![]() ![]() Yaffe says Austen’s novels offer such a rich tapestry of human nature that her readers always find aspects of their own lives within the pages. “Austen doesn’t tell you what to think, or how to be,” says Yaffe, “but she makes you figure it out and involves you in the process of self-examination.” She says that Austen, who was a preacher’s daughter, comes from a place of moral centeredness, but she is “not preachy.” She has just written a book about fanatical Austen fans, titled “Among the Janeites.” “She has something to say about us all, but she is not blunt, she is very nuanced, and has a high art of describing to us who we are.” Sheehan was 14 when she first read “Pride and Prejudice” and has re-read the book countless times since then.ĭeborah Yaffe was 10 when she discovered the novel and quickly turned into a self-professed Janeite. “Jane Austen has uncanny insight into human nature,” says Austen scholar Colleen Sheehan of Villanova University. So, what explains Austen’s enduring popularity? WHYY thanks our sponsors - become a WHYY sponsor ![]()
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