The Jane Austen Handbook
"I want to tell you that I have got my own darling Child from London." ~ Jane Austen talking about receiving her copy of Pride and Prejudice in a letter to Cassandra Austen, 29 January 1813
Learn how to conduct yourself like a Jane Austen heroine or hero, with step-by-step instructions for all the mysterious details of Regency life that can confuse 21st-century readers.
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What They're Saying About The Jane Austen Handbook
"... informative and gently amusing...the Austen fan will relish Sullivan's wry tone throughout, an echo of Austen's voice." - Pam Becker, The Chicago Tribune
"A valuable companion to Austen's novels" - Dana Cobern-Kullman, School Library Journal
"The Jane Austen Handbook is delightful!" - ModCloth (see the video review below)
"The Jane Austen Handbook is written with a very light touch, and is often very funny...but Ms. Sullivan's love for Jane Austen always shines through...I thoroughly recommend this well-presented and funny, but always loving, book." - Norma Williams, The Jane Austen Society Report
"It shines a bright and playful light on every aspect of Austenland...although it's lighthearted, the book is packed with solid information." - Joceline Bury, Jane Austen's Regency World
"As she works through the The Jane Austen Handbook, humor bubbling through the pages, Sullivan accomplishes what so few modern writers manage when dealing with Austen. She captures the essence of Jane and her world. She lays it all bare in what seems to be a simple book of etiquette that is just as perfect as an evening at Pemberley." - BookEquals.com
"Here's a stocking-stuffer suggestion for your ne'er-do-well, pierced-and-tattooed nieces...your miscreant relatives will gain valuable knowledge" - Doug Childers, Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Filled with pertinent facts that every Regency Miss should be aware of to become truly accomplished, it is easy for us to recommend this great little how-to book to our readers ...Informative, impertinent and indispensable, The Jane Austen Handbook is a must have for anyone eager to understand anything from the obvious to the nuanced differences of society in Regency England." - Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose
"What a boon to any Jane Austen fan! It is great fun to read." - Rosalie West, Portland Book Review
"I absolutely love the way she uses language. I can hear the fun in her voice, the absolute thrill and joy of thinking and using the most gorgeous words and phrases, aplomb, guttersnipe, I chuckled at that one, impoverish, genteel, repine, overly impecunious, oh I just wanted to repeat that phrase again and again and she goes on, sentence after sentence, line after line, page after page, defray, small beer and skittles, a bit of working class culture creeping in there and it’s just such a joy to read and wallow in. I even think she used the word "wallow," at some stage. The best thing about this book is the joyous pleasure Magaret has with words. Oh yes!" - Tony Grant, Jane Austen's World
"The Jane Austen Handbook is indispensable reading for anyone who wants to know more about Jane Austen and her world: how a lady spent her leisure time, how she dealt with illnesses in the family, how she celebrated Christmas etc. It's also worth its weight in gold for fledgling Regency authors because it answers all those niggling questions that suddenly appear from nowhere in the middle of chapter 3: my hero's masquerading as a steward, but what exactly does a steward do? And last but not least, it's a witty, engaging read that entertains as it informs. Highly recommended." - Amanda Grange, author of (Mr.) Darcy's Diary, Mr. Knightley's Diary, and Captain Wentworth's Diary
"A must-have addition to your Austen collection – fun and informative [card games, dances, fashion, needlework, all manner of Regency social life and customs!], and filled with Sullivan’s well-known wit." - Deb Barnum, Jane Austen in Vermont
"Part tongue in cheek 'How To' guide for the young Regency gentleman or woman, part historical reference, this small volume is an invaluable resource for those only just discovering Austen and the Regency...and a delicious indulgence for those familiar with her life and works. . .makes a great gift for yourself, an Austen loving friend, or the Regency novelist in your life. It's a terrific resource for quickly finding answers to late night questions and most of all, presented in such a charming and conversational tone, that you can't help sitting down and reading it from cover to cover, once you start." - Laura Boyle, The Jane Austen Online Magazine
"This slightly tongue-in-cheek guide offers helpful hints to anyone who might want to live in Jane's world; how to dress, how to manage the household staff, and how to marry off all of your daughters to the most incredibly rich and handsome men while seeming to be not the least bit intrusive. An essential tool for modern living." - The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
"I think this book would be a particularly useful introduction for young Janeites who have just discovered their passion for Jane Austen. As for those of us who are slightly longer in the tooth and who have loved Jane for almost as long as she's been buried, this is a must-have, quick pocket reference." - Vic Sanborne, Jane Austen's World
"Sullivan is the editrix of the fascinating Austenblog.com and has a huge knowledge of Austen and her time. She brings all that to the book, along with a cool wit that Jane herself would have admired." - Joanne Sasvari, The Calgary Herald
"Margaret C. Sullivan takes readers back to England from the late 1700s to the early 1800s and entertainingly explains it all, from 'how to become an accomplished lady' to 'how to elope to Scotland' to 'how a lady might earn a living (if necessary)' to 'how to get rid of unwanted guests,' still a valuable skill. It's a book jammed with fascinating information about the role of women in society 200 years ago and how that has - or has not - changed." - Carole Goldberg, The Hartford Courant
"useful, entertaining" - Caryn James, The New York Times