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* INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER * "This novel delivers sweet, smart escapism."—People "Fans of The Chilbury Ladies' Choir and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will adore The Jane Austen Society... A charming and memorable debut, which reminds us of the universal language of literature and the power of books to unite and heal." —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable. One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England's finest novelists. Now it's home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen's legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen's home and her legacy. These people—a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others—could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society. A powerful and moving novel that explores the tragedies and triumphs of life, both large and small, and the universal humanity in us all, Natalie Jenner's The Jane Austen Society is destined to resonate with readers for years to come.
* INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER * "This novel delivers sweet, smart escapism."—People "Fans of The Chilbury Ladies' Choir and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will adore The Jane Austen Society... A charming and memorable debut, which reminds us of the universal language of literature and the power of books to unite and heal." —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable. One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England's finest novelists. Now it's home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen's legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen's home and her legacy. These people—a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others—could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society. A powerful and moving novel that explores the tragedies and triumphs of life, both large and small, and the universal humanity in us all, Natalie Jenner's The Jane Austen Society is destined to resonate with readers for years to come.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
About the Author-
NATALIE JENNER is the author of the instant international bestseller The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls. A Goodreads Choice Award runner-up for historical fiction and finalist for best debut novel, The Jane Austen Society was a USA Today and #1 national bestseller, and has been sold for translation in twenty countries. Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie has been a corporate lawyer, career coach and, most recently, an independent bookstore owner in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs. Visit her website to learn more.
Reviews-
March 15, 2020 In the insular post-World War Two gloom of an English village, seven damaged people soldier on, heartened only by their shared enthusiasm for Jane Austen. Chawton, the village at the heart of this story, contains the small cottage Austen occupied before her death, and it's also a cauldron of repressed longing and regret worthy of a Victorian novel. James Knight, dying heir of the Knight estate, owns the cottage as well as a stately manor house. The embittered James has altered his will: Upon his death, his only child and caregiver, Frances, a reclusive spinster of 47, will be dispossessed and the estate entailed to the closest male relative. Frances and her father's lawyer, Andrew, were once in love, but James forced them apart. Adeline, a former schoolteacher, is pregnant and widowed--her husband died in combat in the war's closing days. Her physician, Dr. Gray, a widower who blames himself for his wife's accidental death, is too guilt-ridden to act on his attraction to Adeline. After she loses the baby, her Pride and Prejudice-style bantering with Dr. Gray gives way to distrust, and each flirts with morphine addiction. "Sad, silent" Adam, who farms the estate, was introduced to Austen by a visiting American fan, Mimi, a Hollywood star, who, at 35, is about to be put out to pasture by a lecherous studio boss. Evie, compelled by circumstance to forego scholarly ambitions, is a housemaid for the Knights. She's been secretly cataloging every book in the manor's vast library and has discovered some potentially priceless Jane Austen artifacts. These lost souls, who have been misjudged by society and/or misjudge themselves, find healing through forming the titular society to preserve the cottage as a museum--as its real-life counterpart is today. More than a passing familiarity with Austen's work may be a prerequisite to fully appreciating this book--Austen's characters often seem more real to Jenner's characters than their own relatives and neighbors. But, thanks to Jenner's psychologically astute portrayals, the society founders themselves are very real and thoroughly sympathetic. Readers will root for these characters, wishing them Austen-worthy happy endings.
COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
March 23, 2020 In Jenner’s delightful debut, a group of people are united by the goal of preserving an iconic literary figure. In post-WWII Chawton, England, farmer Adam Berwick embarks on a quest to honor the legacy of Jane Austen, seeking the help of his doctor, Benjamin Gray, to establish a museum in the cottage where Austen lived. The two men form the Jane Austen Society with former schoolteacher and young widow Adeline Grove. The society’s membership grows to include solicitor Andrew Forrester; Frances Knight, whose family owns the cottage and the Great House once belonging to Jane’s brother; and young maid Evie Stone, who has catalogued valuable books from the library at the Great House. When Frances’s father dies, his will leaves her without a claim to the cottage if a male heir is found, and the society bands together to try to purchase the cottage and preserve the valuable books that Evie has catalogued. Jenner’s immersive character development is juxtaposed against her study of Austen’s characters, providing clever insight into how the trials of Austen’s life were revealed through her books. The narrative, meanwhile, is rich with references to Austen’s literature and carried along by the strong bonds formed by the characters based on their shared appreciation for her work. Austen-ites are in for a treat. Agent: Curtis Brown, Curtis Brown.
Starred review from March 15, 2020 For decades, tourists arrived in the English village of Chawton, looking for evidence of Jane Austen in her last-known residence, the Knight family estate. But most villagers saw no reason for the fuss. Now in 1945, as England rebuilds after WWII, six longtime residents and two transplants find a sense of belonging and purpose through mutual appreciation of Austen's writings. Together they form the Jane Austen Society and take on the mission of preserving Austen's legacy before it's too late. Just like a story written by Austen herself, Jenner's first novel is brimming with charming moments, endearing characters, and nuanced relationships, all largely set within and reflecting the often intrusive atmosphere of a small country community. Readers won't need previous knowledge of Austen and her novels to enjoy this tale's slow revealing of secrets that build to a satisfying and dramatic ending, while devoted Austen fans will pore over these pages, savoring the deeper connections between the lives of Jenner's postwar characters and of Austen's creations. The pleasures are many in this clever tribute to the beloved and endlessly influential Austen and the English village tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)
Barbara Delinsky, New York Times bestselling author of A Week at the Shore
"Brilliantly crafted, weaving together the lives of eight people in the most intriguing of ways....There is something utterly calming about The Jane Austen Society."
BookBub
"A complex dance of love, social position, and gossip that would make Jane proud."
The Washington Post
"Anyone seeking an antidote to contemporary chaos will find a welcome respite among the members of a group whose outer lives may appear simple, but whose inner lives need the kind of balm Austen knew well."
Fredricksburg Freelance-Star
"In my opinion, Natalie Jenner's first novel, The Jane Austen Society, could not have been published at a more appropriate time...it's a wonderful, magical journey to the end of the book."
Booklist (starred review)
"Just like a story written by Austen herself, Jenner's first novel is brimming with charming moments, endearing characters, and nuanced relationships...Readers won't need previous knowledge of Austen and her novels to enjoy this tale's slow revealing of secrets that build to a satisfying and dramatic ending."
Library Journal (starred review)
"Readers who enjoy character-driven novels will want to read this book. Like Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows's The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, it's a must-purchase for libraries of all sizes."
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