A Memoir of Jane Austen and Other Family Recollections by J.E. Austen Leigh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Technically it wasn’t really part of my research, since it is now agreed that this is a very whitewashed, highly edited version of Jane Austen’s life, but it is nonetheless very interesting to read how the biographies and the creation of a very distinct image of Jane all began relatively shortly after her death.
I appreciated Caroline Austen and Anna Austen Lefroy’s recollection of their aunt Jane; however short they were.
At the risk of sounding slightly sexist, I have to caution readers when perusing the sections of this memoir that were written by Jane’s male relatives (nephew and brothers), since they try very hard to paint a picture of feminine demure, fragility and perfection. Jane was a person with high spirit, wit and intelligence, and these claims make her out to look like a small spinster, who dabbled in story writing, but who obtained the greatest pleasure from keeping house. Very untrue, indeed.
Having said that, it is still worth a look, if one reads it with a grain of salt.
Overall, I would suggest it, since it is so often referred to in biographies written about Jane.
