News for Austen Enthusiasts: May 2022

I hope we are all feeling well rested and not too hungover from the recent four day bank holiday! Hopefully you managed to get a bit of reading done too. Now that we've all had a bit of time to kick back and collect ourselves, here's all the Austen and Regency news you might have missed while you were knocking back the Pimms.

The reviews are in on Fire Island

Here at Jane Austen News, we've been eagerly anticipating the hot new LGBTQ+ spin on Pride and Prejudice from the mind of US comedy talent Joel Kim Booster. The consensus? It seems to be positive. We have our new team of Jane Austen reviewers on the case to see how it stacks up. Stay tuned for that. 

In the meantime, read the AV Club review >>

Is Austen ... sexy? 

Bridgerton has caused a stir these past few years for its particularly raunchy approach to the Regency period, with fans up and down the country blushing furiously throughout. By comparison, you might think that Jane Austen's work is a bit ... repressed? Prudish, maybe? However, Jane Sullivan makes the case for the sexiness of Jane Austen's work in a great article. 

Read the article at the Sydney Morning Herald >>

Women's Prize nominee praises Austen

If you're super lit-savvy you'll be familiar with the Women's Prize shortlist by now. If not, then you still may have heard about Meg Mason's Sorrow and Bliss, which has been gaining rave reviews (and I reckon has a decent shot in at the win). Mason recently took part in a Guardian 'Books of my Life' interview, where she sang the praises of our girl. 

Read the full interview at the Guardian >> 

A new Pride and Prejudice podcast? 

Given that we are coming into Pride month, it's fitting that I can report not one, but two LGBT Austen projects. Yes, not only Fire Island, but also Gay Pride and Prejudice, a new Spotify Original podcast. Produced by Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson and starring a talented cast, Gay Pride and Prejudice is set in the wake of the 2015 US legalisation of Gay marriage. 

Read more at the Advocate >>

Jane Austen's offering to Crime fans

On the surface, Jane Austen's work feels like the furthest thing from a contemporary crime novel - there are no murders, the drama is usually domestic, and romance takes centre stage. However, Claudia Gray at CrimeReads argues that Jane Austen is excellent at teaching us who can and cannot be trusted.

Read her thoughts here >>

Men should read more novels

Here at the Austen Blog we are delighted to have a faithful cohort of male readers. However, it would be silly to argue that Jane Austen's novels haven't historically come under the banner of 'women's lit.' Of course, there's nothing wrong with that, but I think we can all agree that more men ought to be reading Austen's work. In her article for GQ, Ash Sarkar argues that more men should be reading novels. What do you think?

Read the article on the GQ website >>

Sally Gardner to pen 'love letter to Regency London'

Publishing imprint Head of Zeus have acquired new Sally Gardner novel The Weather Woman, which is to be set in 18th century London. Coming out this November, the novel follows Neva who, in order to chat science and move about more freely in a male dominated world, takes up a male disguise. A Costa and Carnegie prize-winner, Gardner's work is reliably fabulous. We can't wait. 

Read more at The Bookseller >>

Is another Regency on the horizon?

Even if you weren't joining in with Jubilee festivities this past weekend, we all enjoyed the extra long weekend. The Queen herself was seen looking well this weekend, but it has been the case for a while now that she has had to step back from some of her public duties recently because, well, she's reached an impressive age. Her passing on of responsibilities to her son Prince Charles has led some to believe we could be headed for a period of Regency. What do you think? Nonsense or potentially realistic?

The Express explain how that might happen >>

As always, we would love to know if we have missed anything, as well as all your thoughts on the news! Also, if you're planning an Austen themed event, play, lecture, or any other kind of get together you think we'd be interested in, please do get in touch! We'd love to give you a shout out. 

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