| The Jane Austen Book Club | |
| Border: | yes |
| Author: | Karen Joy Fowler |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Publisher: | Putnam Adult |
| Pub Date: | April 22, 2004 |
| Media Type: | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages: | 288pp |
| Isbn: | 0-399-15161-3 |
| Dewey: | 813/.54 22 |
| Congress: | PS3556.O844 J36 2004 |
| Oclc: | 52574555 |
The Jane Austen Book Club is a 2004 novel by American author Karen Joy Fowler. The story, which takes place near Sacramento, California, centers around a book club consisting of five women and one man[1] who meet once a month to discuss Jane Austen's six novels (Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and Northanger Abbey). The novel was a critical success and became a national bestseller.
A film adaptation of the same name was released in autumn of 2007 starring Emily Blunt, Kathy Baker, Amy Brenneman, Jimmy Smits, Hugh Dancy, Maggie Grace, and Maria Bello.
The novel takes place over the course of several months in Davis, California, a university town in California's Central Valley near Sacramento. Each of the six chapters is dedicated to one of the six book club members as well as one of Austen's six works. In turn, each of Austen's novels parallels the individual characters' experiences lives with their relationships, family, and love.
The book was on The New York Times Best Seller list for thirteen weeks. The novel was also recommended as the sixth best book of 2005 on the television show Richard & Judy.
Vulture positively reviewed the book in 2019, noting "what makes this novel worth reading now — especially in light of ever-changing ideas on gender — is how it addresses what men are and aren’t 'supposed' to read: Can real men read Jane?"
A film adaptation of the book, written and directed by Robin Swicord, was released in the United States in the fall of 2007. While the character names and some minor details remained the same, the screenplay is for the most part a dramatic departure from the novel. The film stars Maria Bello as Jocelyn, Emily Blunt as Prudie, Kathy Baker as Bernadette, Amy Brenneman as Sylvia, Maggie Grace as Allegra, and Hugh Dancy as Grigg.