--- product_id: 10858000 title: "Jane Austen: A Life" price: "€ 31.16" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 9 url: https://www.desertcart.pt/products/10858000-jane-austen-a-life store_origin: PT region: Portugal --- # Vivid English countryside setting Comprehensive biography Detailed 18th-century life context Jane Austen: A Life **Price:** € 31.16 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📖 Dive deep into the life behind the legend — don’t just read Austen, live her story! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Jane Austen: A Life - **How much does it cost?** € 31.16 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.pt](https://www.desertcart.pt/products/10858000-jane-austen-a-life) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Uncover Austen’s True Story:** A meticulously researched biography revealing Jane Austen’s real-life struggles beyond her novels. - • **Step into 18th-Century England:** Experience the vivid portrayal of Austen’s Hampshire life and the social constraints of her era. - • **Critically Acclaimed & Reader Loved:** Rated 4.4 stars by 850 readers, a must-have for literary enthusiasts and history buffs alike. - • **Explore the Woman Behind the Novels:** Gain fresh insights into Austen’s family dynamics, personal hardships, and enduring wit. - • **Collector’s Choice - Used but Pristine:** Good condition used book with free shipping, perfect for adding to your curated library. ## Overview Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin is a compelling, well-researched biography that explores the real woman behind the beloved novels. It vividly captures Austen’s personal hardships, family ties, and the social realities of 18th-century England, offering readers a nuanced portrait beyond the fiction. Highly rated and recommended, this used copy in good condition is a valuable addition for anyone passionate about literary history. ## Description Jane Austen: A Life [Tomalin, Claire] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Jane Austen: A Life Review: A thorough, engaging study - This book is very valuable for a Jane Austen enthusiast, such as myself. It has brought Jane to life in ways I hadn't realized previously, a thorough, engaging study, to be sure. Its family tree note is part of its very valuable note-system, with its detailed indexing is also to be praised. I only objected to some of Claire's views of Jane's characters, so a reader needs to be prepared for some possibly disputable comments in that respect. Describing Fannie Price in Mansfield Part as a "prig" is a serious misunderstanding of that character, in my view, as one example. But this is minor against the extensive and well-arranged bio--strongly recommended. It was also interesting to read what people close to her thought of her stories, with Emma not doing so well against Pride and Prejudice, whereas Emma is now likely her masterpiece. This study also redoubles the understanding that Jane was a forerunner into modern realism, and as fine a writer as we're likely to find. Review: Jane Austen's Family: the haves and have-nots - This book tells the story of Jane Austen and her extended family in great detail, perhaps too much for some tastes. The lengthy history of her relative Philadelphia, for instance, serves no doubt to compensate for the loss of so much of Jane's own life occasioned by the burning of her letters. But really there is far, far too much about cousins and aunts, although the connection of them to Warren Hastings is of some interest. A few paragraphs are even given to an aunt whose existence may have been unknown to Jane. One other fault I find, and this may be a fault of mine rather than of the biographer: It is very difficult to keep track of all her brothers. It does not help that the half dozen of them all had commonplace names like Charles, Edward, and James. A few Lloyds or Adams would alert the reader that a different brother had entered the scene. But the biographer is scarcely responsible for the names. Perhaps a bit of differentiation, a word or two now and then, would have been helpful. With all that said, I nonetheless found that the book gives a thorough insight into Jane's life and the influences that led to her novels. It gives a real understanding of her way of conceiving her plots. They came into her mind without nudging from outside. The material, the settings may be taken from the countryside in which she grew up and from the towns with which she was closely connected as a frequent visitor. And the mannerisms and habits of her characters may use actual friends, relatives, and acquaintances as models. But as the author states in chapter 24, none of those people make a recognizable appearance in her books. "The world of her imagination was separate and distinct from the world she inhabited". But "what she did depend on was specific working conditions which allowed her to abstract herself" from the world around her. These conditions were taken from her in her twenty-fifth year when her elderly parents abruptly decided to retire to Bath, a fashionable city which left her alienated, torn from the familiar routine and the quiet surroundings where she could placidly ruminate on her themes and flesh out her creations. She "abruptly fell silent". No more books came from her for the next ten years. A long depression followed upon the move to Bath. It did not help that she was aware that her parents also chose Bath as a place where two unmarried daughters might find suitable husbands. For Jane, this was even more alienating and stressful. She had no great tolerance for the human race in general, no patience with the shallow gentry among whom she moved, at whose dinners and dances she was never a favorite companion. To know that she was not a popular guest could only be painful to her. Nor were the material circumstances favorable, for though she sometimes spent the summer months sea-bathing at resorts and occasional weeks as a favored guest with old friends, it could not be denied that she never had her own home, a familiar and unchanging place to quietly ruminate, nor her own carriage to afford freedom of movement. A spinster, she was more or less constrained by the whims and wishes of others, though thanks to her wealthy and affectionate siblings she received a secure, if small, income that kept her from want. She never had to enter the dreaded ranks of abused teachers or governesses. Claire Tomalin's sympathetic understanding of Jane Austen's character and difficulties makes this biography a valuable addition to a library. Why did someone who created Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility in her early twenties suddenly let a decade go by without producing other masterpieces? For the first time, here, I came upon the answer. In particular, the description of Jane's last days is extremely moving. