Overview

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘It is good to meet the real Jane Austen at last’ Independent on Sunday 'Brilliantly illuminating … by focusing, chapter by chapter, on one thread or another of Austen’s experience, Byrne allows us to grasp the richness of her inner life’ Guardian Who was the real Jane Austen? A retiring spinster content with quiet village life? Or a strong-minded woman who chose to remain unmarried and to fashion herself as a professional writer? Bestselling biographer Paula Byrne uses objects that conjure up a key moment in Austen’s life and work – a vellum notebook, a topaz cross, a writing box and a bathing machine – to reveal the true self of this most beloved author. 'Sparklingly multi-faceted, catching the light in intriguing ways … Byrne’s Jane is far less likely to go for a quiet walk in the garden than she is to be whisked into town in search of a velvet cushion' Mail on Sunday

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Reviews

'A fitting tribute to one of our great writers ... brings her to life as a dazzling, defiant and brilliant woman' Radio Times 'Amusing, well-written ... Byrne is a glad companion to have. Her book is studded with brilliant nuggets; they make the lustre of one of our greatest writers glisten even more brightly' Sunday Telegraph 'Sharp, informative analysis' Spectator 'Byrne's essays add up to a fine appraisal of the novelist's environment, truly Austenish in the way they burrow into a sequestered and often secretive private world' Observer From the reviews of Perdita: 'A fine biographer has conjured up a dazzling personality and brought her, laughing, back to life' Sunday Times 'Imagine Nicole Kidman, Monica Lewinsky, Susan Sontag and Madonna all rolled into one, then ask yourself, how is it that we've never heard of her? Utterly absorbing' Vogue From Mad World reviews: 'Vibrant, absorbing, stranger than fiction' Sunday Times 'The author's deliciously rich research details the pampered life of the aristocracy before the Second World War, reflected in 'raspberry crepe de chine shirts', jazz, cocktails and easy promiscuity, all worked seamlessly into a non-fiction narrative that feels like a novel' Juliet Nicolson 'Byrne has written a marvellous book, warm, witty and enormously readable' Daily Telegraph

'The perfect companion to the novels ... Tremendous' Joanna Trollope, Sunday Telegraph 'Brilliantly illuminating ... Its great merit is [that] by focusing on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allow us to grasp the richness of Austen's inner life' Guardian 'A neat approach to biography, allowing Byrne to burrow deep beneath the surface of Austen's existence. The result is a delightful and engrossing portrait' Sunday Times 'Byrne's essays add up to a fine appraisal of the novelist's environment, truly Austenish in the way they burrow into a sequestered and often secretive private world' Observer 'A perceptive and energetic guide to Austen and her surroundings ... Byrne's critical study consists of a series of beautifully written, interrelated essays ... [her] style gives fresh charms to her subject matter. The Real Jane Austen is bold, fast-moving and accessible' Daily Telegraph 'Engaging, compelling, a delightful and engrossing book. Of course we all know that the real Jane Austen will forever be a mystery, but most 21st century Janeites will adore this one. Byrne's passion is nothing if not persuasive' Sunday Times 'What is fresh in Byrne's biographical approach is her use of a succession of contemporary objects that Austen owned, or that might be seen in intimate connection with her interests ... this adds an attractive immediacy to a well-known story ... Byrne's affectionate study paints a pleasingly lively picture of Austen's life' Independent 'Brilliantly illuminating ... riveting. By focusing, chapter by chapter, on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allows us to grasp the richness of her inner life' Simon Callow, Guardian 'The portrait of Austen that emerges is sparklingly multi-faceted, catching the light in intriguing ways ... her Jane is far less likely to go for a quiet walk in the garden than she is to be whisked into town in search of a velvet cushion, a necklace or a smart new dress' Irish Mail on Sunday

‘The perfect companion to the novels … Tremendous’ Joanna Trollope, Sunday Telegraph ‘Brilliantly illuminating … Its great merit is [that] by focusing on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allow us to grasp the richness of Austen's inner life’ Guardian ‘A neat approach to biography, allowing Byrne to burrow deep beneath the surface of Austen’s existence. The result is a delightful and engrossing portrait’ Sunday Times ‘Byrne's essays add up to a fine appraisal of the novelist's environment, truly Austenish in the way they burrow into a sequestered and often secretive private world’ Observer ‘A perceptive and energetic guide to Austen and her surroundings … Byrne’s critical study consists of a series of beautifully written, interrelated essays … [her] style gives fresh charms to her subject matter. “The Real Jane Austen” is bold, fast-moving and accessible’ Daily Telegraph ‘Engaging, compelling, a delightful and engrossing book. Of course we all know that the ""real"" Jane Austen will forever be a mystery, but most 21st century Janeites will adore this one. Byrne's passion is nothing if not persuasive’ Sunday Times ‘What is fresh in Byrne's biographical approach is her use of a succession of contemporary objects that Austen owned, or that might be seen in intimate connection with her interests … this adds an attractive immediacy to a well-known story … Byrne's affectionate study paints a pleasingly lively picture of Austen's life’ Independent ‘Brilliantly illuminating … riveting. By focusing, chapter by chapter, on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allows us to grasp the richness of her inner life’ Simon Callow, Guardian ‘The portrait of Austen that emerges is sparklingly multi-faceted, catching the light in intriguing ways … her Jane is far less likely to go for a quiet walk in the garden than she is to be whisked into town in search of a velvet cushion, a necklace or a smart new dress’ Irish Mail on Sunday

