Each of us has a private Austen

That was the first line of 'The Jane Austen Book Club' by Karen Joy Fowler that I've just got this afternoon from Ebay (don't you love good second-hand books?). And that prompted me to think of my Jane Austen. What was she for me?

To me, Jane Austen was not only the woman responsible for my JA reading spree these two months. She was the woman who was in love with a man, so in love, that, despite the failure of the romance, picked up her quill and wrote the greatest novels of her time. She was the woman who still preserved her wittiness, even in the eye of Death. And though she might not be as gorgeous in appearance as Anne Hathaway, I do not doubt that she was as witty - perhaps even more - than Anne (no offense to my dear AH). And that she was a strong woman, able to live a spinster life in the age where a married woman is treated more appropriately than unmarried ones - except if the said lady was reasonably wealthy.

Having said that, I just want to close the short note with the fact that I've added three biographical, non-fiction Austenian books in my library (by Le Faye, Halperin and Chapman). I have this other JA Wikipedia project with Rachel, and I have to find certain information that would do the paper good. A pity that Jon Spence's book (revised edition) is not available yet!

Review of the 'JA Book Club' will come as soon as I've finished the book.