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Jane Austen: A Life

Carol Shields

Start date: December 1, 2020

Finish date: December 31, 2020

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Jan 26, 2021 Candi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, biography-autobiography-memoir

“Austen’s short life may have been lived in relative privacy, but her novels show her to be a citizen, and certainly a spectator, of a far wider world.”

Almost two years ago to this day, I was dazzled by Lucy Worsley’s biography of Jane Austen, titled Jane Austen at Home. I thought it was quite thorough and informative. I had not known much about one of my favorite authors at the time I picked that one up. Considering the fact that there is not a wealth of information regarding Jane Austen in gen “Austen’s short life may have been lived in relative privacy, but her novels show her to be a citizen, and certainly a spectator, of a far wider world.”

Almost two years ago to this day, I was dazzled by Lucy Worsley’s biography of Jane Austen, titled Jane Austen at Home. I thought it was quite thorough and informative. I had not known much about one of my favorite authors at the time I picked that one up. Considering the fact that there is not a wealth of information regarding Jane Austen in general, I wasn’t sure that I would gain too much more by reading this slim offering by Carol Shields. And I have to admit, I didn’t necessarily learn a ton more. But that’s not to say I didn’t hugely enjoy reading about her all over again! I imagine that’s what happens when you’re a true fangirl!

“It might be argued that all literature is ultimately about family, the creation of structures – drama, poetry, fiction, that reflect our immediate and randomly assigned circle of others, what families do to us and how they can be re-imagined or transcended.”

While Worsley’s book examines Austen’s writing from the context of her homes, Shields’ biography focuses more on her family relationships and her social connections. She offers some insight into Austen’s likely desire to someday marry in order to become a more independent woman. A family of modest means would not be able to provide for the level of self-sufficiency a brilliant mind like Jane’s would so desperately want and need. She explores the writing process and the characters in her books. Some readers look at her novels through the lens of marriage and what that would have meant to a woman during Austen’s era. Carol Shields does this as well, but she makes another point that I find equally intriguing to contemplate:

“There is a sense in which Jane Austen wrote not so much about marriage as about the tension between parents and children, the inevitable rupture between generations and the destruction that carelessness and inattention to these bonds can bring about. We are led inevitably back to the question of her own parents, and the glazed cleverness, and perhaps care, with which she covered the Austen biographical tracks.”

I’ve read all of Jane Austen’s novels, but am due for a re-read of all of them at this point in my life. I would love to evaluate them this time around with the above theory more firmly in mind. Not only that, I’m dearly overdue to pick up one of Carol Shields’ novels! If she pens fiction as compellingly as she writes non-fiction, then I’m in for a treat. This biography is a must-read for any devoted Jane Austen fan. I highly recommend Lucy Worsley’s work as well, which I have reviewed here: Jane Austen at Home

“For all the body’s powers and vulnerability, her novels demonstrate that, for her, the real dance of life lies in language and in understanding.”
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