I was inspired to create this blog several months ago, when Mags at AustenBlog posted a quote du jour. What a fabulous idea, I thought. And, I thought, there must be one out there in the web world. But I couldn’t find one.
Immersed in Austen research for my upcoming book (A Walk with Jane), I thought maybe I could go ahead and start one. So, here it is!
It’s hard for me to read Austen and not want to share her voice with others-her life and great energy, her laughter-especially in her letters, which I think few of her fans have probably read.
I also wanted to put her quotes back in context. So many times, when I see them, there is no notation of where they appeared, if they were her own voice or one of her characters, or exactly what the situation was. So, when you read them, I want you to know where they came from.
And regarding that laughter of hers, it is always safest to assume that Jane is joking, if there’s any question. Without understanding that, you may be wrongly offended by some of these, or come to erroneous conclusions about what she actually believed.
In each quote, I’ve noted the volume and chapter in which the quote appears (some modern versions of the novels leave the volumes out and number the chapters sequentially; you’ll need an edition with the volumes marked if you want to look these up in context). Or, in the case of Jane’s letters, I’ve noted the letter number from Dierdre Le Faye’s collection.
Feel free to email me your suggestions at austenquotes AT gmail DOT com.
cheers! enjoy!
“In this engaging, deeply personal and well-researched travelogue, Smith (a PW contributor)
The Jane Austen Guide to Life: Thoughtful Lessons for the Modern Woman (May, 2012)
A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Adventure, Love, and Faith