Will Jane Austen fever ever abate? For a small town girl born in 1775, Austen’s endless popularity in the last decade or so defies any and all expectations.

With recent films like Becoming Jane, Miss Austen Regrets and The Jane Austen Book Club, Austen has become the patron saint of romantic comedies everywhere. Of course, none of these fictional stories explain much in the way of the how and why of Austen.

For this information and much more, The Jane Austen Trilogy steps into the breach. Divided into three volumes, the series begins with Jane Austen’s Life, discussing her home, family and possible suitors. This DVD also includes a journey through the English countryside where Austen resided.

The second volume, Jane Austen’s Works, discusses her novels. Six in all, the books have grown to become a cottage industry – pun intended. Finally the last DVD, Jane Austen’s Society, explains some of the history and context of the times in which Austen’s books take place.

Overall, a terrific group of documentaries, The Jane Austen Trilogy leaves no stone unturned in the pursuit of Austenmania.

Grade: A

The Jane Austen Trilogy is currently available.