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Lady Susan and Other Works

Lady Susan and Other Works

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  • Create Date：2021-09-23 09:54:33
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
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  • Author：Jane Austen
  • ISBN：184022696X
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Summary

（Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition to this ISBN is provided here）

This collection brings together Jane Austen’s earliest experiments in the art of fiction and novels that she left incomplete at the time of her premature death in 1817。 Her fragmentary juvenilia show Austen developing her own sense of narrative form whilst parodying popular kinds of fiction of her day。 Lady Susan is a wickedly funny epistolary novel about a captivating but unscrupulous widow seeking to snare husbands for her daughter and herself。 The Watsons explores themes of family relationships， the marriage market， and attitudes to rank， which became the hallmarks of her major novels。 In Sanditon， Austen exercises her acute powers of social observation in the setting of a newly fashionable seaside resort。 These novels are here joined by shorter fictions that survive in Austen’s manuscripts， including critically acclaimed works like Catharine， Love and Freindship [sic]， and The History of England。

This edition includes:
- Frederic and Elfrida
- Jack and Alice
- Edgar and Emma
- Henry and Eliza
- Love and Freindship
- A History of England
- The Three Sisters
- Lesley Castle
- Evelyn
- Catharine， or the Bower
- Lady Susan
- The Watsons
- Sanditon

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Reviews

Naomi ，

final Jane Austen book， I don't think I'll ever reread any of them。 Clearly she's not the author for me final Jane Austen book， I don't think I'll ever reread any of them。 Clearly she's not the author for me 。。。more

C。P。 Cabaniss ，

I am going to update with a review for each story as I read them and then give an average rating when I'm finished with all of the stories。Frederic and Elfrida: 4 starsThis had me laughing out loud。 Particularly the mention of ages and lengths of engagements。 And sudden appearances of grown children。 Dramatic and hilarious。Jack and Alice: 3。5 starsAnother very enjoyable story with drama and excellent humor。 The young Austen was quite interested in murder and death it seems。Edgar and Emma: 3 star I am going to update with a review for each story as I read them and then give an average rating when I'm finished with all of the stories。Frederic and Elfrida: 4 starsThis had me laughing out loud。 Particularly the mention of ages and lengths of engagements。 And sudden appearances of grown children。 Dramatic and hilarious。Jack and Alice: 3。5 starsAnother very enjoyable story with drama and excellent humor。 The young Austen was quite interested in murder and death it seems。Edgar and Emma: 3 starsVery short with a few laugh out loud moments， but not so entertaining as the first two stories。 I particularly liked the family who had so many children they could only bring nine with them at once。Henry and Eliza: 4 starsAnother story full of funny moments。 I'm surprised more of the violence of these childhood stories didn't make it into her adult writing。 The drama and wit certainly carried over。Love and Friendship: 3。5 starsThe drama and hilarity。 Marriages taking place in moments， arrests， death。 It's all so clever and fun。 A little long at points， but very funny。A History of England: 3。5 starsI find this one very entertaining and， if I knew more English history， I'm sure I would be even more entertained。 I love how she states that she's sure you agree with her， since she has presented such clever arguments when really she hasn't said much at all。 A very entertaining piece of work。The Three Sisters: 4 starsThis was fun and some moments reminded me of scenes from her novels。 It was fun to see how these early writings might have impacted her later work。 。。。more

Helena ，

3。5， enjoyed lady susan， the history of england， jack and alice and sanditon， catherine was ok too

Alexandra ，

3。5 stars

Rosie Strange ，

I will come back to read this book found other books I want to read first

Sanja_Sanjalica ，

This is a mixed bag of everything， from juvenile exaggerated silly short stories about lovers to classics such as Lady Susan and The Watsons。 It was such a pleasure reading everything， seeing glimpses of wit and humor perfected in later novels。 Any Austen fan ought to read this， such a joy。

Minato ，

I absolutely loved this。 Jane Austen is a true genius！

Savannah ，

It was delightful to read Jane Austen’s short stories！ I really really wished The Watson’s and Sanditon was finished as I especially liked those two！

Suzanne Brown ，

It was just a fun book。 Easy to pick up and read one of the stories。

Maria Freitas ，

Pra mim é impossível não amar uma história contada pela Jane Austen。 De certa forma esse livro é como se fosse uma edição de contos da autora， que terminam sempre com um gostinho de quero mais。

