News for Austen Enthusiasts - December 2025

Here's all the Jane Austen news and updates you might have missed in December!

Jane Austen turns 250

Of course, the big news of December is that Jane Austen turned 250. She was born on 16th December, 1775, and wrote six novels, all of which are still read the world over until this day. Where would we be without her? Who knows! She is one of, if not the most respected, female novelists to ever live, and her work has inspired authors to try their hand at writing for over two centuries. Thank you, Jane, for everything! We hope you're somewhere with your feet up, a hot drink, and a good novel!

Was 1995 the year that made Austen sexy again?

In this article from the New Statesman, columnist Susie Goldsbrough looks back 30 years to 1995, the year that redefined Austen for a whole new generation. 1995 was the birth year of Ang Lee's Sense and Sensiblity, the BBC's famous Pride and Prejudice featuring Colin Firth's iconic emergence from the lake, an adaptation of Persuasion and Clueless, a loose 90s reimagining of Emma. It's wild to think that before 1995, there hadn't been a major Austen adaptation for 50 years. This article looks back on the frenzy that 1995 began.

Read more at the New Statesman >>

The Other Bennet Sister cast discusses Jane Austen's relatability

Excitingly, we're finally getting some first looks at the new BBC adaptation of The Other Bennet Sister, Janice Hadlow's novel which reimagines Pride and Prejudice from poor, plain Mary's point of view. In this article, the cast of the new BBC show discusses Jane Austen's legacy, and what it is about her that remains so relatable even now.

Read more at the BBC >>

Emma Thompson takes to BBC Bookclub to discuss Sense and Sensibility

To mark 250 years of Jane Austen, the BBC's flagship literature show, BBC Bookclub, invited actress and national treasure Emma Thompson on to talk about all things Sense and Sensibility. Emma Thompson's screenplay of Sense and Sensibility won her the Oscar, and of course, she played Elinor Dashwood in the 1995 movie. She looks back at Sense and Sensibility to discuss the novel and its legacy.

Listen at BBC Sounds >>

Jane Austen merch in anniversary year boom 

We're big fans of a good bit of Jane Austen merchandise here at the Jane Austen blog - hey, we even sell a whole bunch of it. The Financial Times were even kind enough to mention us in their article, where they go through the legacy of Jane Austen memorabilia, from coveted first editions to Colin Firth's flowing shirt! I must admit, I love a little Jane Austen keepsake as much as the next person, but I think some of these might be a little out of my budget...

Read more at the Financial Times >>

School librarian discovers Austen family link

A school librarian working at the Abbey School in Reading has discovered that she has a link to Jane Austen. The Abbey School takes its name from a school in Reading, which Jane Austen herself attended for a time. Well, when school librarian Joanne Wenman started to research her own family tree, she discovered that she and Jane Austen shared a mutual ancestor, a gentleman by the name of Thomas Austen. This makes Joanne and Jane sixth cousins, six times removed. Sure, not a super close connection, but still a fun coincidence.

Read more at the BBC >>

Austen's niece may have inspired Northanger Abbey 

A new study undertaken at the University of York has revealed that Jane Austen's niece, Fanny Knight, may have contributed to some niche details which inspired Northanger Abbey. Fanny's genealogical annotations of a family reference book were likely the inspiration behind Sir Walter Elliot's obsession with his Baronetage, a book containing lists of Britain's baronets. Jane Austen uses this to satirise the contemporary preoccupation with lineage. Fanny Knight was known to be interested in such things, and York researcher Dr Sophie Colombeau has been focusing her research on Fanny's meticulous annotations of the New Baronetage.

Read more on the University of York website >>

Rare chance to view Jane Austen's will

Fans of Jane Austen will get a rare glimpse at her will from this January. Austen's brief will, which runs to fewer than fifty words, leaves the majority of Austen's financial holdings to her sister Cassandra. It will be on display as part of the National Archives' Love Letter exhibition from 24th January until 12th April 2026. 

Read more at the National Archive >>

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