For the next little while, I’m going to alternate my History Bite posts on Wednesday with Book Bite posts. Same idea, but instead of a short snapshot of history, I will recommend one of my favourite history books. As it stands right now, I’m going to be focusing on non-fiction history books. (That might change in the future.) I’m going to do my best to share books that are available digitally in a wide number of countries, so that we all can enjoy. And today we are getting started with one of my favourite historians, Lucy Worsley!
If you have been following my blog or social media, you will know that I love Jane Austen. Northanger Abbey is my favourite book, and I’m constantly amazed how relevant Austen remains. Lucy Worsley branched out from her regular royal history beat to bring us a book on Austen, and it is wonderful.
Jane Austen at Home, Lucy Worsley
This new telling of the story of Jane’s life shows us how and why she lived as she did, examining the rooms, spaces and possessions which mattered to her, and the way in which home is used in her novels to mean both a place of pleasure and a prison. It wasn’t all country houses and ballrooms, in fact her life was often a painful struggle.
Jane famously lived a ‘life without incident’, but with new research and insights Lucy Worsley reveals a passionate woman who fought for her freedom. A woman who far from being a lonely spinster in fact had at least five marriage prospects, but who in the end refused to settle for anything less than Mr Darcy.
This book is available on Kobo and Kindle, and if you are able to order from a book store, most large stores will stock this book. It is a wonderful look at Austen’s life, through the different physical spaces. After visiting Bath in 2019 and seeing what Regency homes looked like, I’m even more fascinated by this book. Austen’s works were very much formed by the spaces she lived in, and I think I’m going to do a complete Austen re-read with that in focus. (Also, the audiobook is wonderful listening, as well!)
Have you read my first book bite recommendation, Jane Austen at Home?
Cheers,
The Historian
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