The Questions

1. The title Persuasion is not Jane Austen’s. It was chosen by her brother,
as it was only published after her death in 1817.

 

2. Jane Austen was engaged, to a young man called Harris Bigg-Wither.

3. One of Jane Austen’s brothers, George, was mentally handicapped
and was sent away from his family.

4. Through James Edward Austen-Leigh, Jane’s nephew, she is related to
Vivien Leigh, the star of stage and screen who was most famous
for playing Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind.

 

5. Jane Austen had twenty-eight nieces and nephews via her six brothers.

 

6. Jane Austen died of a brain hemmorage.

 

7. Emma sold 4000 copies in one year.

 

8. Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World, co-wrote the screenplay
for the 1941 film version of Pride and Prejudice.

 

The Answers

1. True. It was chosen by her brother, Henry.

2. True – even the name! But only for one night. The next day, she realised
she’d made a mistake and cancelled the engagement.

3. True. But he lived to a ripe old age (78) and his family provided
for him and visited him until his death.

4. False.

5. False. She had thirty-four!

6. False. She died from Addison’s Disease, a rare condition of the kidneys.

7. False. It didn’t do as well as expected, selling only 1200 copies
out of the 2000 that were originally printed.

8. True!