Anna ，

If you want to understand Austen better well worth a read。 If you're looking for more work of the same standard as her main six you may be disappointed。 If you want to understand Austen better well worth a read。 If you're looking for more work of the same standard as her main six you may be disappointed。 。。。more

Stefani ，

3。5As much as I love Austen， I cannot rate this higher。 This books include what critics call Jane's juvenilia - short stories written and dedicated to her family members， dare I say these were from a period when she was still improving her skills and mastering the writing craft？ I wanted to rate each individually， but promptly abandoned the idea， some are simply to short。 I do like to imagine the stories they could've been had they been longer。 Imagine another Sense & Sensibilty， another Emma。。。 3。5As much as I love Austen， I cannot rate this higher。 This books include what critics call Jane's juvenilia - short stories written and dedicated to her family members， dare I say these were from a period when she was still improving her skills and mastering the writing craft？ I wanted to rate each individually， but promptly abandoned the idea， some are simply to short。 I do like to imagine the stories they could've been had they been longer。 Imagine another Sense & Sensibilty， another Emma。。。oh well， one can wish。 The Watson， Lady Susan and Sandition I've previously read and this was a nice refresher。 I do like them all， albeit find them short which is fine as Austen intended them as novellas and even left some unfinished。 I'm not generally a fan of the epistolary novel but Lady Susan is something else， I might even reconsider my opinion of the form。 Topic vary from love， to family relationships and ranks， life in general in the Austen era。 Austen's sense of humor is something else， I wish I could've met her if not even be friends with her。 Might be time of a reread of her full length novels。 。。。more

Bunta Potter ，

I hadn't read this collection of Austen's juvenilia and unfinished works for years and， when thinking about them， found the only detail I could recall was the invalid Mr Watson's relief that at dinner the 'very high partridges' were moved to another part of the table so the pungent smell wouldn't bother him。 Realising that this says more about my interest in trivia than about these fragments， I spent some time getting re-acquainted with the novel fragments。 The tone of the later novels and their I hadn't read this collection of Austen's juvenilia and unfinished works for years and， when thinking about them， found the only detail I could recall was the invalid Mr Watson's relief that at dinner the 'very high partridges' were moved to another part of the table so the pungent smell wouldn't bother him。 Realising that this says more about my interest in trivia than about these fragments， I spent some time getting re-acquainted with the novel fragments。 The tone of the later novels and their familiar small town settings come across clearly in 'The Watsons'。 Provincial snobbery， family rivalries， and personal idiosyncrasies all promise some fun。 Jane Watson with her £6，000， her knowledge of fashionable games played in Croydon and readiness to assume the role of guide and mentor to the uninitiated， seems like a prototype Mrs Elton; Tom Musgrave， self-consciously dashing in his curricle and keen to impress a pretty girl， seldom appears without a glimpse of Austen irony， but sharp-witted heroine， Emma has his measure。 Surely she is Elizabeth Bennett in waiting。 Introduced early and explicitly is the perennial theme of marriage and the vital need of a husband， preferably one who can materially help the family， for a girl with no money behind her， discussed pragmatically by Emma and her older sister for whom opportunities are slipping away。 The anxiety of impecunious young women without suitors trapped in a society which left them with little to hope for except the most modest pleasures while gallantly striving to be useful and hide their disappointment， is poignantly evoked by Elizabeth Watson。 The fragment ends before Emma's fate is revealed but there are hints and they don't necessarily point to the most 'eligible' man the younger Watsons might approve。'Lady Susan' presents a protagonist from hell。 Unscrupulous， manipulative， mercenary and cruel but never stuck for a scheme， she pits herself against the virtuous but dim people around， and is by far the most conpelling character in the story。 Despite the situation's possibilities， I think the straitjacket epistolary structure quickly palls as Jane Austen， fan though she was of Richardson and Burney， seems to have felt in her rapid prose winding up。 'Sanditon' sets many hares running in establishing plot and characters， some clues about possible developments， but the fragment's early abandonment only allows speculation。 Perhaps it's Austen's sharp presentation of commercialism in her day that seems surprising here， just fancy a regency girl looking over a display of trinkets and trying to resist the urge to buy something she didn't need！ What's new？ 。。。more

