Jane Austen's Transatlantic Sister

November 1, 2017

Kindred, a Jane Austen scholar and former professor of philosophy at Saint Mary's University, had done extensive research on Austen's brother Captain Charles Austen before becoming interested in his wife, Fanny Palmer (1789-1814). Her investigations began with Fanny's surviving letters, transcribed here for the first time, and reveal a lively and resourceful young woman. Fanny and Jane regularly corresponded and spent time in each other's company. Kindred speculates that this relationship influenced Austen's portrayal of naval wives in her fiction, particularly in Persuasion. Fanny married Charles in 1807. Their marriage lasted through the final major incidents of the Napoleonic War. Fanny was often left waiting on shore, but sometimes traveled on her husband's ship. She had three children and died on board Charles's ship six days after giving birth early to a baby girl who died three days later. VERDICT With an abundance of illustrations, appendixes, extensive notes, and bibliography, this is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a 19th-century naval wife. Fans of Jane Austen are likely to find some interest in the family relationships and the probable model Fanny provided for her fiction.--Stefanie Hollmichel, Univ. of St. Thomas Law Lib., Minneapolis

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