Research Catalog

Jane on the brain : exploring the science of social intelligence with Jane Austen

Title
Jane on the brain : exploring the science of social intelligence with Jane Austen / Wendy Jones.
Author
Jones, Wendy S.
Publication
  • New York : Pegasus Books, 2017.
  • ©2017

Items in the Library & Off-site

Filter by

1 Item

StatusFormatAccessCall NumberItem Location
TextUse in library JFE 18-456Schwarzman Building - Main Reading Room 315

Details

Description
xix, 392 pages : illustrations; 24 cm
Summary
  • "Why is Jane Austen so phenomenally popular? Why do we read Pride and Prejudice again and again? Why do we delight in Emma's mischievous schemes? Why do we care that Anne Elliot of Persuasion suffers? We care because it is our biological destiny to be interested in people and their stories; the human brain is a social brain. And Austen's characters are so believable, that for many of us, they are not just imaginary beings, but friends whom we know and love. And thanks to Austen's ability to capture the breadth and depth of human psychology so thoroughly, we feel that she empathizes with us, her readers. Humans have a profound need for empathy, to know that we are not alone with our joys and sorrows. And then there is attachment, denial, narcissism, and of course, love, to name a few. We see ourselves and others reflected in Austen's work. Social intelligence is one of the most highly developed human traits when compared with other animals How did is evolve? Why is it so valuable? Wendy Jones explores the many facets of social intelligence and juxtaposes them with the Austen cannon. Brilliantly original and insightful, this fusion of psychology, neuroscience, and literature provides a heightened understanding of one of our most beloved cultural institutions, and our own minds"--Amazon.com.
  • Why is Jane Austen so phenomenally popular? It is our biological destiny to be interested in people and their stories-- the human brain is a social brain. And Austen's characters are so believable, that for many of us, they are not just imaginary beings, but friends whom we know and love. We see ourselves and others reflected in Austen's work. Jones explores the many facets of social intelligence and juxtaposes them with the Austen cannon, providing a heightened understanding of one of our most beloved cultural institutions-- and our own minds.
Subject
  • Austen, Jane, 1775-1817 > Criticism and interpretation
  • Austen, Jane, 1775-1817
  • Social intelligence
Genre/Form
Criticism, interpretation, etc.
Bibliography (note)
  • Includes bibliographical references (pages 359-379) and index.
Contents
Empathic Austen -- Precious feelings -- Pride and prejudice and brains -- The sense of sensibility -- I never knew myself -- Changing your mind -- The map of love -- Ties that bond -- Growing regulation -- Empathic Emma -- Mentalizing and reality -- Crimes of the heartless: empathy disorders, part one -- Crimes of the heartless: empathy disorders, part two -- 'No one so proper, so capable'.
Call Number
JFE 18-456
ISBN
  • 1681775549
  • 9781681775548
OCLC
975112215
Author
Jones, Wendy S., author.
Title
Jane on the brain : exploring the science of social intelligence with Jane Austen / Wendy Jones.
Publisher
New York : Pegasus Books, 2017.
Copyright Date
©2017
Edition
First Pegasus Books edition.
Type of Content
text
Type of Medium
unmediated
Type of Carrier
volume
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 359-379) and index.
Research Call Number
JFE 18-456
View in Legacy Catalog