Austen Chat

"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." —Henry Tilney, Northanger AbbeyAs an avid reader and a novelist herself, Jane Austen of course loved to read novels. But what else did she read, and what influence did it have on her writing? What books did she place in the hands of her characters, and what do their reading habits and choices say about them? Drawing from her forthcoming book, What Jane Austen's Characters Read (and Why), Professor Emerita Susan Allen Ford joins us in this episode to answer these questions and more. Susan is the editor of JASNA’s journals, Persuasions and Persuasions On-Line. For a transcript, show notes, and guest bio:  https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep12Visit our website:  www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram and FacebookEmail: podcast@jasna.org

The delicate tinkling of a pianoforte. The clash of cymbals. The soothing strains of a harp. Music in Austen film adaptations performs a variety of functions: it can set the scene, highlight a character’s personality, make us laugh, and make us sigh. In this episode, music maven Ruth Mudge joins us to discuss the soundtracks of four screen adaptations we know and love. A cellist, faculty member at the String Academy of Chicago, and assistant principal in the Elmhurst Symphony, Mudge also has her own podcast, World of Soundtracks, where she offers in-depth explorations of famous movie and TV soundtracks.For a transcript, show notes, and guest bio:  https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep11Visit our website:  www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram and FacebookEmail: podcast@jasna.orgMusic clips included in this episode:"Pride and Prejudice"—Pride and Prejudice by Carl Davis, 1995"Dawn"—Pride and Prejudice (Music from the Motion Picture), music by Dario Marianelli and performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet, 2005"Mrs. Darcy"—Pride and Prejudice (Music from the Motion Picture), music by Dario Marianelli and performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet, 2005"Emma Woodhouse"—Emma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), music by Isobel Waller-Bridge & David Schweitzer, 2020"Celery Root"—Emma: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture, music by Rachel Portman, 1996"Main Titles"—Emma: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture, music by Rachel Portman, 1996

During the Georgian era, gender differences in domestic goods became increasingly common. For example, a gentleman's writing desk was a sturdy, substantial piece of furniture, while a lady’s desk was a small, delicate writing table.  In this episode we sit down with art historian and museum curator Kristen Miller Zohn to discuss gender and the decorative arts in general, and how Austen’s references to consumer goods in her novels—from furniture and wallpaper to breakfast sets, muslin gowns, and toothpick cases—reveal important information about her characters.  Read the transcript, show notes, and guest bio:  https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep10Visit our website:  www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram and FacebookEmail: podcast@jasna.org

Professor Juliet McMaster, grande dame of Austen scholarship and one of the founding members of JASNA, joins us for a wide-ranging discussion about the genius that is Jane Austen. We touch on all six of her published novels, dip our toes in her teenage writings, and take a stroll down memory lane with Juliet as we chat about the early days of JASNA and how it's evolved over the past 45 years. Read the transcript, show notes, and guest bio:  https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep9Visit our website:  www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram and FacebookEmail: podcast@jasna.org

From roast mutton to white soup, pickled melon to Bath buns, Jane Austen and her characters enjoyed a variety of fascinating foods. To learn more about Georgian-era cuisine and culinary practices, we invited food historian Julienne Gehrer to guide us on a gastronomical journey through Austen's world. She provides glimpses into the daily life of our favorite author you won’t want to miss. Julienne has spoken and written on Jane Austen and food for more than a decade. Her most recent book brings the historic Martha Lloyd’s Household Book out from Jane’s kitchen and into our hands as an annotated facsimile version. Read the transcript, show notes, and guest bio:  https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep8Visit our website:  www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram and FacebookEmail: podcast@jasna.org

JASNA member Renata Dennis joins us to discuss the fascinating story of Dido Belle, a woman of color caught between two identities. Dido was the daughter of an enslaved woman and a British naval officer but was raised as a gentlewoman in the household of William Murray, Earl of Mansfield and Lord Chief Justice of the Court of the King's Bench. Until recently, she was lost to history.  Renata also shares her thoughts on Dido Belle as the inspiration for Jane Austen’s character Miss Lambe in Sanditon.Transcript and show notes:  https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep7Visit our website:  www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram and FacebookEmail: podcast@jasna.org

In this episode, we welcome Adrian Lukis, the actor who made the role of George Wickham his own in the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. We discuss his experience filming the beloved miniseries, his critically acclaimed one-man play Being Mr. Wickham, and his thoughts on everyone’s favorite Austen rogue!Transcript and show notes:  https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep6Visit our website:  www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TwitterEmail: podcast@jasna.org

Ending a Regency-era marriage was difficult and daunting! In this episode, attorney James Nagle helps us navigate the murky legal waters of dissolving marital ties, Regency-Style, in a variety of ways. We're talking scandal. We're talking Maria Rushworth running away with Henry Crawford. We're talking wives being sold at auction to the highest bidder. What?! Yes. Crazy, but true. Podcast Host:  Breckyn WoodTranscript and show notes:  https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep5Visit our website:  www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TwitterEmail: podcast@jasna.org

How "happy" are the endings of Jane Austen’s novels? In this episode we chat with Professor Inger Brodey about Austen’s endings: what she includes, what she leaves out, her unique mix of romance and satire, and her technique of “zooming out” that often leaves readers wanting more. Drawing from her forthcoming book, Jane Austen and the Price of Happiness, Inger also shares her thoughts on why Austen ended her novels as she did, her use of various forms of happiness, and how her endings differ from those of other authors she read.Podcast Host:  Breckyn WoodTranscript and show notes:  https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep4You can learn more about Inger Brodey on her website:  https://ingerbrodey.comVisit our website:  www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TwitterEmail: podcast@jasna.org

What did Jane Austen wear? Was she a stylish dresser? A dowdy spinster? In this episode, noted fashion and textile historian Hilary Davidson sets the record straight, revealing that Austen was much more fashion conscious and on-trend than many suppose. Join us as we discuss what would have been in Austen’s personal wardrobe, from headwear and gowns to everything in between, and Davidson shares fascinating insights gained while researching her new book, Jane Austen’s Wardrobe.Podcast Host:  Breckyn WoodTranscript and show notes:  https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep3You can learn more about Hilary Davidson on her website at http://www.hilarydavidson.net and follow her on Instagram and Twitter @FourRedShoes. She also has a Twitter account for her books @AustenDress.Visit our website:  www.jasna.orgFollow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TwitterEmail: podcast@jasna.org