Jane Austen For Dummies

Explains Austen′s methods, motivations, and morals

The fun and easy way® to understand and enjoy Jane Austen

Want to know more about Jane Austen? This friendly guide gives the scoop on her life, works, and lasting impact on our culture. It chronicles the events of her brief life, examines each of her novels, and looks at why her stories of women and marriage, class and money, scandal and hypocrisy, emotion and satire still have meaning for us today.

Discover

Why Austen is so popular The impact on manners, courtships, and dating Love and life in Austen′s world Her life and key influences Her most memorable characters

Introduction.

Part I: Getting to Know Jane Austen, Lady and Novelist.

Chapter 1: Introducing Jane Austen.

Chapter 2: Visiting Jane Austen s Georgian World.

Chapter 3: Being Jane Austen (1775 1817).

Chapter 4: Inspiring the Aspiring Novelist.

Part II: Austen Observes Ladies and Gentlemen.

Chapter 5: Practicing the Politics of Dancing.

Chapter 6: Playing the Dating Game: Courtship, Austen Style.

Chapter 7: Marrying: A Serious Business for Jane Austen and Her Characters.

Chapter 8: Wily Females and Seductive Males.

Part III: Living Life in Jane s World.

Chapter 9: Looking at Ladies Limited Rights and Roles.

Chapter 10: Being a Man in a Man s World.

Chapter 11: Experiencing Life at Home in Austen s Day.

Chapter 12: Minding Your Manners.

Chapter 13: Following Religion and Morality for Jane Austen and Her Times.

Part IV: Enjoying Austen and Her Influence Today.

Chapter 14: Reading Jane Austen.

Chapter 15: Bringing Austen Novels to Stage, Screen, and Television.

Chapter 16: Determining Austen s Literary Descendents.

Part V: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 17: Ten Most Memorable Austen Characters.

Chapter 18: Ten Best Austen–Related Books (Besides This One!).

Chapter 19: Ten Best Austen Places to Visit.

Chapter 20: Ten Best Austenisms (and What They Mean).

Appendix: Jane Austen Chronology.

Index.

Joan Klingel Ray, PhD, is an English professor at the University of Colorado. She has written articles for numerous magazines and appeared on the A&E biography of Jane Austen.

"If you begin this book as dummy, you won t be one when you finish." ( Financial Times, Sat 7th July)