Book review: Jane Austen's Men, by Helen Amy

Available for pre-order from 

Amazon UK and Amazon US

I'd been looking forward to this new book by Helen Amy, having previously been impressed by her anthology of Austen letters and family recollections, the Jane Austen Files.

This comprehensive study of all the men in Jane Austen's life is divided into two sections. The first two thirds focus on short biographies of each of the actual men she knew, starting with her father and brothers. The final third is an interesting review of the fictional men from her novels.

I particularly liked Jane's youngest brother, Charles. He encouraged her writing and she sent a copy of Emma to his ship, the Phoenix,  and he replied with a. note which said he had already read it three times during the voyage.

Packed with information and fascinating details which were new to me, this book will appeal to anyone interested in how Jane Austen's writing was influenced by those around her.  Highly recommended.

Tony Riches 

Disclosure: A review copy was kindly provided by the publishers, Amberley Books

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About the Author

After leaving university with a BA in English Literature and history Helen Amy worked for a number of years in the Court Service before becoming a full time mother of three. Her interest in the life and works of Jane Austen developed from the research she did for her MA dissertation which was about the lives of women in late Georgian England. You can find Helen on Facebook