Jane Austen in 50 Words

What does Jane Austen mean when she writes approvingly of a character's 'gentility' and ‘delicacy’, or critically of another's 'indolence' and 'impertinence’? What are her characters doing when they take the measure of a person's 'air' and 'address'? These questions and more are answered in this Janeite treasure trove, which examines the distinctive language woven through Austen’s signature stories.

Much of the language used in Austen's time has either fallen out of common use or changed valence in significant and surprising ways. Maria Frawley takes 50 of those words - words that are integral to the fabric of Austen’s fiction - and explores them in short, accessible and lively entries.

With juicy morsels for lifelong Austen lovers as well as new students of the great writer, Frawley offers new perspectives on Austen's world, giving readers the tools to better understand her novels individually and as a whole.

This beautifully, authoritatively and accessibly written book is indispensable reading for all Austen fans, students and teachers. Whether you are reading her novels for the first or fiftieth time, Frawley’s book will teach you something new about the ethical and social world of Austen’s novels. Professor Jennie Batchelor, University of York, UK
By digging down into fifty of Jane Austen’s most meaningful keywords—from address and air to vanity and worth—Maria Frawley expertly illuminates the power of the novelist’s writings. In this elegant, informative book, Frawley demonstrates not only the value but the pleasure of reading Austen on the most granular level. Jane Austen in 50 Words is filled to the brim with sense, sensibility, and spirit. Devoney Looser, author of 'Wild for Austen'

Maria Frawley is a Professor of English at the George Washington University, USA.

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