Jane Austen

Book excerpt: 'Here I am once more in this Scene of Dissipation and vice, and I begin to find already my Morals corrupted.'Much loved for the romantic plot lines of her novels and witty observations on relationships, Jane Austen was also a prolific letter writer and penned many acerbic, ironic and poignant commentaries on a range of subjects. To her sister Cassandra she wrote with candid humour about the effects of the Peninsular War, on her dislike of parties and social obligations, and about her impressions of London. Her characters speak often, sometimes with bitter sarcasm, of women's inequality, ageing and the disappointments of marriage.Drawing together fifty quotations from Jane Austen's letters and novels with vibrant illustrations which illuminate everyday aspects of life in the Georgian era, this beautifully produced volume is the perfect gift for Janeites everywhere.