by Sheryl Craig (Author), Eckersley (Author) Jane Austen and the State of the Nation explores Jane Austen's references to politics and to political economics and concludes that Austen was a liberal Tory who remained consistent in her political agenda throughout her career as a novelist. Read with this historical background, Austen's books emerge as state-of-the-nation or political novels. Author Biography Sheryl Craig is an Austen scholar with a PhD in nineteenth-century British literature from the University of Kansas. She has published dozens of articles on Jane Austen and has lectured on Austen at regional, national, and international meetings and conferences. Number of Pages: 183 Dimensions: 0.5 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN Illustrated: Yes Publication Date: August 19, 2015