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Last week, I enjoyed my virtual adventure, the tour of The London of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Tina enjoyed the series Slow Horses, featuring Gary Oldman, but DNFed a book set in Western England that didn’t work for her.

Book: Jane Austen’s Christmas: The Festive Season in Georgian England by Maria Hubert
Genre: Nonfiction
Publisher: The History Press
Publication date: 2023

Source: Interlibrary Loan. Multiple editions of this book were published in the UK, but it apparently never had a US release, so it’s not widely available in our libraries.

Summary: Jane Austen’s Christmas is a collection of tidbits and morsels of Georgian Christmas writings and traditions. It includes:

• Snippets from Jane Austen’s novels
• Letters by Jane and her family and friends
• Diary entries by Georgians of similar backgrounds
• Poems
• Recipes
• ….and more

Thoughts: The virtual tour that I took last year from London Walks, Jane Austen’s Christmas, named this book as a major source and inspiration for what we learned. So, I put it on my list of books to read this year during the festive season.

Jane Austen’s Christmas is not a narrative history to study about either Jane Austen or her contemporaries. Instead, it’s filled with short unconnected pieces that are easy to pick up and read during a quiet moment with a cup of tea. It’s just as easily put down to engage in the festivities of the season, making it an excellent book for a busy time of year.

Appeal: I especially enjoyed reading this book in the month when we’re celebrating Jane Austen’s 250th birthday. If you’re looking for a great way to celebrate, I can recommend the tour that I took last year which is offered this year on December 16, her birthday.