`The perfect companion to the novels ... Tremendous' Joanna Trollope, Sunday Telegraph `Brilliantly illuminating ... Its great merit is [that] by focusing on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allow us to grasp the richness of Austen's inner life' Guardian `A neat approach to biography, allowing Byrne to burrow deep beneath the surface of Austen's existence. The result is a delightful and engrossing portrait' Sunday Times `Byrne's essays add up to a fine appraisal of the novelist's environment, truly Austenish in the way they burrow into a sequestered and often secretive private world' Observer `A perceptive and energetic guide to Austen and her surroundings ... Byrne's critical study consists of a series of beautifully written, interrelated essays ... [her] style gives fresh charms to her subject matter. The Real Jane Austen is bold, fast-moving and accessible' Daily Telegraph `Engaging, compelling, a delightful and engrossing book. Of course we all know that the real Jane Austen will forever be a mystery, but most 21st century Janeites will adore this one. Byrne's passion is nothing if not persuasive' Sunday Times `What is fresh in Byrne's biographical approach is her use of a succession of contemporary objects that Austen owned, or that might be seen in intimate connection with her interests ... this adds an attractive immediacy to a well-known story ... Byrne's affectionate study paints a pleasingly lively picture of Austen's life' Independent `Brilliantly illuminating ... riveting. By focusing, chapter by chapter, on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allows us to grasp the richness of her inner life' Simon Callow, Guardian `The portrait of Austen that emerges is sparklingly multi-faceted, catching the light in intriguing ways ... her Jane is far less likely to go for a quiet walk in the garden than she is to be whisked into town in search of a velvet cushion, a necklace or a smart new dress' Irish Mail on Sunday

`The perfect companion to the novels ... Tremendous' Joanna Trollope, Sunday Telegraph`Brilliantly illuminating ... Its great merit is [that] by focusing on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allow us to grasp the richness of Austen's inner life' Guardian`A neat approach to biography, allowing Byrne to burrow deep beneath the surface of Austen's existence. The result is a delightful and engrossing portrait' Sunday Times`Byrne's essays add up to a fine appraisal of the novelist's environment, truly Austenish in the way they burrow into a sequestered and often secretive private world' Observer`A perceptive and energetic guide to Austen and her surroundings ... Byrne's critical study consists of a series of beautifully written, interrelated essays ... [her] style gives fresh charms to her subject matter. The Real Jane Austen is bold, fast-moving and accessible' Daily Telegraph`Engaging, compelling, a delightful and engrossing book. Of course we all know that the real Jane Austen will forever be a mystery, but most 21st century Janeites will adore this one. Byrne's passion is nothing if not persuasive' Sunday Times`What is fresh in Byrne's biographical approach is her use of a succession of contemporary objects that Austen owned, or that might be seen in intimate connection with her interests ... this adds an attractive immediacy to a well-known story ... Byrne's affectionate study paints a pleasingly lively picture of Austen's life' Independent`Brilliantly illuminating ... riveting. By focusing, chapter by chapter, on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allows us to grasp the richness of her inner life' Simon Callow, Guardian`The portrait of Austen that emerges is sparklingly multi-faceted, catching the light in intriguing ways ... her Jane is far less likely to go for a quiet walk in the garden than she is to be whisked into town in search of a velvet cushion, a necklace or a smart new dress' Irish Mail on Sunday

Author Information

Paula Byrne was born in Birkenhead and has a PhD from the University of Liverpool, where she is a Research Fellow in English Literature. Her first book, Jane Austen and the Theatre, was shortlisted for the Theatre Book Prize. Her second book, Perdita: The Life of Mary Robinson , the tale of the scandalous star of the 18th-century stage, literature and high-society, was a Richard and Judy bookclub pick. Her most recent book is Mad World: Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Brideshead. The story of Evelyn Waugh's friendship with the extraordinary aristocratic family who inspired Brideshead Revisited, it was a Sunday Times top ten bestseller. A regular contributor to the 'Times Literary Supplement', she lives in Warwickshire with her two young children and her husband, the critic and biographer Jonathan Bate.

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