Material Conditions: Family, Support, and Women Writers

Jane Austen inspired millions… but who inspired her? That is the question rare books dealer and author Rebecca Romney set out to explore in her new book Jane Austen's Bookshelf. Join Roberta Panjwani as she sits down to talk with Rebecca about the lives and works of the women writers Austen admired, the fascinating world of rare books, and the stories they still have to tell.

Watch this episode on YouTube!

Things we talked about in this episode:

Rebecca Romney and Jane Austen’s Bookshelf

Rebecca Romney on Instagram

Rebecca Romney on TikTok

Type Punch Matrix (Rare Book company)

Jane Austen @ 250 RPL Celebration

Rebecca Romney A Bend in the Road episode on YouTube

JASNA (Jane Austen Society of North America)

Frances Burney and Evelina

Ann Radcliffe and The Mysteries of Udolpho

Amy Winehouse’s, Allen Ginsburg, and Howl

Pride & Prejudice (2005 film)

Episode Credits

• Our thanks to Rebecca Romney for joining us today.
• You can learn more about Rebecca, Jane Austen’s Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector’s Quest to Find the Women Who Shaped a Legend, and Type Punch Matrix rare book firm at rebeccaromney.com.
• A Bend in the Road from the Ridgewood Public Library is sponsored by the Friends of the Ridgewood Library and created by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. 
• A Bend in the Road is written, hosted, and produced by Roberta Panjwani and created by Roberta Panjwani and Diane Sims.
• Our Assistant Producer and  Digital Media Producer for this episode is Elias Rosner. 
• Our Editors are Roberta Panjwani and Elias Rosner. 
• Our Technical Directors and Audio Engineers are Matt Giannotti and Elias Rosner.
• Original Music is written and performed by Diane Sims.
• Logo and Website created by Parker Gaidimas.