Description
By: James Edward Austen-Leigh (1798-1874)
Memoir of Jane Austen by James Edward Austen-Leigh offers readers a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of one of the most beloved authors of all time. Through the eyes of her nephew, James Austen-Leigh, we are able to learn more about Jane Austen as a person, as well as the circumstances surrounding the creation of her timeless novels.
The memoir is filled with personal anecdotes, family stories, and insights into Jane Austen’s writing process. It sheds light on her relationships, her struggles, and her triumphs, giving readers a deeper understanding of the woman behind the words.
Austen-Leigh’s writing is engaging and heartfelt, making it easy for readers to connect with Jane Austen on a more personal level. The memoir is well-researched and provides valuable information for fans and scholars alike.
Overall, Memoir of Jane Austen is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the life and works of this iconic author. It is a touching tribute to a literary legend and a valuable addition to any Austen enthusiast’s bookshelf.
Book Description:
“The Memoir of my Aunt, Jane Austen, has been received with more favour than I had ventured to expect. The notices taken of it in the periodical press, as well as letters addressed to me by many with whom I am not personally acquainted, show that an unabated interest is still taken in every particular that can be told about her. I am thus encouraged not only to offer a Second Edition of the Memoir, but also to enlarge it with some additional matter which I might have scrupled to intrude on the public if they had not thus seemed to call for it. In the present Edition, the narrative is somewhat enlarged, and a few more letters are added; with a short specimen of her childish stories. The cancelled chapter of ‘Persuasion’ is given, in compliance with wishes both publicly and privately expressed. A fragment of a story entitled ‘The Watsons’ is printed; and extracts are given from a novel which she had begun a few months before her death; but the chief addition is a short tale never before published, called ‘Lady Susan.’ I regret that the little which I have been able to add could not appear in my First Edition; as much of it was either unknown to me, or not at my command, when I first published; and I hope that I may claim some indulgent allowance for the difficulty of recovering little facts and feelings which had been merged half a century deep in oblivion.” – James Edward Austen-Leigh in the Preface to Memoir of Jane Austen
