Product Description There has been a veritable explosion of interest in the works of Jane Austen during the lasttwo years. With five films based on Austen novels recently released via film andtelevision, her books are finding a new audience among both readers and booksellers.Thus Valerie Grosvenor Myer's recent biography, Jane Austen: Obstinate Heartproves most timely.In fact, Jane Austen is best read in conjunction with itssubject's novels, for so much of Jane's life went into her six books, although her heroinesgenerally fared better than their creator.Born the seventh of eight children into thegenteel but impoverished home of a clergyman, Jane Austen quickly learned what itmeant to be a woman without money--a situation most of her female protagonists shared,yet often overcame through marriage. Austen, however, refused to marry without love,and thus never married. Jane Austen does a fine job of relaying the details of its subject's life--herrelationship with her family and friends, the indignities of her unfortunate financialcircumstances, and her pleasure in the success of those novels she lived to see published.But more than that, Myer delves into the mores and manners of Austen's times--theimportance placed on marriage, respectability, and financial security, all central to theauthor's novels. Most engaging is Myer's exploration of Jane Austen's prickly, imperfectpersonality, revealed through letters, diaries, and the recollections of her family. InJane Austen the reader discovers a fully-drawn woman, complete with flaws,strengths, and a burning talent that lives on today, 200 years after her death. Amazon.com Review There has been a veritable explosion of interest in the works of during the last two years. With five films based on Austen novels recently released via film and television, her books are finding a new audience among both readers and booksellers. Thus Valerie Grosvenor Myer's recent biography,Jane Austen: Obstinate Heart proves most timely. In fact,Jane Austen is best read in conjunction with its subject's novels, for so much of Jane's life went into her six books, although her heroines generally fared better than their creator. Born the seventh of eight children into the genteel but impoverished home of a clergyman, Jane Austen quickly learned what it meant to be a woman without money--a situation most of her female protagonists shared, yet often overcame through marriage. Austen, however, refused to marry without love, and thus never married. Jane Austen does a fine job of relaying the details of its subject's life--her relationship with her family and friends, the indignities of her unfortunate financial circumstances, and her pleasure in the success of those novels she lived to see published. But more than that, Myer delves into the mores and manners of Austen's times--the importance placed on marriage, respectability, and financial security, all central to the author's novels. Most engaging is Myer's exploration of Jane Austen's prickly, imperfect personality, revealed through letters, diaries, and the recollections of her family. In Jane Austen the reader discovers a fully-drawn woman, complete with flaws, strengths, and a burning talent that lives on today, 200 years after her death. From AudioFile Valerie Grosvenor Myer's work is the devilishly intricate account of the mind and times of Jane Austen. Letters by, to, and about her, enriched by details of the England of her times, create an exhaustive tome that recreates her most probable life. All of the aspects of her life that later became the models and substance for the characters and dramas of her novels can be found in these pages of her actual experience. The voice of Donada Peters suits the work hand in glove. Her British accent and inflection lend authenticity to the information. Chatty and well paced, the effect is of being at tea with the biographer and hearing this tale in tones of hushed invaded privacy. C.