Publisher's Synopsis
Jane Austen's letters afford a unique insight into the daily life of the novelist: intimate and gossipy, observant and informative, they bring alive her family and friends, her surroundings and contemporary events with a freshness unparalleled in modern biographies. Above all readers recognize the unmistakable voice of the author of "Pride and Prejudice", as she describes balls and ball gowns, thoughtful and constructive when writing about the business of literary composition.;This edition of the "Letters" first appeared in 1932, and a second edition followed 20 years later. For this third edition, Deirdre Le Faye adds new material that has come to light since 1952, and reorders the letters into their correct chronological sequence. She provides new biographical, topographical and general indexes, annotation, and information on watermarks, postmarks and other physical details of the manuscripts.