Author Description
How well do you really know your favorite author? In this new book, ace literary detective turned quizmaster John Sutherland and Austen buff Deirdre Le Faye challenge you to find out. Starting with easy, factual questions that test how well you remember a novel and its characters, the quiz progresses to a level of greater difficulty, demanding close reading and interpretative deduction. What really motivates the characters, and what is going on beneath the surface of the story? Designed to amuse and divert, the questions and answers take the reader on an imaginative journey into the world of Jane Austen, where hypothesis and speculation produce fascinating and unexpected insights. The questions are ingenious and fun, and the answers (located in the back of the book), in Sutherland's inimitable style, are fascinating. Completing the book guarantees a hugely improved knowledge and appreciation of Austen. Whether you are an expert or enthusiast, So You Think You Know Jane Austen? guarantees you will know her much better after reading it.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the depth of a reader's comprehension regarding the novels and character motivations of Jane Austen through a structured series of literary challenges. The authors, Deirdre Le Faye and John Sutherland, utilize their combined expertise in Austen scholarship and literary analysis to construct a tiered examination of the author's canon. The text functions as both an entertainment piece and an educational tool, requiring readers to apply close reading techniques to uncover subtext and narrative nuance.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A tiered progression of questions ranging from basic factual recall to complex interpretative deduction
- Detailed answers that provide scholarly context and critical analysis
- Examinations of character motivation and underlying social themes within Austen's six major novels
Scope Limits
- The book does not provide a comprehensive biography of Jane Austen
- It does not offer a systematic literary history of the Regency period beyond what is relevant to the specific quiz questions
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts and enthusiasts frequently note that the book serves as an effective tool for testing one's familiarity with the intricacies of Austen's prose. Readers often highlight the balance between accessible trivia and the more demanding analytical questions that require a deep understanding of the source material.
Page Count:
240
Publication Date:
2005-08-01
ISBN-10:
0192804405
ISBN-13:
9780192804402
Reference
Questions and answers
Literary Criticism
Classic Literature
Quizbook
Trivia