Patrice Hannon

Imagine, if you will, that Jane Austen can somehow receive letters from her modern-day readers, asking for her sage advice in love and marriage. That's the premise for this charming little book.

Part "autobiography", part self-help book, and part critical analysis, Dear Jane Austen is full of practical advice for all women, no matter what era they're living in. Told in a tone that is mostly pitch-perfect, Austen weighs in on topics ranging from beauty to friends and family, to sex. The only show more thing that jarred was when she used modern phrases in her answers. There's something of an explanation included, but it still bothered me a little.

There are some spoilers included if you haven't read Austen's entire body of work. I haven't yet, but this didn't really bother me. I think I'll have forgotten the little bits and pieces I learned by the time I actually get around to reading all of her other books.

Fans of Austen will love this little book, especially the single women still looking for their Mr. Darcy. show less

101 Things You Didn’t Know about Jane Austen is an interesting book that’s not strictly trivia nor a biography but some sort of in-between hybrid. In some respects, it seems to move forward in a linear direction like a biography, and thus gives details about Austen’s birthplace and other items that probably wouldn’t fall under “things you didn’t know about Jane” for any Austen enthusiasts – or indeed, even those who just read the back flap of a novel, which usually gives a show more brief author biography. Other factoids, such as Austen’s aunt who was accused of theft, will undoubtedly be new for those with only some Austen knowledge. However, some of these more obscure facts were derived from Austen’s letters, so those with more time and/or enthusiasm would probably rather go straight to the source instead of this book. But this book does help to distill down the letters and place that information into context, which is perfect for those with less time or inclination.

One thing I didn’t particularly care for about this book was that there was a fair amount of speculation about what Austen did or did not like based solely on plot points or characterizations from her novels and other works. This seemed far better suited for a book of literary criticism than one that is meant to be more biography and trivia. Perhaps the largest problem with this book was the poor choice of title, which might disappoint some readers who find that it does not deliver what it promises, although it offers up something else interesting.

All and all though, this is a fun and informative little gem of a book. Its tiny size and structure (each numbered item is relatively short, sometimes just a few paragraphs) make this a perfect book to take on the go and read only a tiny bit at a time here and there without feeling lost or having to stop right in the middle of something. I’m not sure that I would recommend this for hardcore Janeites, but I think it’s definitely great reading for those who have read Austen’s novels and are looking to learn a little bit more about the author. show less

Imagine you could get advice from Jane Austen for every day affairs. Advice on relationships, family, fiscal matters, and the like. That’s the basic idea of this book – women from the 21st century write letters to Austen that are magically transported back to the early 19th century for Austen to answer in order to assist her would-be heroines live happily-ever-after and snag the would-be heroes in their lives. Each letter is peppered with sage advice, examples from her books, as well as show more examples from Austen’s life.

I would not recommend this to anyone but the largest of Jane Austen fans. Don’t get me wrong – it was enjoyable, but there were a few things about it that just rubbed me the wrong way, and I think would only come across badly for those who weren’t huge fans of Austen.

I had a hard time keeping all of the characters mentioned straight as far as what book they come from and who exactly they are. Hannon doesn’t just talk about the main characters in Austen’s books, but about a lot of the characters in various books that only appeared for a short period of time, and it didn’t always say what book they were from.

As well, it came across a lot of the time that Hannon was saying “Jane Austen pwns all other writers (past, present and future) with superiour characterization skills!” If I didn’t enjoy Austen, and didn’t take it as amusing, then it would have come across as very annoying.

That said, you could tell that Hannon is a large Austen fan and knows a lot about that time period, Austen’s life, and Austen’s books. Aside from being well researched, Hannon had an amusing voice; at times what she had written was highly amusing, and had me outright laughing out loud:

You exhibit the classic symptoms of having read too many romances and watched too many Hollywood movies. Think what you are about – and what they are about. Is there a trace of the real, the true, the everyday in them? I should not be surprised to learn that you swooned over Heathcliffe. (Quelle horreur! as my dear sister Eliza used to exclaim.) Earth to Suffering Heroine (as incredulity and exasperation might induce one of your era to say): the man hangs puppies just for fun!

So yes, while the book was amusing at times, and almost confusing at others, it was also rather thought-provoking. It’s always a little unsettling when a fictional book touches on stuff similar to what you’re currently going through in real life. The A Heronie and Her Friends chapter came at the worst possible (or best possible, depending on how you look at it) time for me. It certainly wasn’t a very comfortable chapter to read, but it did give me some food for thought that I’m going to be pondering for a while. show less

This tiny little book is a fun read. Author Patrice Hannon takes the form and prose of Jane Austen and current times to create a great advice book for women. “Readers” submit a letter to Jane Austen who replies taking examples out of her own text and the relationships of her characters. Each section incorporates something for each major Austen work, plus others.

The modern day letters incorporate mainly advice about love and relationships, sometimes friends, but often reflect something an show more Austen character has faced in the past – living together before marriage, marrying for money, fear of commitment, and how to gain a guys interested (among other things).

It was cute and easy to read, plus fun for any Austen fan. show less