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #139,682 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #119 in Historical British Biographies #376 in Author Biographies #931 in Women's Biographies | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (864) | | Dimensions | 5.2 x 0.85 x 8 inches | | Edition | 0 | | ISBN-10 | 0679766766 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0679766766 | | Item Weight | 13.6 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 400 pages | | Publication date | April 27, 1999 | | Publisher | Vintage | ## Images ![Jane Austen: A Life - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71XIn5PGUxL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A thorough, engaging study *by P***B on July 19, 2017* This book is very valuable for a Jane Austen enthusiast, such as myself. It has brought Jane to life in ways I hadn't realized previously, a thorough, engaging study, to be sure. Its family tree note is part of its very valuable note-system, with its detailed indexing is also to be praised. I only objected to some of Claire's views of Jane's characters, so a reader needs to be prepared for some possibly disputable comments in that respect. Describing Fannie Price in Mansfield Part as a "prig" is a serious misunderstanding of that character, in my view, as one example. But this is minor against the extensive and well-arranged bio--strongly recommended. It was also interesting to read what people close to her thought of her stories, with Emma not doing so well against Pride and Prejudice, whereas Emma is now likely her masterpiece. This study also redoubles the understanding that Jane was a forerunner into modern realism, and as fine a writer as we're likely to find. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jane Austen's Family: the haves and have-nots *by E***N on January 5, 2015* This book tells the story of Jane Austen and her extended family in great detail, perhaps too much for some tastes. The lengthy history of her relative Philadelphia, for instance, serves no doubt to compensate for the loss of so much of Jane's own life occasioned by the burning of her letters. But really there is far, far too much about cousins and aunts, although the connection of them to Warren Hastings is of some interest. A few paragraphs are even given to an aunt whose existence may have been unknown to Jane. One other fault I find, and this may be a fault of mine rather than of the biographer: It is very difficult to keep track of all her brothers. It does not help that the half dozen of them all had commonplace names like Charles, Edward, and James. A few Lloyds or Adams would alert the reader that a different brother had entered the scene. But the biographer is scarcely responsible for the names. Perhaps a bit of differentiation, a word or two now and then, would have been helpful. With all that said, I nonetheless found that the book gives a thorough insight into Jane's life and the influences that led to her novels. It gives a real understanding of her way of conceiving her plots. They came into her mind without nudging from outside. The material, the settings may be taken from the countryside in which she grew up and from the towns with which she was closely connected as a frequent visitor. And the mannerisms and habits of her characters may use actual friends, relatives, and acquaintances as models. But as the author states in chapter 24, none of those people make a recognizable appearance in her books. "The world of her imagination was separate and distinct from the world she inhabited". But "what she did depend on was specific working conditions which allowed her to abstract herself" from the world around her. These conditions were taken from her in her twenty-fifth year when her elderly parents abruptly decided to retire to Bath, a fashionable city which left her alienated, torn from the familiar routine and the quiet surroundings where she could placidly ruminate on her themes and flesh out her creations. She "abruptly fell silent". No more books came from her for the next ten years. A long depression followed upon the move to Bath. It did not help that she was aware that her parents also chose Bath as a place where two unmarried daughters might find suitable husbands. For Jane, this was even more alienating and stressful. She had no great tolerance for the human race in general, no patience with the shallow gentry among whom she moved, at whose dinners and dances she was never a favorite companion. To know that she was not a popular guest could only be painful to her. Nor were the material circumstances favorable, for though she sometimes spent the summer months sea-bathing at resorts and occasional weeks as a favored guest with old friends, it could not be denied that she never had her own home, a familiar and unchanging place to quietly ruminate, nor her own carriage to afford freedom of movement. A spinster, she was more or less constrained by the whims and wishes of others, though thanks to her wealthy and affectionate siblings she received a secure, if small, income that kept her from want. She never had to enter the dreaded ranks of abused teachers or governesses. Claire Tomalin's sympathetic understanding of Jane Austen's character and difficulties makes this biography a valuable addition to a library. Why did someone who created Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility in her early twenties suddenly let a decade go by without producing other masterpieces? For the first time, here, I came upon the answer. In particular, the description of Jane's last days is extremely moving. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jane Austen: The Life and Trials of a Single Woman and Author *by J***R on November 6, 2010* Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomilan is an excellent biography. For one thing, Ms. Tomilan writes about the facts of Jane Austen's life and doesn't try to embellish her existence. As the she points out in the beginning, Jane Austen's life was one of sorrow and hardship. Although Jane Austen is famous for her wry take on life and detached sense of humor, she lead a life that had many difficulties, Although these days being single is a common option for women, in Jane Austen's day it was not. In the Eighteenth Century, most women married and had many children. Often, the wives were worn out bearing so many babies and died in childbirth. Jane Austen saw at first hand the situation because of her brothers, their wives, and their children. Cassandra, her sister, and she remained "old maids." Because of this, they relied on their family for lodging and care. They were forced to submit to the finances of their family. Even though, Jane Austen produced many famous novels, she had to wait until her father and brother helped her with their publishing. This is the second time that I read the biography and this time I found it very moving. The scenes are fresh and filled with family members. The English countryside is rendered as a vivid place. The trauma that made Jane Austen stop writing for eight years still comes as a shock. This event occurred when her mother and father decided after many years of living in the small town of Steventon, Hampshire, to suddenly move to Bath. Jane, who loved the countryside, her house, and her friends, became unable to continue writing her novels. During this time, Mr. and Mrs. Austen and Jane and Cassandra, traveled a great deal and lived in rented houses. After many years, the family returned to this area of England and eventually settled into a cottage; and Jane once again resumed writing. The book is a wonderful introduction to Jane Austen. The Ms. Tomalin makes a careful study of her many novels, and also shows us the strength that Jane Austen manifested through humor, warmth, and constancy to her family even under stress. ## Frequently Bought Together - Jane Austen: A Life - Jane Austen at Home: A Biography - The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.pt/products/10858000-jane-austen-a-life](https://www.desertcart.pt/products/10858000-jane-austen-a-life) --- *Product available on Desertcart Portugal* *Store origin: PT* *Last updated: 2026-04-25*