A Little Motherly Advice from Jane Austen’s Mothers

Jane Austen never had children of her own, and she never wrote a conduct manual for mothers, but her novels certainly speak volumes about her opinion on the state of motherhood in 18th-century England—and specifically that of the landed gentry. In her novels, the majority of Austen’s mothers can be broken down into three general categories: The Spectator, the Matchmaker,...

Celebrate small victories.

When I think of victory, I usually think of complete, ground-into-powder-under-my-heel types of victories. TOTAL victory. But more and more, I find myself rejoicing in the small victories all around...

Emily of New Moon

Last year, the L.M. Montgomery Institute blog held an Anne of Green Gables read-along; it was so popular that they decided to hold an Emily of New Moon read-along this year. It’s currently in full swing and...

Anne Elliot’s Boots

While the reader is focused on Anne and Captain Wentworth, Austen slips in clues about Mr. Elliot and Mrs. Clay’s relationship. Mrs. Clay clearly wants to walk with Mr. Elliot,...