The Edinburgh Companion to Jane Austen and the Arts

At last, a volume that does justice to Jane Austen’s immersion in contemporary arts, and to the ways in which her cultural appetites shaped her novels. -- John Mullan, University College London
This collection, edited by Bray (Univ. of Sheffield, UK) and Moss (independent scholar), offers a wide-ranging study of Jane Austen’s engagement with the arts. The volume is extensive, including 33 chapters from expert authors from a wide range of disciplines and over 100 illustrations. The volume features three parts: "The Arts in Context," "The Arts in Austen," and "Afterlives." The first two parts focus more specifically on contemporary aesthetics and the range of art in Austen’s work: e.g., caricature, crafts, fashion, music, dance, theatre, architecture, and gardening. Part 3 “considers Austen’s legacy through analysis of her afterlives in print, on stage and screen, and into the digital age.” Topics in this section include the publication of her letters, illustrated editions, translations, and adaptations on the page, stage, and screen. The volume also focuses throughout on three themes: Austen’s knowledge of contemporary aesthetics and artistic theories; her portrayal of skill in the arts as a “key index to character”; and her depiction of art as it relates to plot development. The diversity of topics and approaches provides a detailed and expansive interdisciplinary study of Austen and the arts. Summing Up: Highly recommended. -- D. D. Schierenbeck, Immanuel Lutheran College * CHOICE *