The Jane Austen Remedy

The Jane Austen Remedy is the memoir of Ruth Wilson who at the age of seventy decided to leave her family and spend time on her own in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. A lover of reading, especially the novels of Jane Austen which she had been reading and rereading since the 1940s, Ruth hoped that spending the time to reread these books again, explore the characters and look critically at what Jane Austen is saying may help her to reflect upon her own life and the issues she currently faced.

As well as discussing the works of of Jane Austen and what information we have about the author herself, Ruth also refers to other works of literature which have left an impression on her life. The books cause Ruth to reflect upon her life and why choices were made. As she rereads these books, she gradually comes to an understanding of why she feels the way that she does about life and relationships and how she can adapt to relate to people better but also maintain her independence.

Eventually the decision is made to move back to Sydney after she reconnects with her husband and the decision is made that Ruth and her husband should live apart together. Ruth decides to return to her studies and at the age of eighty-eight graduated from The University of Sydney with a PhD based on a study of the empathy in the works of Jane Austen.