The books in Jane Austen's letters
The novels, poems, sermons and histories Jane Austen named in her letters to her sister Cassandra and others, from 1796 to 1816, with her verdict where she gave one. Her letters from mid-1811 to May 1813 are missing from this edition.
29 books
Books by Jane Austen →The best-known books on the list
- The History of Tom Jones
The History of Tom JonesHenry Fielding - Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since
Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years sinceWalter Scott - Life of Samuel Johnson
Life of Samuel JohnsonJames Boswell - Evelina
EvelinaFrances Burney - Corinna
CorinnaGermaine de Staël - Marmion
MarmionWalter Scott - The Life of Nelson
The Life of NelsonRobert Southey - The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, L
The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, LL.D.James Boswell - Modern Europe
Modern EuropeWilliam Russell - Sherlock's sermons
Sherlock's sermonsSherlock - Self-control
Self-controlMary Brunton - Camilla, or, A picture of youth
Camilla, or, A picture of youthFrances Burney - The corsair
The corsairLord Byron - Patronage
PatronageMaria Edgeworth - The Female Quixote
The Female QuixoteCharlotte Lennox - Espriella's Letters
Espriella's LettersRobert Southey - Mrs. Grant's letters
Mrs. Grant's lettersAnne Grant - The midnight bell
The midnight bellFrancis Lathom - Ida of Athens
Ida of AthensSydney Owenson - Margiana: Or, Widdrington Tower
Margiana: Or, Widdrington TowerMrs. S. Sykes - Edward Cooper's sermons
Edward Cooper's sermonsEdward Cooper - Dodsley's Poems
Dodsley's PoemsRobert Dodsley - The lake of Killarney: A Novel
The lake of Killarney: A NovelAnna Maria Porter
All 29 books, by author
- BLife of Samuel Johnson · James Boswell
- The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, LL.D. · James Boswell
- Self-control · Mary Brunton · mixed feelings
my opinion is confirmed of its being an excellently meant, elegantly written work, without anything of nature or probability in it.
(Coolidge 1892 selection from Brabourne, letter of 11 Oct 1813, via gutenberg.org) - Arthur Fitz-Albini · Samuel Egerton Brydges · disliked it
There is very little story, and what there is is told in a strange, unconnected way.
(Brabourne 1884 vol. 1, letter of 25 Nov 1798, via archive.org) - Camilla, or, A picture of youth · Frances Burney
- Evelina · Frances Burney
- Clarentine · Sarah Harriet Burney · disliked it
We are reading "Clarentine," and are surprised to find how foolish it is.
(Coolidge 1892 selection from Brabourne, letter of 8 Feb 1807, via gutenberg.org) - The corsair · Lord Byron
- CBattleridge: an historical tale, founded on facts. In two volumes. By a lady of quality. .. · Cassandra Cooke
- Edward Cooper's sermons · Edward Cooper
- DDodsley's Poems · Robert Dodsley
- EPatronage · Maria Edgeworth
- FThe History of Tom Jones · Henry Fielding
- GAlphonsine · Stéphanie Félicité de Genlis · disliked it
We were disgusted in twenty pages, as, independent of a bad translation, it has indelicacies which disgrace a pen hitherto so pure
(Coolidge 1892 selection from Brabourne, letter of 7 Jan 1807, via gutenberg.org) - Mrs. Grant's letters · Anne Grant
- LThe midnight bell · Francis Lathom
- The Female Quixote · Charlotte Lennox · loved it
which now makes our evening amusement; to me a very high one, as I find the work quite equal to what I remembered it.
(Coolidge 1892 selection from Brabourne, letter of 7 Jan 1807, via gutenberg.org) - MCoelebs in search of a wife · Hannah More · disliked it
Of course I shall be delighted when I read it, like other people; but till I do I dislike it.
(Coolidge 1892 selection from Brabourne, letter of 24 Jan 1809, via gutenberg.org) - OIda of Athens · Sydney Owenson
We have only read the preface yet, but her Irish girl does not make me expect much.
(Coolidge 1892 selection from Brabourne, letter of 17 Jan 1809, via gutenberg.org) - PThe lake of Killarney: A Novel · Anna Maria Porter
- RModern Europe · William Russell
- SMarmion · Walter Scott
- Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since · Walter Scott
I do not like him, and do not mean to like "Waverley" if I can help it, but fear I must.
(Coolidge 1892 selection from Brabourne, letter of 28 Sept 1814, via gutenberg.org) - Sherlock's sermons · Sherlock · loved it
I am very fond of Sherlock's sermons and prefer them to almost any.
(Brabourne 1884 vol. 2, letter of 28 Sept 1814, via archive.org) - Espriella's Letters · Robert Southey · mixed feelings
The man describes well, but is horribly anti-English. He deserves to be the foreigner he assumes.
(Brabourne 1884 vol. 2, letter of 1 Oct 1808, via archive.org) - The Life of Nelson · Robert Southey
I am tired of "Lives of Nelson," being that I never read any. I will read this, however, if Frank is mentioned in it.
(Coolidge 1892 selection from Brabourne, letter of 11 Oct 1813, via gutenberg.org) - Corinna · Germaine de Staël
- Margiana: Or, Widdrington Tower · Mrs. S. Sykes · loved it
We are now in Margiana, and like it very well indeed.
(Coolidge 1892 selection from Brabourne, letter of 10 Jan 1809, via gutenberg.org) - WAlicia de Lacy · Jane West · disliked it
I am quite determined, however, not to be pleased with Mrs. West's "Alicia De Lacy," should I ever meet with it
(Coolidge 1892 selection from Brabourne, letter of 28 Sept 1814, via gutenberg.org)
Titles we couldn't find (2)
These are on the list too, but they have no page here yet.
- Hook's Lessons for Beginners · James Hook · Internet Archive scan
- Mr. Cooper's new sermons · Edward Cooper · disliked it · no copy found online