“Wonderful . . . not only scholarly but indecently entertaining . . . her prose rings with good sense, affection, and humour.”— Daily Mail Mention Jane Austen and you’ll likely incite a slew of fervent opinions from anyone within earshot. Regarded as a brilliant social satirist by scholars, Austen also enjoys the sort of popular affection usually reserved for girl-next-door movie stars, leading to the paradox of an academically revered author who has served as the inspiration for chick lit ( The Jane Austen Book Club ) and modern blockbusters ( Becoming Jane ). Almost two hundred years after her death, Austen remains a hot topic, and the current flare in the cultural zeitgeist echoes the continuous revival of her works, from the time of original publication through the twentieth century. In Jane’s Fame, Claire Harman gives us the complete biography—of both the author and her lasting cultural influence—making this essential reading for anyone interested in Austen’s life, works, and remarkably potent fame. How did Jane Austen get to be such a hot commodity? Harman delves into this question by examining Austen’s literary reputation and appeal over the years. Although Austen has been presented (mostly by her family members) as wanting little to do with the fate of her books beyond her own inner circle, she did in fact take a keen interest in their publication and reception. Upon her death in 1817, her work sank into obscurity; even the dedication copy of Emma presented to the Prince Regent while she was alive was relegated to the royal servants’ library. All that changed when Memoir of Jane Austen, written by her nephew, James Edward Austen-Leigh, was published in 1869. Although his portaryal of dear Aunt Jane was misleading, the biography marked the beginning of a steady upward climb in scholarly and popular appreciation, culminating in the avid fandom of today. Engagingly written and full of fascinating bits of information as well as valuable insights, this is a must for any serious Austen reader. --Mary Ellen Quinn "Harman's shrewd critical study, brimming with Brit wit, freshens up our impression of Austen — an enterprise always hampered by the overarching fact that Austen's life, like Shakespeare's, left behind few biographical fossils, not even a decent portrait to bow down before and worship.... With nimble steps, Harman dances through 200 years' worth of critical reception of Austen's novels, sharing the good, the bad and the brainless.... Harman's informed and elegant chronicle of the rise of 'Divine Jane' (as the late Victorians called her) is an eye-opener. The fact that Austen's posthumous success is also an affirmation of the ideal of a literary meritocracy — the notion that the canonical cream always rises to the top — makes Jane's Fame as happy a fairy tale as any of Austen's own novels."—Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air "Harman's book ... presents the story of Austen's self-fashioning and later popularity in a convincing, enjoyable way. Harman describes Austen’s reputation from her own lifetime to the current era of Jane Austen Inc., synthesizing a good deal of scholarship into a series of tidy chapters offering an accessible guide to the evolution of her subject's renown."—Sophie Gee, The New York Times Book Review "There is much to divert and please in Claire Harman’s well-blended biography and cultural commentary, Jane’s Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World . Harman, an award-winning biographer, turns her sharp scholarly eye, acutely sensible prose and considerable wit on the life of the ‘divine Jane’ in this gem of a book, tracing Austen’s early years and literary pursuits through to the present-day cult of Austenmania.... This biography-history fills in many blanks, brimming with entertaining anecdotes and quotes, robust scholarship and ironic humor."—Alison Hood, BookPage   "A must for Austen bibliophiles."— Kirkus Reviews   "[A] sharp and scholarly analysis of Jane Austen’s life and the posthumous exploitation of her.... Harman herself delights with this comprehensive catalogue of Austen-mania."— PW , Starred Review "Though her focus is on the stories others have told of Austen, Harman has her own story to tell, too. Harman’s Austen is neither sweet nor retiring, but a fire poker—a metaphor evoked by her bearing and manner, according to a contemporary visiting her household. Think tall, strong. and 'formidable,' not small and sweet."—Elizabeth Toohey, The Christian Science Monitor "Harman conjures a blooming portrait of the brilliant, modest nineteenth-century author who wrote her masterpieces on small, easily concealed sheafs of paper in the busy family sitting room."— Elle Magazine   "Anyone who thinks that an author shouldn't have a rest from time to time should read Claire Harman's Jane's Fame, about the evolution of Jane Austen's career from about 1802, when, at the age of 27, she sold her first manuscript (of Northanger Abbey, never published in her lifetime) for £