News for Austen Enthusiasts: March 2025

Famous authors pick their favourite Jane Austen novels

To celebrate Jane Austen's 250th birthday, the Guardian have asked a selection of successful, best-selling authors to pick their favourite Jane Austen novels. They surveyed some big names, including Colm Toibin, Rebecca (R.F.) Kuang, and Naoise Dolan. 

See which titles they picked at the Guardian >>

Exhibition brings Jane Austen and J.M.W. Turner together

It turns out Jane Austen isn't the only prominent figure celebrating 250 years in 2025 - the Romantic painter J.M.W. Turner was also born in 1775. Researchers at the University of York's Centre for Eighteenth Century Studies and Harewood House are collaborating on an exhibition that looks at the work of both author and painter, considering their different ways of portraying the English country house. The exhibition opens at Harewood House on 2nd May. 

Find out more on the University of York website >>

Exhibition celebrates Jane Austen's Southampton circle

'A Very Respectable Company – Jane Austen and Her Southampton Circle' opened at SeaCity Museum, Southampton, at the end of March. The exhibition celebrates Jane Austen's contemporaries and acquaintances, bringing to life a lively social circle of women who may have inspired her characters.

Find out more at the Southampton City Council website >>

Mansion with Jane Austen link can be bulldozed 

There has been some controversy over the planned demolition of Ashe Park house, a mansion just a mile from Jane Austen's birthplace in Steventon, which she is known to have visited. Despite this link, a mish-mash of renovations that have been made to the property, the oldest part of which dates back to the 16th century, seem to be to blame for the property's unlisting. The owners have submitted plans to rebuild a house in the Queen Anne style on the land. What do you think? Is demolishing Ashe Park a bad idea?

Read more at Country Living >>

Jane Austen's Bookshelf explores author's inspiration

In her new book, Jane Austen's Bookshelf, rare book collector Rebecca Romney explores the lives and reading habits of the authors who inspired Jane Austen. From Frances Burney to Ann Radcliffe, Romney charts the literary landscape that birthed Austen's genius. The Guardian review calls it "a bold bit of canon jujitsu." 

Read the Guardian Review here >>

Women's Prize for Fiction Longlist announced

As fans of one of the greatest woman writers of all time, we love to celebrate work that blazes new trails in women's writing. The Women's Prize for Fiction (and its non-fiction sister prize) is a highlight of the literary calendar, giving us a chance to celebrate the best new writing by women. The longlist includes 16 exciting titles to dig into. 

Find out more at the Women's Prize website >>

Filming almost done on Season 4 of Bridgerton

The star of Season 4 of Bridgerton, Yerin Ha, has told the press that filming is well underway! Ha will be playing Sophie Baek, a young lady caught up in a Cinderella-style story, falling in love with the second eldest Bridgerton brother, Benedict. Whilst we don't have a firm release date for the new series, the news that filming is close to wrapping suggests we might find out soon! 

Read more at Collider >>

AS ALWAYS, WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF WE HAVE MISSED ANYTHING, AS WELL AS ALL YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NEWS!