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phoebemurtagh's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
The reader of this audiobook made the unfortunate choice to imitiate accents of people quoted, which was very off putting - the very first example is from an Indian writer, so the overall effect is hearing a middle or upper class British woman playacting the accent of a people her empire colonized, which almost made me put down the audiobook. Fortunately, these instances are few and the author's wry humor comes through for an interesting look at not just Jane Austen's life, but how she became so persistent after a surprising lull in her popularity when modern people might assume her star has always been rising.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness, Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Death
roboxa's review against another edition
3.0
Originally posted on Roberta's Literary Ramblings
Not sure I've mentioned on this blog before, but I am a huge fan of Jane Austen. I think that her work is brilliant and will always be able to find a place in the minds and hearts of her readers. This is the first biography I have read on Jane Austen and while it wasn't a bad book, it did not live up to my expectations. Granted, I came out knowing a little more about one of my favorite authors, but nothing more enlightening than that.
From the back cover, I was expecting more insight into the mind and life of Austen, but in reality, Harman just wrote down many of the things that people have already written on or that I have already heard. There didn't seem to be any knew information and the sections in which she "delved" into the impact Jane Austen has on modern audiences, it really just came down to her saying, "We still really like her." Well, I know that.
I feel that Harman may have done more with the book if she kept to a straight biography instead of trying to examine multiple aspects of her fame. By doing this she was only able to touch on why Jane matters to readers today which led to her only saying what we already know. While reading I found that I wanted more facts about that time period and her life after I realized that she only dipped her toe in the shallow end with everything else. Unfortunately this just made the whole book one big shallow end. Sure, I learned some interesting things about a woman I have grown to admire, but nothing spectacular or particularly enlightening.
I suggest reading William Deresiewicz's, A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things that Really Matter, if you want a look at why it is Jane Austen affects readers still and what she has to teach us despite the fact that society has changed so much. As it turns out, people haven't really changed at all. Deresiewicz's book does what Harman wanted to do in her last couple of chapters. Possibly, Harman didn't realize that it takes an entire book to really examine how Jane Austen is relevant today and the reasons for her continued success.
Not sure I've mentioned on this blog before, but I am a huge fan of Jane Austen. I think that her work is brilliant and will always be able to find a place in the minds and hearts of her readers. This is the first biography I have read on Jane Austen and while it wasn't a bad book, it did not live up to my expectations. Granted, I came out knowing a little more about one of my favorite authors, but nothing more enlightening than that.
From the back cover, I was expecting more insight into the mind and life of Austen, but in reality, Harman just wrote down many of the things that people have already written on or that I have already heard. There didn't seem to be any knew information and the sections in which she "delved" into the impact Jane Austen has on modern audiences, it really just came down to her saying, "We still really like her." Well, I know that.
I feel that Harman may have done more with the book if she kept to a straight biography instead of trying to examine multiple aspects of her fame. By doing this she was only able to touch on why Jane matters to readers today which led to her only saying what we already know. While reading I found that I wanted more facts about that time period and her life after I realized that she only dipped her toe in the shallow end with everything else. Unfortunately this just made the whole book one big shallow end. Sure, I learned some interesting things about a woman I have grown to admire, but nothing spectacular or particularly enlightening.
I suggest reading William Deresiewicz's, A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things that Really Matter, if you want a look at why it is Jane Austen affects readers still and what she has to teach us despite the fact that society has changed so much. As it turns out, people haven't really changed at all. Deresiewicz's book does what Harman wanted to do in her last couple of chapters. Possibly, Harman didn't realize that it takes an entire book to really examine how Jane Austen is relevant today and the reasons for her continued success.
dljmsw's review against another edition
3.0
First challenge of Read Harder 2022: Read a biography of an author you admire.
Pretty dull. What was I thinking?
Pretty dull. What was I thinking?
rita_reads_cda's review against another edition
Kept falling asleep listening to this. Someone else was waiting for it on the library app, so I ended my naps
erincataldi's review against another edition
3.0
Not for the faint of heart, this literary chronicle of Jane's ascent into the world verges on the point of being a heavy read. From Jane's earliest writing, the publication of four of her novels in her lifetime, to all of her books being out of print, to her popularity resurgence with the release of her biography, up to the twentieth century; this book covers her meteoric rise as one of the greatest female writers ever born. I'm not a true Janite, just a casual admirer so I didn't know a lot of what was in this book. I do know that she wasn't very popular in her lifetime (her books were all published anonymously) but I didn't know all the circumstances surrounding that. Claire does a good job bringing readers along through the decades as the cult of the "Divine Jane" grew and spread across the globe. Not a light read, but very enlightening!
littletaiko's review against another edition
3.0
Jane's Fame wasn't as good as I had hoped but I think I was expecting a different kind of book. Rather than being a full on biography it was more of a summary of how Jane became popular throughout time. It also seems that there is no such thing as a good biography on Jane Austen since not much is known about her. It was interesting to see how her books used to be something that both men and women used to read and now it seems that she is perceived as chick-lit. Overall a solid and informative read. Definitely made me want to reread all of Jane's books!
periklis's review against another edition
3.0
I've never managed to finish this book, which is a shame, because it is actually quite a good book. Rather than just a biography of Austen, the book is a complete study of the appeal behind her work and her image through the years. The chapter devoted to her biography is brilliantly written: with affection but also rather objectively. (The remaining chapters were also quite interesting, but they eventually proved a bit too much for someone like me who is not really interested in this author).
I knew very little about Austen and her work before I started reading the book (in fact works and plays of that era rather put me off!...). Harman's book made me more interested in Austen than I thought I would ever be.
I knew very little about Austen and her work before I started reading the book (in fact works and plays of that era rather put me off!...). Harman's book made me more interested in Austen than I thought I would ever be.
mugglemom's review against another edition
4.0
Another good book about the unknown personal life of Jane Austen. No new material that has not been written before but just reaffirms, from a different lens how much is "projected" about Jane's life by the changing landscape(s) of time.
I recommend to fans of Jane Austen who would rather seek to UNDERSTAND rather than seek to increase her "fandom"
I recommend to fans of Jane Austen who would rather seek to UNDERSTAND rather than seek to increase her "fandom"
berlinbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this approach to Jane Austen of not only chronicling her life, but also her "afterlife" within the English literary canon. The book is immensely readable, but still feels well-researched and gives the topic the serious attention it deserves. It also doesn't shy away from discussing film adaptations and internet discourse as interpretations of Austen's books which reflect the cultural attitudes of their times. All in all an enjoyable and informative biography of one if my favourite authors.
bak8382's review against another edition
4.0
Although I have considered Jane Austen to be my favorite author for several years now it has only been recently that I've really spent time reading about her life. Harmon chronicles Austen's rise from almost obscurity after her death to her steady rise to fame from the late 1800s into present day. Harmon does not spend a lot of time on present day interest except to discuss the movie versions, specifically the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice.I would recommend this to anyone looking for an easy to read chronicle of her life and lasting legacy.