Mary Pat ，

Some of the juvenalia give you an idea of liveliness， but only a few pieces are truly worth your while to read。 Definitely read Lady Susan -- it's not fully done in bulk， but the whole of the story is there。 Both The Watsons and Sanditon are unfinished novels。。。 Sanditon bid fair to be one of her funniest ever， if only she had finished it。 As for The Watsons， I understand why she kept putting it by。 It was， perhaps， a bit too dark。It is interesting to see Austen grow from broad parody/satire to Some of the juvenalia give you an idea of liveliness， but only a few pieces are truly worth your while to read。 Definitely read Lady Susan -- it's not fully done in bulk， but the whole of the story is there。 Both The Watsons and Sanditon are unfinished novels。。。 Sanditon bid fair to be one of her funniest ever， if only she had finished it。 As for The Watsons， I understand why she kept putting it by。 It was， perhaps， a bit too dark。It is interesting to see Austen grow from broad parody/satire to modern novelist。 The texts are in approximate chronological order。 。。。more

Marthabethan ，

SECOND READ JAN 2021This selection of Jane Austen’s juvenilia and unfinished work is so entertaining。 I laughed so much when reading this and felt I better understood the stories and the comedy on this second read。 A still adored A history of England， but I also really enjoyed Lady Susan， The Watsons and Sanditon！ It is a shame more wasn’t done with these texts as they’re brilliant。 They are funny， witty and very entertaining。 I definitely recommend delving into this collection if you are an Aus SECOND READ JAN 2021This selection of Jane Austen’s juvenilia and unfinished work is so entertaining。 I laughed so much when reading this and felt I better understood the stories and the comedy on this second read。 A still adored A history of England， but I also really enjoyed Lady Susan， The Watsons and Sanditon！ It is a shame more wasn’t done with these texts as they’re brilliant。 They are funny， witty and very entertaining。 I definitely recommend delving into this collection if you are an Austen fan！ FIRST READ JULY 2019My favourite text in this collection is definitely ‘A history of England’。 It shows Austen’s brilliant wit and comedy， and is such a fascinating read。 I found ‘Lady Susan’ quite entertaining。 It’s a shame that ‘The Watsons’ and ‘Sanditon’ were left unfinished， as I’d be interested to see where Austen was planning to take these stories。 。。。more

Carla ，

So far I have only read Lady Susan。 It is very different from Austen's most famous works: no virtuous heroin and all in letter form， which I quite liked because they always contain the most shocking revelations。 The ending was different but alluded to。 I am thoroughly entertained and looking forward to the rest。 So far I have only read Lady Susan。 It is very different from Austen's most famous works: no virtuous heroin and all in letter form， which I quite liked because they always contain the most shocking revelations。 The ending was different but alluded to。 I am thoroughly entertained and looking forward to the rest。 。。。more

Selah ，

I read The Watsons and Sanditon in this edition （the other works are in another volume I am also reading）。 How sad that these lovely beginnings were never completed。

George ，

An interesting， enjoyable， entertaining read。 The story 'Lady Susan' is definitely worth reading。 The character， Lady Susan， a mid 30s widow who is beautiful and a very good communicator。 She is a very memorable， questionable character， being quite manipulative。 She has no problems flirting with a married man。 She is dismissive of her 16 year old daughter。 The story is told in letters from various characters。 All the characters have flaws but this helps to provide a balance in perspective。 This An interesting， enjoyable， entertaining read。 The story 'Lady Susan' is definitely worth reading。 The character， Lady Susan， a mid 30s widow who is beautiful and a very good communicator。 She is a very memorable， questionable character， being quite manipulative。 She has no problems flirting with a married man。 She is dismissive of her 16 year old daughter。 The story is told in letters from various characters。 All the characters have flaws but this helps to provide a balance in perspective。 This approximately 60 page novella is of a standard on par with her six novels。 I also enjoyed 'Catharine'， （unfinished 35 page story） about a young woman， an orphan， living with her overbearing aunt。 Catharine is learning about what is expected of her in relation to the men of her aunt's acquaintance。'The Watson's' is about Emma Watson， a young woman who comes from Ireland to live with her relatives and meets two eligible bachelors。 Emma is a strong likeable character。There are a number of very short stories with witty dialogue。Sandition， Jane Austen's last unfinished novel is not as delightful as the above mentioned stories， possibly as the author was still in the process on introducing the characters and the setting to the reader。 For readers who enjoy Jane Austen's six novels， this is a very worthwhile recommended read。 。。。more

