James Edward Austen-LeighBesprekingen

Written by a relative about 50 years after her death, it is a memoir. I read it because it will be covered at BYU Education Week this August, and I want to be more prepared to learn and understand than years past.

This first time through was an audiobook from the city library. I will also read the text before August.

Made a start on this audiobook, but while informative and interesting, it didn't grab me...unfortunatley, as it is a given that I am keen to know more about J.A.

La obra de James Edward Austen-Leigh sienta las bases para todas las biografías posteriores de la célebre escritora Recién iniciada la Biblioteca Jane Austen en nuestro catálogo, en edición de lujo en tela, y con una gran parte de las obras de Jane Austen publicadas también, creemos imprescindible presentar las memorias que escribió su sobrino James Edward Austen-Leigh en 1869 y que sentarían las bases para todas las biografías posteriores de la célebre autora. James Edward Austen-Leigh contó con la ayuda de sus hermanas Anna y Caroline frente a la rivalidad de la otra rama de la familia, los Knight-Knatchbull, que se negaron a entregar una parte de la correspondencia de la autora. Es así como se forjó una visión particular, sin secretos ni devaneos oscuros que pudieran enturbiar la dulcificada vida de la célebre escritora.

hardback

I like the vibe of this bio of Jane Austen, written by one of her nephews. It was like, here’s the deal: there’s not a whole lot that was saved, I was a kid when she was alive, so here’s what I’ve managed to scrape together.
As such, it kind of wandered from topic to topic, but I liked the affection and respect in his writing, and I learned a few things I didn’t know. I thought it was neat he included a discarded chapter of Persuasion, the Austen book I’m planning to reread this year, and I loved that Jane Austen told her family the futures she imagined for her characters after the books’ endings.
A pleasant, quick read for Austen fans.

I listened to the audio book, which was wonderfully narrated by Simon Prebble.

It is a great account of Jane Austen's eventless life, including unpublished material written by her.

Interesting look into the life of Jane Austen

Written by a relative about 50 years after her death, it is a memoir. I read it because it will be covered at BYU Education Week this August, and I want to be more prepared to learn and understand than years past.

This first time through was an audiobook from the city library. I will also read the text before August.

It was interesting , but it lack of obiectivity.
The author is honest and don't pretente to be an historian, but I felt him biased.
It wasn't my first Biography of Jane Austen so I think that coulb be the reason why I wasn't appalled.

It was interesting , but it lack of obiectivity.
The author is honest and don't pretente to be an historian, but I felt him biased.
It wasn't my first Biography of Jane Austen so I think that coulb be the reason why I wasn't appalled.

It was interesting , but it lack of obiectivity.
The author is honest and don't pretente to be an historian, but I felt him biased.
It wasn't my first Biography of Jane Austen so I think that coulb be the reason why I wasn't appalled.

Although I was disappointed reading A Memoir of Jane Austen, because I found it rather dry and dull, I rated it as 3 stars because of its influence in stimulating interest in her works some 54 years after her death. Also, I realized this was a Memoir, so the level of detail was different than what I would expect from a biography. What you get is a mixture of personal letters and recollections from the writer, Ms. Austen's nephew, as well as family tidbits and background on the homes she lived in and the culture of the times generally. I imagine Janeites would find this book a nice addition to the lore and legend of one of England's most beloved authors, and a personal favourite of mine.

Written by Austen's nephew at the beginning of the 20th century, it is a classic of hagiography. It is valuable for its personal and close remembrances, its extracts of Austen's personal correspondence. But one should always keep in mind that the goal of the writer was to protect a family member's public reputation.

A good memoir but short.

A good memoir but short.

A good memoir but short.

I read the Oxford World's Classics edition which contained the following:

A Memoir of Jane Austen - James Edward Austen-Leigh (1871)
Biographical Notice of the Author - Henry Austen (1818)
Memoir of Miss Austen - Henry Austen (1833)
Recollections of Aunt Jane - Anna Lefroy (1864)
My Aunt Jane Austen: A Memoir - Caroline Austen (1867)

This book brings together a collection of memoirs and biographies of Jane Austen written by her brother (Henry Austen) and her nieces and nephews. James Edward Austen-Leigh's memoir is the longest of the collection of works included and, with their permission, made use of the recollections written by his sisters (Anna and Caroline) as well as Henry Austen's notice and memoir and various letters from their Aunt Jane which had come into their possession.

This was an interesting selection of works, mainly because the detailed notes to this edition made it possible to see what information about Jane Austen had been left out of James Edward Austen-Leigh's memoir. It seems that he and his sisters wanted to present Jane Austen in a way that they felt was appropriate for the late 19th century and so certain events or incidents were glossed over. In particular a humorous poem that Jane Austen wrote a few days before her death which had been referred to in Henry Austen's first biography was deliberately not mentioned in James Edward Austen-Leigh's memoir because he and his sisters felt it made their beloved aunt appear frivolous. Additionally, James Edward Austen Leigh and his sisters did not have access to all of Jane Austen's letters that modern scholars have access to as these were then being held by other branches of the family.

For the above reasons I wouldn't recommend this collection to someone who hadn't read a modern biography of Jane Austen. I also think it would be easier to first get a sense of Jane Austen's extended family from a modern biography and I think I would have found this book more confusing if I hadn't previously read one. But despite their occasional failings these writings are one of the primary sources for modern Jane Austen scholars and well worth reading if you want to find out more about the author and her world.

If you are looking for a modern biography about Jane Austen then I found Claire Tomalin's Jane Austen: A Life to be superb.½