Pastimes And Pleasures In The Time Of Jane Austen
This is a must-read for any fan of Jane Austen. Period illustrations throughout the book bring the narrative to life, transporting readers back to the days of Regency England. I found myself taken on a journey on which I was introduced to the first prototype bicycle, moleskin eyebrows, and netting and knotting – you’ll need to read the book yourself to find out more about that pastime!
The lives of men and women overlapped at dances and musical evenings, although most ladies would have been too genteel to be exposed to some of the gentlemen’s pastimes. Gambling clubs, hunting, pugilism and duels were part of everyday life for men in the strata of society that Austen wrote about, while at home the women painted, embroidered and held tea parties.
Characters from Austen’s novels appear throughout this book when relevant to the subject at hand. Areas covered included fashion, theatre, outdoor pursuits and travel, with each chapter revealing another part of the world that Jane Austen moved through and described.