Jane Austen Daddy's Girl: The Life and Influence of the Revd George Austen is a poignant and pertinent examination of a relationship which became the cornerstone of Jane's life, the bedrock of family and faith as she knew them. Our epic journey through the life and times of the Reverend George Austen will lead us from his early childhood and humble beginnings as an orphan, through his schooldays and on to Oxford University, and beyond. We will follow his career in the Church of England and as master of his own boarding school, as well as peek into his marriage and home life. Dovetailed in with this revealing biography is a thorough interpretation of fatherhood as a theme, as outlined in Jane's novels, with scrutiny of the fathers of all her most beloved fictional families. Chapter by chapter we will understand more about Jane's own view on fatherhood and how the Reverend Austen, as her father, coloured and created that view. As we draw George and Jane's relationship closer to us, we understand anew the many layers of clever meaning that Jane Austen interlaced within her stories. Through an examination of this unique father-daughter bond, Jane Austen fans everywhere can pull up a footstool in George's library and become further united in spirit with their beloved novelist. AUTHOR: A native of Jane Austen's beloved county of Hampshire, Zöe Wheddon lives in a North Hampshire village with her husband Matt. A perfectly imperfect local historian, when Zöe isn't researching in an archive, retracing the steps of the Austen family or writing she can be found in the classroom teaching Spanish and French, or singing ABBA songs loudly in her kitchen. Her first book, Jane Austen's Best Friend: The Life and Influence of Martha Lloyd was published by Pen & Sword in 2021. Readers can get in touch with Zöe at www.zoewheddon.co.uk and follow her on Twitter: @ZoeWheddon, Instagram: @zoewheddon and Facebook: @Zoe Wheddon author page. 25 b/w illustrations
