A New Jane Austen: How Americans Brought Us the World's Greatest Novelist
(Paperback)
Available Formats
Publishing Details
A New Jane Austen: How Americans Brought Us the World's Greatest Novelist
By (Author) Dr Juliette Wells
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Bloomsbury Academic
30th November 2023
United Kingdom
Classifications
General
Non Fiction
Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900
Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers
823.7
Physical Properties
Paperback
272
Width 156mm, Height 234mm
Description
Completing Juliette Wells ground-breaking trilogy of books on Austens readers, this latest volume revolutionizes our understanding of how Britain's best loved novelist entered the canon, showing that the roots of her enduring significance originated not in the UK, as is commonly believed, but in America. Weaving together colorful case-studies of a cast of Americans that are often overlooked but are crucial to Austen's reception, this book not only shows that Austen's reputation as a literary great originated in America, but also that it was founded not by scholars, but by writers and collectors working largely outside of academia. Engagingly written and extensively illustrated, A New Jane Austen will inform and delight scholars and Austen fans alike.
Reviews
If you thought you knew how Jane Austen came to be viewed as the worlds greatest novelist, think again. Wellss meticulously researched and beautifully written book introduces a fascinating group of individuals whose contributions to Austen studies have long been obscure. After reading this book, I came to care as much about Alberta Burke and Oscar Fay Adams as I do about many of Austens characters. -- Professor Jennie Batchelor, University of Kent, UK
An insightful, illuminating and meticulously researched book. Wells animates her subjects with skill, energy and affection in a study that significantly deepens our understanding of early Austen experts and enthusiasts and their contribution to the field. * Lizzie Dunford, Director, Jane Austen's House, UK *
Author Bio
Juliette Wells, Professor of Literary Studies at Goucher College (USA), is the author of two acclaimed books about Jane Austens historic readers and fans: Reading Austen in America (2017) and Everybodys Jane: Austen in the Popular Imagination (2011). For Penguin Classics, she edited Austens Persuasion (2017) and Emma (2015).
