magdalenahai's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Hyvä perusteos Austenin elämään ja persoonaan tutustumisessa.
marys_bookish_musings's review against another edition
4.0
It was so enjoyable to learn all about Jane Austen’s life. Carol Shields gives key insights into her life, relationships and writing in such an enjoyable way.
The highest compliment I could give is that this read like fiction- it was a page turner.
A must-read for Austen fans.
The highest compliment I could give is that this read like fiction- it was a page turner.
A must-read for Austen fans.
cpeters137's review against another edition
4.0
3stars for the biographical portion and 5 stars for the commentary on Jane's novels
bookswithpetra's review against another edition
3.0
Carol Shields' biography is definitely a very easy flowing and delightful read. She centers around Jane Austen as a writer instead of delving into anecdotes and rumours. I can see why Shields' writing is often compared to Austen herself. However, I didn't really go alongside with her literary criticism (if you can even call that) of Austen works. It also bothered me how much Shields portrayed Jane Austen as a bitter spinster who's only dream was to get married. It is a very quick and easy way to get into Jane Austen's life but I wouldn't really take it as a good piece of literary criticism. I did enjoy it, though, just didn't agree with some of the opinions Shields had.
shhhh__sam's review against another edition
3.0
I love learning more about my #1 All Time Fave Jane Austen, and I loved learning about her life within the chronological context of her works!!! That being said, this writer has some shit to say about those works that I wholly disagree with and could have done without and I didn’t know I was signing onto sitting through this person’s BAD TAKES.
ampersunder's review against another edition
3.0
The first ‰ЫПbiographies‰Ыќ of Jane Austen I‰ЫЄve read, but already I‰ЫЄm chafed by the assumptions and dubious deductions. I have my own idea of what Austen was like from what I‰ЫЄve read so far, and I‰ЫЄm still working on perfecting it ‰ЫУ so yes I did learn a little.
The biography annoyed me because of the many assumptions Shields makes. Although she mentions that there is little information, most of which can‰ЫЄt be trusted as truth, she makes statements as though they are fact when I am sure they were deduced from her letters or family stories or other biographers‰ЫЄ guesses. Although I appreciate that a biographer must do what she must to present a readable story, I don‰ЫЄt appreciate a covert manipulation of the reader to believe the author was a certain kind of person, which I can‰ЫЄt believe she was.
The biography annoyed me because of the many assumptions Shields makes. Although she mentions that there is little information, most of which can‰ЫЄt be trusted as truth, she makes statements as though they are fact when I am sure they were deduced from her letters or family stories or other biographers‰ЫЄ guesses. Although I appreciate that a biographer must do what she must to present a readable story, I don‰ЫЄt appreciate a covert manipulation of the reader to believe the author was a certain kind of person, which I can‰ЫЄt believe she was.
forestgreenreader's review against another edition
3.0
I'm reading this bio for a Jane Austen class I'm taking in university, I haven't read any of Jane Austen's novels YET. But after reading this short bio, I'm looking forward to getting into Pride and Prejudice and Emma.
So onto the biography, very quickly I realized that this biography is mostly based on speculation and inference. I'm not sure if most biographies are this way (because I rarely read any), but it was kind of irritating to constantly see words like "possibly", "supposedly", and "based on". About 80% of the book is surrounded around the makings of the novels, the journey to publication, and guessing Jane Austen's personality based on (that phrase again) on the characters she has created.
Shields had a weird fixation on the account that Jane Austen was never married (there also this whole chapter at the end questioning whether or not she was a virgin, which is weird). Jane Austen's spinisterhood was such a main theme in this bio, that I wonder if Jane Austen had this big of a problem with not being married as Shields is making it out to be.
I also got the sense that although Shields believes Jane Austen is a brilliant writer, she didn't think too much about the author as a person. She repeatedly refers to Jane Austen letting her sister lead her life, possibly not being attractive, self depreciating, bitter, and insulting.
This bio did cause me to be that more excited to dive into Jane Austen novels, Shields did a great job of summing up each novel and explaining the circumstances and characters.
So onto the biography, very quickly I realized that this biography is mostly based on speculation and inference. I'm not sure if most biographies are this way (because I rarely read any), but it was kind of irritating to constantly see words like "possibly", "supposedly", and "based on". About 80% of the book is surrounded around the makings of the novels, the journey to publication, and guessing Jane Austen's personality based on (that phrase again) on the characters she has created.
Shields had a weird fixation on the account that Jane Austen was never married (there also this whole chapter at the end questioning whether or not she was a virgin, which is weird). Jane Austen's spinisterhood was such a main theme in this bio, that I wonder if Jane Austen had this big of a problem with not being married as Shields is making it out to be.
I also got the sense that although Shields believes Jane Austen is a brilliant writer, she didn't think too much about the author as a person. She repeatedly refers to Jane Austen letting her sister lead her life, possibly not being attractive, self depreciating, bitter, and insulting.
This bio did cause me to be that more excited to dive into Jane Austen novels, Shields did a great job of summing up each novel and explaining the circumstances and characters.