Jane Austen: The Critical Heritage by B.C. Southam
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Part of my ongoing research in preparation for my graduate thesis.
As far as I can see, all of the initial responses to Jane Austen’s work were collected in this volume. It includes letters, diary entries and essays discussing and recommending Austen’s works, and Austen’s own assortment of opinions she gathered of family and friends about the novels that were published during her lifetime.
The editor’s introduction contains a few interesting points. Most of the reviews and opinions included in this collection have been cited in various biographies that were composed following its publication, but it is convenient to have all resources present in one volume.
Overall, it is a good source for initial critical letters on Austen’s primary works.
