Jane Austen's Bookshelf: The women writers who shaped a legend

(Hardback)

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Description

It all started with a book that made me curious.

When rare books dealer Rebecca Romney found an emerald clothbound edition of Evelina by Frances Burney, she was happy to discover that she'd stumbled across a novel by one of Jane Austen's favourite authors. Inspired by the connection between the two writers, she returned to Austen's books with a new lens, picking out clues sprinkled throughout her works that pointed to the writers she had admired.

Austen read William Shakespeare, John Milton, Daniel Defoe, and Samuel Richardson, all authors Rebecca had read. But Austen also read Frances Burney, Ann Radcliffe, Charlotte Lennox, Hannah More, Charlotte Smith, Elizabeth Inchbald, Hester Piozzi, and Maria Edgeworth, all authors Romney hadn't. These female writers all sat proudly on Austen's bookshelf, but have disappeared from ours.

Romney became fascinated with these writers and wanted to answer three important questions: What were the stories behind the lives of these women Why have they disappeared from our bookshelves Who wrote them out of history She had a mission, an obligation: she needed to collect Jane Austen's bookshelf.

Reviews

'What a wonderful book! Jane Austen's Bookshelf has everything a reader could desire: wit, passion, mystery, brilliant detective work, a love of rare books, a deep dive into literary history and, best of all, the restoration of reputation for a group of great women authors whose names should never have been forgotten. I loved this book, and it will live on my own shelf forever' -- Elizabeth Gilbert * author of Eat, Pray, Love *
'Intimate, informative, and fun, Romney takes us on a journey through her personal book collection and into the world of Austen, where we quickly learn there's so much more than meets the eye. This is an essential read for fans of Austen and the Regency and a guide to the women writers who make the era so irresistible' -- Bea Hodges-Koch * author of Mad and Bad and co-owner of The Ripped Bodice *
'Rebecca Romney takes a cannon to the canon, tracing the history of the women writers who paved the way for Jane Austen. These overlooked authors struggled against debt, deadbeat husbands, horrific pregnancies, class prejudice, and the widespread idea that women couldn't and shouldn't write. Romney brings them vividly to life and makes the compelling case that they defined the modern English novel. Jane Austen's Bookshelf is a captivating narrative that weaves together history, feminism, and the enduring power of literature to move readers across centuries' -- Amy Stewart * New York Times bestselling author of Wicked Plants *
'When it came to Jane Austen, literary critics closed the window. Rebecca Romney throws the door wide open to provide a wonderfully fresh perspective. Powered by a graceful, engaging style, intelligence, wit and the heart of a passionate collector, Jane Austen's Bookshelf sweeps the reader along on a remarkable literary investigation that is both a journey of discovery and a work of insightful history. I loved this book. It is now on my personal bookshelf' -- Jayne Ann Krentz * New York Times bestselling author of Shattering Dawn *
'[An] astute inquiry... Incisively dissecting how Austen's forebears got written out of the English canon [and] makes a vehement case that Austen's influences are major talents in their own right. This is a must for Janeites' * Publishers Weekly *
'"Romney has chosen the perfect project to showcase her curatorial and research prowess, as well as her specialty in illuminating how the study of bookshelves can greatly inform our knowledge of historical figures or events. And who better to turn this perspective towards than Jane Austen, the architect of much of our modern literary culture It's a perfect project, a perfect book." * Lit Hubs Most Anticipated Books of 2025 *
'Why aren't we reading the books that influenced Jane Austen This book makes a case for why we should. I expect Romney's book to rescue dozens more amazing novels' * Book Riots Most Anticipated Books of 2025 *
'In [Romney's] expert hands we rediscover not just the stories that Austen grew up reading but a forgotten generation denied their rightful place in literary history. Edgeworth, Radcliffe, Burney and a host of other authors burst off the page, restored to vivid life: a sisterhood to whom Austen herself aspired to belong and who can help us, as readers, to understand her better.' -- Helena Kelly * Author of Jane Austen, The Secret Radical *
'An absolute treasure trove of women's literature' -- Jessica Bull * author of Miss Austen Investigates *

Author Bio

Rebecca Romney is a rare book dealer and the rare books specialist on the HISTORY Channel's show Pawn Stars. She is a generalist rare book dealer, handling works in all fields, from first editions of Jane Austen to science fiction paperbacks. Romney is the author of Printer's Error: Irreverent Stories from Book History (with JP Romney) and The Romance Novel in English: A Survey in Rare Books, 1769-1999.

Her work as a bookseller or writer has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Forbes, Variety, The Paris Review, and more. In 2019, she was featured in the documentary on the rare book trade, The Booksellers. She is on the Board of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) and the faculty of the Antiquarian Book Seminar (CABS-Minnesota).