Jon Hunter Spence (July 30, 1945 – June 20, 2011) was an American

Jane Austen Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...

scholar. His 2003 biography, '' Becoming Jane Austen'', was adapted into a

feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

starring

Anne Hathaway Anne Jacqueline Hathaway (born November 12, 1982) is an American actress. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Anne Hathaway, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Awar ...

in 2007.

Education

Spence received a BA in English literature at the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

, an MA at

Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private university, private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into ...

, and obtained a PhD from

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...

. He returned to teach at Georgia, and later taught at

King Saud University King Saud University (KSU, ar, جامعة الملك سعود) is a public university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Established in 1957 by King Saud bin Abdulaziz to address the country's skilled worker shortage, it is the first university in the K ...

in Saudi Arabia and

Hiroshima University is a Japanese national university located in Higashihiroshima and Hiroshima, Japan. Established in 1929, it was chartered as a university in 1949 following the merge of a number of national educational institutions. History Under the Nationa ...

and

Doshisha University , mottoeng = Truth shall make you free , tagline = , established = Founded 1875,Chartered 1920 , vision = , type = Private , affiliation = , calendar = , endowment = €1 ...

in Japan. He was a long-standing member of the editorial board of the Jane Austen Society of Australia, became an Australian citizen in May 2011, and committed suicide, at his Sydney home in Double Bay the following month.

Biography

Spence's biography '' Becoming Jane Austen'' was published in 2003.

University of Wisconsin-Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

English professor Joseph Wiesenfarth noted in a review that the work "is one of the best half-dozen books published on Austen in the last quarter century, at least. It is a remarkably learned book written in a remarkably lucid style and a joy to read. The research is so substantial, wide-ranging, and detailed that any conjecture Spence builds on it has the feel of bedrock itself. His interpretation of Jane Austen’s character and personality as well as of her fiction impresses the reader with his long and intimate acquaintance with the writer and her works." Wiesenfarth also observed that the book must have required "research in dusty, neglected archives" which he believed then led to "polished and penetrating readings of Austen’s novels along with an evocation of their author’s character". ''Becoming Jane Austen'' was the detailed scholarship which provided the inspiration for the film ''

Becoming Jane ''Becoming Jane'' is a 2007 biographical film, biographical Romance film, romantic Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Julian Jarrold. It depicts the early life of the British author Jane Austen and her lasting love for Thomas L ...

'' which appeared in 2007 and on which he was a consultant.

Works

* ''A Century of Wills from Jane Austen's Family, 1705–1806'' (2001) (editor) * '' Becoming Jane Austen'' (2003 & 2007) * ''Jane Austen's Brother Abroad: The Grand Tour Journals of Edward Austen'' (2005) (editor)

References

External links

Facebook tribute page to Jon Hunter Spence
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spence, Jon Hunter 1945 births 2011 deaths Australian literary critics American literary critics American emigrants to Australia Naturalised citizens of Australia American LGBT writers Australian LGBT writers Writers from Georgia (U.S. state) University of Georgia alumni Tulane University alumni Alumni of King's College London People from Camilla, Georgia Jane Austen scholars Academic staff of King Saud University Academic staff of Hiroshima University 2011 suicides Suicides in New South Wales