Andy ，

Ich kann kaum was zu der Geschichte sagen。 Dafür ist sie nicht lang genug。 Was aber nicht bedeutet， dass nichts passiert。 Sie ist voller menschlichen Zündstoffs。 Wieder gibt es Charakterzeichnungen vom feinsten。 Es kommt der dumme Dandy vor， das Opferlamm und eine überaus fiese Hydra， um nur einige zu nennen。 Aber eines könnte ich doch sagen， denn wie heißt es so schön:"Zeige mir deine Freunde und ich sage dir， wer du bist。"Das könnte passen auf Lady Susan。 Ich kann kaum was zu der Geschichte sagen。 Dafür ist sie nicht lang genug。 Was aber nicht bedeutet， dass nichts passiert。 Sie ist voller menschlichen Zündstoffs。 Wieder gibt es Charakterzeichnungen vom feinsten。 Es kommt der dumme Dandy vor， das Opferlamm und eine überaus fiese Hydra， um nur einige zu nennen。 Aber eines könnte ich doch sagen， denn wie heißt es so schön:"Zeige mir deine Freunde und ich sage dir， wer du bist。"Das könnte passen auf Lady Susan。 。。。more

Michelle allan ，

DNF

Felicity ，

This collection of Jane Austen's short stories and unfinished novels was mostly delightful。 There were a couple of stories I wasn't so interested in but being too busy with work is the main reason it took me a couple of weeks to read。It was interesting to see how she started finding her writing style and how she was mocking the dramatic novels that were in fashion at the time。 I really enjoyed Lady Susan and The Watsons in particular and felt that if they had been completed they would have been This collection of Jane Austen's short stories and unfinished novels was mostly delightful。 There were a couple of stories I wasn't so interested in but being too busy with work is the main reason it took me a couple of weeks to read。It was interesting to see how she started finding her writing style and how she was mocking the dramatic novels that were in fashion at the time。 I really enjoyed Lady Susan and The Watsons in particular and felt that if they had been completed they would have been as good as her other novels。 A good volume if you are an Austen fan。 It makes you appreciate her particular style and how she had to work for the quality and style we find in her well known novels。 。。。more

Susan ，

This is a collection of Jane Austen's shorter works， including her juvenilia。 I'll be picking this up and putting it down， and will review each story as I read it。 This may take a while。。。。 This is a collection of Jane Austen's shorter works， including her juvenilia。 I'll be picking this up and putting it down， and will review each story as I read it。 This may take a while。。。。 。。。more

Débora Viegas ，

3，5*

D。j。 Lang ，

This isn't the actual book I read but I couldn't find the e-version。 I read both Love and Freindship（sic） which Austen will have to forgive people for finding it or forgive herself for not burning it （yes， it is that bad unless it is a parody and then it is rather funny） although I can forgive her when I heard that she started writing it when she was 11。 Lady Susan is different and much better。 Lady Susan is as we would say in the US "a real piece of work。" This is one time when I think the movi This isn't the actual book I read but I couldn't find the e-version。 I read both Love and Freindship（sic） which Austen will have to forgive people for finding it or forgive herself for not burning it （yes， it is that bad unless it is a parody and then it is rather funny） although I can forgive her when I heard that she started writing it when she was 11。 Lady Susan is different and much better。 Lady Susan is as we would say in the US "a real piece of work。" This is one time when I think the movie （Love and Friendship -- title from the first book， main story from Lady Susan） will be better than the book（s）。 I gave it 3 stars just because I couldn't given Austen less BUT seriously do not pay more than the 99 cents it costs to buy the e-version！ 。。。more

Tosca Wijns-Van Eeden ，

Some of the short stories were fun and I would read them again like Lady Susan， but most of them were just a few chapters of a story Austen had never finished or even properly started。 It is an interesting treasure to have in my posession but it's not that I will fondly re-read often。 Some of the short stories were fun and I would read them again like Lady Susan， but most of them were just a few chapters of a story Austen had never finished or even properly started。 It is an interesting treasure to have in my posession but it's not that I will fondly re-read often。 。。。more

