We know that because we got about four hundred e-mails AND a copy of the New York Times book section left on our desk at le travail du journée in relation to their article on The Annotated Pride and Prejudice and other books, not all related to Jane Austen. It was the feature article on the front page of the section, with a huge illustration (same one as in the link), so we guess the flurry of notice and activity is not all that surprising.

What is a little surprising is that, of all the books about Jane Austen’s novels that could have been named, the author of the piece chose to highlight What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool, as it’s been out for around ten years (we’ve had our copy about that long, anyway) and it is much more oriented to Victorian novels than to the Regency/Georgian setting of Jane Austen’s novels, making it not that useful for Janeites, though interesting to read for those who enjoy novels set in Victorian times. The 19th century was not that homogenous in its customs and outlook, and there is not a lot of primary resource material for the earlier period, so most books on “19th century” history are not helpful to those wanting to know more about Jane Austen’s time. Trust us, we know this, from researching another book, perhaps more suitable to the purpose. (Here endeth today’s shameless self-promotion)

How can this be? Austen was a stickler for accuracy. Like most of the great 19th-century novelists, she reported on her surroundings with loving attention to detail, creating her world fact by closely observed fact. Yet with time, details lose their meaning. Who, a century from now, will understand what a yuppie was, or text-messaging, or the meaning of an Armani suit?

Which is why the Editrix’s writing instructors at her Institute of Higher Education always urged us to use a minimum of pop culture references in our books. It would be interesting to see the puzzlement over today’s chick lit and shopping novels 200 years from now. (”What the &%$# are Jimmy Choos?”)

That’s why there’s a niche market for annotated editions and period guides. A while back Daniel Pool responded to a crying need with “What Jane Austen Ate and What Charles Dickens Knew,” a whirlwind tour of day-to-day life in 19th-century England, with plentiful examples from Trollope, Thackeray, Eliot and Hardy. It tilts heavily toward the Victorians, whose world, with its railroads and factory towns and gaslighted streets Austen would not have recognized.

Exactly!

The other books mentioned in the article (some much more to the purpose for Austen fans) are listed here. There also is a selection of questions from the quiz book here, and the answers are here.

Thanks to the many Alert Janeites who sent us the link!