I've looked the other way from this book for quite some time, but now that I've sat down with it I found it immensely interesting. Ray has a good sense of humor and knows her Austen, so the combination is entertaining and enlightening. Much of it is a surface level look, but it can be a great reference. Her sections on daily life during Austen's time sheds some new light for me on parts of Austen's work. Well worth the time.