In 18 33 a man named richard bentley, an enterprising publisher, decided to reprint a bunch of novels. He pproached the austin family, got the right to reprint her a six novels. And so in 18 33, he is now, or e is kind of a treated as the prince charming, if you will, of the sleeping beauty story that is jane austen's reputation.
Author and professor Janine Barchas of the University of Texas talks about her book, The Lost Books of Jane Austen, with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. The conversation explores Austen's enduring reputation, how the cheap reprints of her work allowed that reputation to thrive, the links between Shakespeare and Austen, how Austen has thrived despite the old-fashioned nature of her content, Colin Firth's shirt, and the virtue of studying literature.