The Annotated Mansfield Park

Book excerpt: From the editor of the popular Annotated Pride and Prejudice comes an annotated edition of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park that makes her story of an impoverished girl living with her wealthy relatives an even more satisfying read. Here is the complete text of Austen’s own favorite novel with more than 2,300 annotations on facing pages, including: ● Explanations of historical context ● Citations from Austen’s life, letters, and other writings ● Definitions and clarifications ● Literary comments and analysis ● Maps of places in the novel ● An introduction, bibliography, and detailed chronology of events ● More than 225 informative illustrations Filled with fascinating details about the characters’ clothes, houses, and carriages, as well as background information on such relevant issues as career paths in the British navy, contemporary attitudes toward slavery, and the legal and social consequences of adultery, David M. Shapard’s Annotated Mansfield Park brings Austen’s world into richer focus.