200 years after Jane Austen’s death, “Jane Austen’s Transatlantic Sister” examines the life of Fanny Palmer Austen

Today, July 18th, 2017, marks the 200th anniversary of the death of Jane Austen, the famed English novelist whose works include Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.  Largely unnoticed as an author during her relatively short lifetime, Jane Austen and her six completed books are now recognized worldwide as some of the best not only of 19th century, but of all time.  Her works remain relatable and accessible as a result of both their subject matter as well as Austen’s unique style of writing.

As a leading figure in British literature, Austen is not commonly associated with North America; however, she did maintain a friendship with her brother’s wife, Fanny Palmer Austen, who supported her husband and their family as he traveled with the British navy overseas.  Jane Austen’s Transatlantic Sister: The Life and Letters of Fanny Palmer Austen (2017) offers an in-depth look into Fanny Palmer Austen’s life and relationship with her sister-in-law.

Sheila Johnson Kindred, author of Jane Austen’s Transatlantic Sister, is a Jane Austen scholar and an active participant in several organizations dedicated to celebrating Jane Austen and her novels, including the Jane Austen Society of the United Kingdom, whose annual general meeting she recently attended, and the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA).  JASNA will hold their AGM in October, likely coinciding with the launch of the book.

Jane Austen’s Transatlantic Sister
The Life and Letters of Fanny Palmer Austen

By Sheila Johnson Kindred

A revealing account of a naval officer’s young wife during the Napoleonic War, and her influence on Jane Austen’s fiction.

In 1807, genteel, Bermuda-born Fanny Palmer (1789-1814) married Jane Austen’s youngest brother, Captain Charles Austen, and was thrust into a demanding life within the world of the British navy. Experiencing adventure and adversity in wartime conditions both at sea and onshore, the spirited and resilient Fanny travelled between and lived in Bermuda, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and England. After crossing the Atlantic in 1811, she ingeniously made a home for Charles and their daughters aboard a working naval vessel, and developed a supportive friendship with his sister, Jane. Read more >