An A-Z of Jane Austen

This book provides a unique insight into Jane Austen's way with words, exploring familiar themes through a lively A-Z structure, highlighting under-examined corners of her imagination, and showing how current social and cultural concerns are re-shaping our understanding of her work. It encourages a renewed appreciation for the infinite subtlety and re-readability of Austen's writing.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 168 pages
Publication date: 20 October 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

For centuries, Jane Austen's vividly detailed worlds have captivated readers, and this well-organized, entertaining book offers Austen enthusiasts and students a distinctive perspective on the much-adored writer's use of language.

Greaney offers new insights on familiar Austen themes through a lively A-Z structure (D is for dance; M is for matchmaking), sheds light on under-examined corners of her imagination (R is for risk; S is for servant), and demonstrates how current social and cultural concerns are reshaping our understanding of her work (Q is for queer; W is for West Indies).

By employing this approach, readers gain a deeper understanding of how paying close attention to the smallest linguistic details in Austen's work can reveal rewarding new perspectives on the achievements of one of our most celebrated authors. While sharply focused on textual detail, the book's scope is broad, encompassing questions that, like Austen's work, will intrigue, delight, and inspire: Why are children so marginalized in her storylines? Who is the best exponent of matchmaking in her fiction? Why are many of her female characters—but none of her heroines—called Jane?

This book provides a fresh close-up encounter with one of our most celebrated writers, inviting a renewed appreciation for the infinite subtlety and endless re-readability of a body of writing in which every word counts.

Weight: 206g
Dimension: 138 x 216 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350254206