About 15 years ago I was reading a study of Austen’s music in which the author mentioned, in a dismissive tone, “some little dance books.” Two of my passions–Jane Austen and English country dance–were united, and, Reader, I was off to England! I got copies of the music (all of her music books have since been digitized), did a lot of research and, after a long gestation, the result is Dances from Jane Austen’s Assembly Rooms. It will, as I promise on the title page, Elevate, Instruct, and Amuse you. It was difficult for me to finish it because I was enjoying writing it so much.