Of Austen, Ancestry, and Adapting
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Source: Gift from Author
Ever wonder what modern-day descendants of Jane Austen’s family think of her? What are their opinions on her work and celebrated fame? How does it feel to be related to one of the world’s most celebrated writers? How has it impacted or influenced their lives? If your answers are yes, here is a book for you.
Jane Austen’s fifth great-niece, Caroline Jane Knight, descendant of Jane’s brother Edward (who is responsible for bringing Jane to Chawton Cottage) candidly and courageously tells the story of her life in her memoir Jane and Me: My Austen Heritage. She shares in vivid detail the pleasures and delights of growing up in the ancestral home of Chawton House, an estate that has been in the Knight family for 400 years. But she also shares the heartbreaking account of how her family had to leave Chawton just after she turned seventeen and the uncertain and unexpected direction her life took after facing such an upsetting upheaval. This memoir tells of Caroline Knight’s journey – her memories, her successes, her challenges, and her discoveries.
For anyone who enjoys English estates, history, family legacy this is a fascinating and informative read. But for a Janeite who is always thirsty for more information on their favorite author’s life Jane and Me is a rare and special treasure. I loved how this memoir covered both the past history of the Knight and Austen families and the more recent history of the last inhabitants of Chawton House. Learning about Sir Richard and the decreed ban on Christmas celebrations and how Elizabeth Martin Knight was the only female squire of Chawton House only added to the interesting history of Jane Austen’s family. Like Caroline Knight, I love wondering what were Jane Austen thoughts and opinions on these relations. I also appreciated the focus on Jane Austen’s brother, Edward, and Caroline Knight’s grandfather, Edward Knight III “Bapops” and their roles as squires of the estate. It’s surprising how inheriting an estate can come with such burdens and challenges. Much more than I realized.
What struck me about Caroline Knight’s story was how her life shares parallels with Jane Austen’s life. Like the back cover blurb states: “Caroline Jane Knight shares more than Jane Austen’s name and DNA.” Both grew up in a happy home surrounded by contentment and cherished memories, and both felt intense devastation when forced to leave their beloved homes. Like Jane Austen during her years in Bath and Southampton, Caroline Knight faced some years of frequent shifts and changes in career and living situations. And similar to Jane Austen, Caroline Knight eventually found professional success and a place where she could feel settled and at peace. It truly is remarkable how both traversed a somewhat similar path even though two hundred years separate them.
Included in this intimate and revealing autobiography are thirty-six black and white photos of Chawton House, Caroline Knight, and her family. I absolutely loved the visuals and appreciated how they enhanced the reading experience by bringing parts of the story to life. While I’ve walked up to the gate at Chawton House, I’ve never been inside. So these pictures where definitely the next best thing to seeing it in person. I also appreciated the family timelines outlined in the back of the book.
Jane and Me: My Austen Heritage is an incredible inspiring and informative autobiography. I loved every minute of reading it and treasure all the new insight I’ve gained into Jane Austen’s and Caroline Knight’s families and histories. I greatly admire Caroline Jane Knight for bravely sharing her story with the world and for finding a brilliant way to honor her Great Aunt Jane through her charity, the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation*. Which funds projects to support literacy across the world. I love the idea of this important initiative, think it is a cause Jane Austen would have whole-heartedly supported, and look forward to witnessing all the wonderful work that will be accomplished through this foundation.
* 15% of the profits from the sale of this book are donated to the foundation. To learn more, visit HERE.
Great review Meredith. I’ve been waiting to see what you thought. I’ll definitely buy it. You make it sound like a great read and I’d love to see pictures of the inside of the house.
Thank you, Teresa! I’m so happy to share the review with you! It is a great read, especially if you are interested in learning more than just Jane Austen history. If you are curious about the Knight family and Chawton House it is such a fascinating read!
I own this book as well and loved reading it–what a treasure!
Wonderful! I’m so glad to hear you think the same! 🙂
I am so glad it lived up to promise. I am definitely planning to read this one. Enjoyed the thoughts on what to expect.
Thanks for checking out my review, Sophia! I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!
Beautiful and thoughtful review Meredith! I have this on my wish list and hope to buy it sometime this year! Again, thank you for such a comprehensive review.
Thank you so much for saying so, Carole! It’s definitely a lovely book to treat your self to!! I’m so happy I finally got to read it!
Great review–I need to finish it.
denise
Hope you are enjoying it, Denise! 😉
Beautiful Meredith… I can’t imagine their family being in that home for 400 years. Wow…
Hello to Mr. Bingley…
Thank you, Jeanne! I agree with you! With such a cherished home and extensive family legacy, I wouldn’t be able to begin to understand what that feels like.
How sweet you are to remember Mr. Bingley. Hugs! <3
I definitely want to read this book. Thanks so much for bringing it to our attention. Jen Red
My pleasure! It was one I have been wanting to read for awhile! So glad Caroline Knight shared her story!
I have this book and I absolutely love it! A “look inside” the Austen family that every Austenite needs to own! Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear you loved this book, Brenda! I second what you said! 🙂
I loved this book and I found it fascinating. You’re right, Meredith, that Caroline was so brave to share her story. It was also really interesting to me to read about the descendants of the Austen family and what happened to them after the Regency period.
Even better for me: I get to meet Caroline in June when she comes over to the UK to give a talk about her book as part of the Jane Austen Regency Week in Alton!
Thanks for another fabulous review! 😀
Thanks so much for checking out my review, Elaine! I’m so glad to hear you found her story as fascinating as I did! And I’m so excited (but also a little envious!) that you get to hear her five a talk during Jane Austen Regency Week. I’m sure she will tell some fabulous stories!! Please do share the experience with us if you can!! 🙂
I have been waiting for your review of this book, I was unsure if it was going to be a good one. Sometimes teh description on Amazon or the book jacket doesn’t give the book enough of a “ummph” to make you think it is going to be worth reading. I am so glad to hear you loved it, now I can go buy it!!!
This one definitely lived up to and exceeded my expectations, Danielle! I’m not one to go towards nonfiction works often, but this story is so compelling that from the very first page I was completely engaged. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Some may find this interesting. Anthony Trollope’s great great niece is a popular novelist who writes sometimes about the same things her descendant did – rural clerical and small town English life. Her name is Joanna Trollope.
That is interesting! I’ve actually not read anything by Anthony Trollope, but I do have Joanna Trollope’s Sense and Sensibility in my TBR pile.
I bought the kindle edition and its on my eternal TBR pile so I really appreciate this review. History is my favorite thing. So history mixed with some Jane? Perfection!
Very late reading this post, I know, but wanted to say how much I enjoyed your review. I read this lovely book earlier this year, having bought it just after publication. I now wish I’d read it before my trip to Hampshire last summer as it would have brought even more meaning to the tour I made of the Great House. You’ll have to visit it on a future trip as it’s an amazing house and it must have been a fantastic place for Caroline to grow up in. Can’t imagine how I’d have felt in her place when she found out they’d have to leave it.