News for Austen Enthusiasts: July 2022

I don't know what it's like where you are, but it has been hot, hot, hot here in England, and there's no sign of the weather letting up any time soon. The prospect of doing anything productive in this head feels grim and unappealing - I would much rather kick back with a book by a pool. We've been hearing about Austen fans all over the world undertaking a big Austen re-read this summer. We'd love to hear more about this venture - what is the best warm weather Austen? If you're looking for a brief reading break, take a moment to look through all the Austen news you might have missed in July. 

Here at the Austen news we like to keep abreast of all the developments in the adaptation department, so we've been awaiting the new Netflix Persuasion with some trepidation. The consensus sadly seems to be that this one didn't live up to expectations. 

There's huge overlap between fans of Austen and fans of stories that centre around the Regency period. But what is it about the period that draws people in? In her article for the Guardian, Charlotte Higgins explores the enduring appeal of these stories. 

In his mid-twenties, Matt Rowland-Hill found himself in the grip of heroin addiction. Previously a voracious reader, Matt fell out of love with reading in his darkest moments. However, his rediscovery of literature has played a key role in his recovery and drive to write a book of his own. 

Read his story at inews >>  (Warning: discussion of drug addiction and suicide)

After its controversial axing after season 1, ITV's Sanditon is back. The show started airing its second season on ITV on July 22, and is also available to view online on BritBox. Can it live up to the hype of the first? Let us know what you make of it! 

Here at the Austen blog we know full well that Jane Austen has enduring appeal amongst readers of all genders, but it would be foolish to deny the enduring stereotype that her books offer little to the male reader. In an attempt to push back against these stereotypes, writer Ted Scheinman has written about why now is as good a time as any for blokes to crack open an Austen.

TikTok is absolutely dominating the cybersphere at the moment - even the Jane Austen Centre has caved and hopped on the bandwagon (go on, give us a follow!). The TikTok algorithm is excellent at figuring out which niche interests appeal to you, and showing you all the content related to those topics. Readers of the Austen blog should therefore not be surprised when you end up in AustenTok, a subsection of BookTok (a place for discussing all things literary) which revolves around the work of our favourite author. 

Our last recorded letter sent by Austen from Chawton before her death in Winchester, is addressed to one Anne Sharpe, the governess of her niece Fanny, in which Austen refers to her as 'my dearest Anne.' Strangely, no mention of Anne and Jane's friendship is made elsewhere in family documents, possibly because of Anne's lower class. In her new novel Godmersham Park, Gill Hornby explores the possibilities of such a friendship, centring Anne at the heart of Austen family drama. 

 

As always, we would love to know if we have missed anything, as well as all your thoughts on the news!