I love this book. This is a recommendation for all Jane Austen fans♪

This book gave me the pleasant surprise of exegesis of Miss Austen's work that was at least thought-provoking. We have additionally cute quizzes, lists and illustrations to go along with a decently-detailed biography of the great novelist.

This book refreshed my enthusiasm for Miss Austen's oeuvre, and made me want to return to it again. Seious or academic critics looking for new insights should probably look elsewhere. ( )

The Friendly Jane Austen: A Well-Mannered Introduction to a Lady of Sense & Sensibility is a wonderful resource for the die-hard Austen fan as well as Austen newbies. Ms. Tyler takes each book in turn, gives a synopsis of the plot and places it in historical context and in the context of Austen's life. She then explains those details that might be abstract to those not familiar with Regency culture, such as entailed property, the importance of walking and the attitude toward marriage, making the reader comfortable with the novel. She includes illustrations, interviews, quizzes and delightful bits on the side such as "10 Surefire Ways to be Vulgar", a table of average income and "Sense and Sensibility: A Checklist". In addition, she finishes the book lists of movie versions, book spin-offs and sequels and shows Austen's role (her "legacy") in our century.

An Austen fan from way back, I found this a truly delightful book. Ms. Tyler is humorous as well as informative and her enthusiasm for Austen is apparent. This is a must-have for Austen fans, no question about it; the resources provided in The Friendly Jane Austen further the enjoyment of reading Austen's novels. It is also an excellent book for those that have just started reading Austen. With this book by your side, you can't fail to see just how wonderful Jane Austen was, and still is. ( )

This is a great intro to Jane Austen or a place to read more when you can't get enough. She has summaries and commentary on the books along with interesting tidbits about life at the time, biography of Austen, and reviews. This has good information, but it is presented lightly so anyone can read it and have fun with it. ( )

Terrific. ( )