Susannah Fullerton, Devoney Looser and Emily Maguire with Jonty Claypole and Sophie Gee. The program described the session as follows: Celebrate all things Austen at this major event! Over 200 years after Jane Austen’s works first appeared, her insights on life, love, and society remain timeless. Join popular Secret Life of Books podcasters Sophie Gee … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2025: 7, All things Austen: Jane Austen anniversary special
Jane Austen
Jane Austen, Emma (Vol. 2, redux 2025)
In April, I wrote a post on Volume 1 of Emma, sharing the thoughts that had come to me during my Jane Austen's group's current slow read of the novel. This month, I'm sharing some ideas that Volume 2 raised for me. I wrote in my Volume 1 post that, during this read, what popped … Continue reading Jane Austen, Emma (Vol. 2, redux 2025)
Jane Austen, Mansfield Park (Vol. 3)
Mansfield Park book covers A year ago, my Jane Austen group did a slow read of Mansfield Park, meaning we read and discussed it, one volume at a time, over three months. I posted my thoughts on volume 1 (chapters 1 to 30), and volume 2 (chapters 19 to 31), but I missed the third … Continue reading Jane Austen, Mansfield Park (Vol. 3)
Jane Austen, Emma (Vol. 1, redux 2025)
As long-time readers here will know, my Jane Austen group did a slow read of Austen's novels over several years, starting in 2011. In 2022, we decided it was time to repeat the exercise, and are again reading them chronologically, one each year, making 2025 Emma's turn. Our slow reads involve reading and discussing the … Continue reading Jane Austen, Emma (Vol. 1, redux 2025)
On the comedy of Jane Austen (1905)
A regular part of my Jane Austen group's monthly meeting is a show-and-tell which means of course that we share anything new we've acquired, seen or heard about relating to Jane Austen. At our February meeting, a member brought along a first edition (I think) of a book a friend had given him as a … Continue reading On the comedy of Jane Austen (1905)
Jane Austen, Lady Susan, revisited (#BookReview)
I have read Jane Austen's Lady Susan several times, including with my local Jane Austen group in 2014 (my review). That now being ten years ago, we decided it was time to read - and consider - it again. However, as my time was tight, I decided to try an audiobook version, and found a … Continue reading Jane Austen, Lady Susan, revisited (#BookReview)
Jane Austen, Mansfield Park (Vol. 2)
Mansfield Park book covers As I wrote last month, my Jane Austen group is doing a slow read of Mansfield Park this year, meaning we are reading and discussing the novel, one volume at a time, over three months. This month was Volume 2 (that is, chapters 19 to 31). It starts with the return … Continue reading Jane Austen, Mansfield Park (Vol. 2)
Jane Austen, Mansfield Park (Vol. 1)
Mansfield Park book covers This year my Jane Austen group is doing a slow read of Mansfield Park, which involves our reading and discussing the novel, one volume at a time, over three months. This month, we did Volume 1, which, for those of you with modern editions, encompasses chapters 1 to 18. It ends … Continue reading Jane Austen, Mansfield Park (Vol. 1)
Jane Austen’s The Watsons in Trove: Finishing the unfinished
While searching Trove recently for my Monday Musings 1923 sub-series, I came across some articles on Jane Austen's unfinished novel, The Watsons, and can't resist sharing them with you. I have written about unfinished books before, including on Jane Austen's unfinished novels, The Watsons and Sanditon. Unfinished books aren't to everyone's taste but, if you … Continue reading Jane Austen’s The Watsons in Trove: Finishing the unfinished
Slow reading: Jane Austen’s Pride and prejudice
Some of the editions of Pride and Prejudice owned by my JA group Back in the early to mid-2010s, my local Jane Austen group undertook a program of slow reading Jane Austen's novels, coinciding with those books' 200th anniversaries. Given that began around a decade ago, we decided last year that it was time to … Continue reading Slow reading: Jane Austen’s Pride and prejudice
Whispering Gums 