Jon Hunter Spence (July 30, 1945 – June 20, 2011) was an American Jane Austen scholar. His 2003 biography, ''

Becoming Jane Austen ''Becoming Jane Austen'' is an imagined biography of Jane Austen by the Austen scholar Jon Hunter Spence. It chronicles a demi-biographical version of Austen's early life based on Spence's interpretation of the novel ''Pride and Prejudice'' as ins ...

'', 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 various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award, she was among the world's highest-paid actresses in 20 ...

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 research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pu ...

, and obtained a PhD from King's College London. 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 Saud of Saudi Arabia, King Saud bin Abdulaziz to address the country's skilled worker shortage, it is the firs ...

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 National ...

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 ''

'' 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. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...

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 romantic drama film directed by Julian Jarrold. It depicts the early life of the British author Jane Austen and her lasting love for Thomas Langlois Lefroy. American actress Anne Hathaway stars as the ...

'' 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) * ''

'' (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