Fabiola ，

Io non ho quest'edizione， ma un libro che contiene:- Lady Susan;- I Watson;- Sanditon;- Progetto di un romanzo;- Opinioni su Mansfield Park;- Opinioni su Emma;- Poesie;- Sciarade;- Preghiere;- Sir Charles Grandison。Le opere "singole" prese di per sé non valgono propriamente 4 stelline， tra il fatto che qualcuna sia incompleta， le Preghiere di dubbia attribuzione e gli altri siano per lo più esperimenti o interessanti curiosità， ma， visto come "raccoglitore" che mette insieme tutte le "Altre Oper Io non ho quest'edizione， ma un libro che contiene:- Lady Susan;- I Watson;- Sanditon;- Progetto di un romanzo;- Opinioni su Mansfield Park;- Opinioni su Emma;- Poesie;- Sciarade;- Preghiere;- Sir Charles Grandison。Le opere "singole" prese di per sé non valgono propriamente 4 stelline， tra il fatto che qualcuna sia incompleta， le Preghiere di dubbia attribuzione e gli altri siano per lo più esperimenti o interessanti curiosità， ma， visto come "raccoglitore" che mette insieme tutte le "Altre Opere" che non siano i sei romanzi canonici， le lettere o i lavori giovanili， il valore intrinseco aumenta e ho deciso di dargli 4 stelline ♥。 。。。more

Gramarye ，

A collection of Jane Austen's juvenilia and several unfinished works， including the beginning of a novel （Sanditon） that she was working on just before her death。 Her early works show a young writer's particular interest in skewering the more ludicrous aspects of popular fiction of her day -- in one short work， for instance， two highly romantic female characters witness a tragic accident and alternately faint and go mad for several hours at a stretch （just as the fainting one revives， the sight A collection of Jane Austen's juvenilia and several unfinished works， including the beginning of a novel （Sanditon） that she was working on just before her death。 Her early works show a young writer's particular interest in skewering the more ludicrous aspects of popular fiction of her day -- in one short work， for instance， two highly romantic female characters witness a tragic accident and alternately faint and go mad for several hours at a stretch （just as the fainting one revives， the sight of her raving friend sends her into a swoon again， and the mad one recovers her wits only long enough to see her unconscious friend before falling back into a fit）。 But even without the funnier bits， there are plenty of glimpses of Austen's developing literary sense and understanding of the promises and limitations of fiction writing， and these are worth exploring for Austen fans and neophytes alike。 。。。more

Bethany Mustafa ，

Loved reading some of the earlier stories of one of my favorites！

Renee ，

While it was interesting to read some of Austen's early work and see the beginnings of her famous style and voice， a lot of the very early works were a bit tedious--understandably， since it's the writing of a teenage girl/woman in her early twenties， sort of the equivalent of reading a published collection of someone's creative writing homework。 The end of the collection， however， picks up quite a bit， with Lady Susan， a lesser-known short novel， and two （sadly） unfinished works， The Watsons and While it was interesting to read some of Austen's early work and see the beginnings of her famous style and voice， a lot of the very early works were a bit tedious--understandably， since it's the writing of a teenage girl/woman in her early twenties， sort of the equivalent of reading a published collection of someone's creative writing homework。 The end of the collection， however， picks up quite a bit， with Lady Susan， a lesser-known short novel， and two （sadly） unfinished works， The Watsons and Sanditon， providing some payoff for all the writing you have to slog through at the beginning。 。。。more

Sophie ，

I am a massive Jane Austen fan， so once I had read all of her books I decided it was high time I read her novellas and short stories。 I couldn't really get into them at all。 The stories weren't anything special， neither were the characters。 I suppose in her novels， Austen could really make you feel for her characters， whereas in short stories you don't have the time to do that。 I was quite disappointed though。 I am a massive Jane Austen fan， so once I had read all of her books I decided it was high time I read her novellas and short stories。 I couldn't really get into them at all。 The stories weren't anything special， neither were the characters。 I suppose in her novels， Austen could really make you feel for her characters， whereas in short stories you don't have the time to do that。 I was quite disappointed though。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Lady Susan and Other Works

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Lady Susan and Other Works&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Lady Susan and Other Works&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0