Sir James Stratton. All seems in order for promising romances to bloom between Kitty and Mr. Brooks and Georgiana and Sir James, much to the Darcys satisfaction, until Mr. and Mrs. Wickham become involved, angered at their failed attempts to leverage the familial connection with the Darcys as a means of furthering their social position. The situation is further complicated when Lydia, who is restless at school, resolves to liberate herself in the manner that comes most natural to her.

Please send me your thoughts, good and bad. I am looking to brainstorm so all notions are helpful. If I really love a few, I think I might post a survey to see which the readers most prefer, and if you suggest the title I end up using, I will credit you in my acknowledgments and send you a free copy of the book when it becomes available! 

Enjoy the remainder of this all too short month!

Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen by Sarah Jane Downing

I read this book in a little over an hour last week. It is a Shire Library publication, a press known for their slim volumes exploring niche topics. Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen is a useful overview of the politics and technologies that influenced fashion during the Regency. Beautiful images throughout make it both a charming read and useful resource.

I am fairly familiar with this topic (though by no means an expert), so there wasn't much in this book that was new to me. However, any discussion of the radical shift in fashion between the Georgian Era and the Regency always fascinates me. While Ms. Downing discusses the role of the French Revolution in popularizing classical style, she puts less emphasis on it than most books I have read on the subject, focusing instead on the pivotal role of industrialization in the "battle between broadcloth and silk", as Balzac termed it. Industrialization meant that the lush fabrics popular in the 18th century (like brocades) were now accessible to the rising middle class and could no longer be looked to as a confirmation of the wearer's status. Led by Beau Brummell, perfect tailoring replaced luxurious fabrics as a sign of sophistication:

Cut and fit were everything, creating a codified language for those in the know. Brummell's credo was, 'If John Bull turns to look after you, you are not well dressed'. wealth was whispered in the skill of the tailor, not precious fabrics, and class was implied by the hauteur given by a correctly tied cravat that held the head high causing movement to be limited and precise.

Woman's fashions followed a slightly different course, though the availability of mass produced muslin was certainly key to the popularity of that ubiquitous material. In a fascinating chapter entitled "Rousseau and Fashion Au Naturel", Ms. Downing traces the effects of Rousseau's Emile and its romanticization of childhood and espousal of freedom on fashions in the late 18th/early 19th centuries. She begins by showing the effects of this philosophical shift on children's attire, creating for the first time distinct children wear, and goes on to compare the noticeable differences between boy's clothes and menswear, while girl's and women dressed almost identically:

[Girls] were not emancipated from their infant frocks into adulthood through an equivalent to 'breaching' because they were never expected to be emancipated at all - not even by Rousseau. He had almost completely neglected women in his philosophies, and they are the only group for whom he does not advocate freedom.     

Amidst all this social theory, Ms. Downing provides details on all manner of male and female dress, from the evolution of top boots and tails to the many functions of the reticule, muff, and parasol. I highly recommend this book to anyone requiring a brief and accessible guide to the fashions of the era as well as to seasoned enthusiasts, who will appreciate the perspective provided when fashion and social developments are explored in tandem. It is a lovely little book which I intend to keep on my desk as a quick reference point for the questions I often find myself asking as I write, such as what color stockings would Miss Darcy wear or were Mr. Darcy's boots "straights". One can never know when such tidbits will make or break the authenticity of a scene.

Portrait of Pierre Seriziat by Jacques Louis David, 1795 (p. 13)