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Publisher Description
The author of one of the greatest romance novels of all time, Pride and Prejudice, takes her readers on a satiric tour through England’s history, mercilessly exploiting the comedic potential of human foibles within British royalty. Part of Jane Austen’s Juvenilia of the 1790s, The History of England was written during the author’s teenage years. Filled with puns and parodies, the history begins with the reign of Henry IV and concludes with the death of Charles I more than two centuries later. Originally intending it for circulation and performance among family and friends, Jane also commissioned her sister Cassandra to draw illustrations to complement her signature wit and humor. This volume includes an informative introduction providing background context, along with extensive editorial commentary. Austen fans and history buffs are sure to delight in this history written by “a partial, prejudiced, and ignorant historian.”
1 Review
4.0

Rupsa Pal Kundu
Created 11 months agoShare
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“Did you like to study History in school?
Despite providing information regarding the different eons in time, I had found the History text books to be extremely drab. But whenever I read any book of history apart from the prescribed textbooks, I love them. One of such fun books is this one, The History of England by Jane Austen. Yes, Jane Austen, our favorite writer of Pride and Prejudice wrote a satirical account which pokes fun at the widely used school history textbook such as Oliver Goldsmith's 1771 The History of England from the Earliest Times to the Death of George II.
The work is a burlesque attempt at writing by the Austen sisters, long before the days of Sense and Sensibility or Emma. To them it was sort of a family project as the book was illustrated with coloured portraits by Austen's elder sister Cassandra, to whom the work is dedicated.
It irritated Jane extremely that the history books had ignored the queens completely while focusing on the monarchs. So, her entries focused on royal women, such as Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, and Mary, Queen of Scots to a great length.
It's a tiny book of around 60 pages or so but the hilarious punch the book provides is awesome. Austen had always used her wit and dry humor to mock and ridicule the societal norms and here also I was constantly smiling at the dramatic yet funny take on the royalties by her.
If you are a fan of Jane Austen and the British sovereign, you just can't miss this little book.
Thank you @netgalley for this book.”
About Jane Austen
Before her six novels turned her into one of the most recognizable authors of all time, Jane Austen was just a teenager writing to make her sister laugh. Jane spent much of her life with her sister Cassandra, who would sometimes provide illustrations to go along with Jane's writings. Both sisters were unmarried and therefore spent almost all their lives together until Jane's death in 1817.
Other books by Jane Austen
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