Product Description

Hidden in an old chest in her brother's attic, Jane Austen's memoirs are uncovered after hundreds of years, bricked up behind an old wall. Written shortly before her death, one volume was preserved immaculately, and its contents both shocked and thrilled readers. Detailing a love affair the author was apparently determined to keep secret, Jane's memoir offers readers untold insights into her mind and heart. Many rumours abound about a mysterious gentleman said to be the love of Jane's life - finally, the truth may have been found.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26482 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 303 pages

About the Author
Syrie James is a Jane Austen scholar and a long-time admirer of Ms. Austen's work. A member of the Writer's Guild of America, Syrie is an award winning playwright and screenwriter

Customer Reviews

Good as Austen herself
i am 16 years old and am i a big fan of Jane Austen, and i can honestly say i wasn't at all disappointed in this book. it is charming, at points funny, and i think even Austen would be proud of it. the story could have happened, i know it didn't but the timing is good so it could have happened.
if i were to be critical about this book then i would have to be picky and pedantic because the only "flaw" i could find with this book was it jumped around a little at the start and through the whole book, but it's not a major flaw.
i won't give the plot away to that person who's thinking of buying this book and hates when the plot is given away so here's a very brief summary (keeping in mind English isn't my strong point, in fact it's probably my weakest)
the actual book itself starts off with a map of the England Jane Austen grew up in and on the next page an easy to follow family tree, it is helpful as most of her family do crop up so you can always refer to the tree to see who's who. the actual first piece of writing is meant to be written by a university person who studies english Literature and has a PhD. it just tells you where they found these "memoirs" and why she thinks they have been hidden etc etc. the first chapter is an introduction by Austen to the whole book. then all the chapters after that are her life in her perspective. of course this book is a work of fiction so the charming Mr Frederick Ashwood is a fictional character and didn't actually exist.
the whole book reminds me of sense and sensibility and the really handy authors words at the end tells you all the normal answers to the normal authory questions. all throughout the book there is handy little footnotes marked by numbers. they tell you historic facts about Jane Austen's life and translate the things they used to use, like carriages and lanterns and who people are.
this is a charming book and i throroughly enjoyed it and anybody who is a fan of Jane Austen (and isn't too picky about historical facts)and is intersted in her life (even though it's fiction) should buy this, i'm posotive you won't regret it.
Mk x x

This book, Gentle Reader, is marvelous.
Okay, so I might have appropriated the "Gentle Reader" part from someplace else, but this book was simply marvelous for me. I loved everything about it. I have always wanted to think that the Jane Austen who wrote those books I absolutely love must have experienced a great passion in her life. Syrie James gives readers that great passion for Jane Austen. And it is completely believable.

The basic premise of the book is that a trunk was discovered in an attic and upon opening it various manuscripts, letters, journals and a ring were found. The trunk and everything it contained had belonged to Jane Austen. Dr. Mary I. Jesse, has been given the task of editing the material and this book is the result of her work on the final segment of the journals found. I had to remind myself over and over that this book is a work of fiction. The fictional portions have been woven so seamlessly into the actual facts known of Jane Austen's life that I have to say this is the most realistically presented book of fiction I've read concerning the life of Jane Austen. I simply loved how events and experiences written into the Austen novels were used in the "journal" to show that Jane had lived those events or met those people during her lifetime. And the man Jane loved and who loved her in return was precisely the strong, confident man who would have positively been the right partner for her. Most fans of Jane Austen know her history and we know there is no evidence that a man such as this one existed for her. But, wouldn't it have been wonderful for her if she had been given the chance to love as passionately as her characters loved? If you feel that way about Jane Austen, the woman, then you will probably enjoy this book as much as I did.

Also of interest in the book was the added material which is included: the authors note, the list of Austen's works, the chronology of events in her life, the question and answer session with the author, quotations on various topics from Austen's novels, even the reading group study guide.

If you, Gentle Reader, enjoy exploring books written by authors who have obviously fully researched their subject, you will find pleasure in reading this book. If you want to feel that you are actually reading a long lost memoir from the pen of Jane Austen, you will find pleasure in reading this book. If you just want to read a wonderful, romantic story set in the early 1800's, you will find pleasure in reading this book. I loved every minute I spent with it.