Jane Austen Society

* INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER *"This novel delivers sweet, smart escapism." ―People"Fans of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will adore The Jane Austen Society… A charming and memorable debut, which reminds us of the universal language of literature and the power of books to unite and heal." ―Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of ParisJust after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable.One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England's finest novelists. Now it's home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen's legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen's home and her legacy. These people―a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others―could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society.A powerful and moving novel that explores the tragedies and triumphs of life, both large and small, and the universal humanity in us all, Natalie Jenner's The Jane Austen Society is destined to resonate with readers for years to come.\nAmazon.com Review\nFans of novels such as
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,
Lilac Girls, or
The Chilbury Ladies' Choir should make sure to add
The Jane Austen Society to their library. Set in the tiny village of Chawton, during and after World War II, it’s a story about eight people from very different backgrounds—from a farm laborer to a movie starlet—who, in saving the house Jane Austen last lived in from developers, unexpectedly save themselves from loneliness, grief, and loss. Author Natalie Jenner does a marvelous job of showing how a disparate group of villagers could go from enduring their disappointments in quiet solitude, to being united, both by their love of Jane Austen and their determination to preserve her home. With a humorous mix of characters, from both upstairs and downstairs, that would do Julian Fellowes proud, and affectionate, pitch-perfect character studies of each,
The Jane Austen Society pays tribute to the power of literature to heal and bring people together. But best of all, it will charm readers and make them feel as though they share the sorrows and the triumphs of their new friends: Adam, Adeline, Andrew, Evie, Frances, Dr Gray, Mimi, and Yardley.
—Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Book Review