A Review by Brenda S. Cox
The idea suddenly came to Mrs. Breckyn Wood that JASNA needed a podcast. Breckyn says,
“My main goal is to attract a whole new generation of JASNA members–younger Jane Austen fans who maybe have read a book or two or seen one of the adaptations, but who didn’t know there was a whole organization dedicated to Austen. I had already been to a few meetings of my local Georgia Region and was blown away by the talent and intelligence of its members, so I knew JASNA would have a huge pool of potential podcast guests from which to draw.”
Being a young lady of ingenuity and determination, she came up with a plan and presented it to the leaders of JASNA, who gave their complete support for Austen Chat. This delightful podcast began in July, 2023, with new episodes released on the first Thursday of each month. As the Austen Chat website says:
“JASNA’s mission is at the heart of Austen Chat—to further the study, appreciation, and understanding of Jane Austen’s works, life, and genius. There is always more to learn and enjoy about Jane, and we invite you to join us for the ride! Each month we talk with scholars, authors, and subject experts on a wide variety of Austen-related topics. We think you’ll have fun and learn something new from every episode—whether you are a lifelong reader, an Austen newbie, a seasoned Austen scholar, or somewhere in between. Tune in each month to enjoy the company of clever, well-informed guests, who have a great deal of conversation!”
I have listened to the first nine episodes (through March 7, 2024) and loved them all. I learned new things from each expert, despite my years of studying Austen.
In each instalment, Breckyn interviews someone in the Austen world about their specialty. Then we have news for the JASNA community about upcoming events and resources. Finally, a Janeite shares one of his or her favorite quotes from Austen, and tells why they love it. So be sure to listen all the way to the end!
Here’s what we’ve gotten to enjoy so far:
Episode 1, Jane Austen & Her House: A Visit with Lizzie Dunford, brings us right to the Jane Austen House in Chawton. We learn about its background, the changes that have been going on, and the treasures on display in this Mecca for Janeites.
Episode 2, Jane Austen & Goodness: A Visit with Brenda Cox, is my own discussion with Breckyn about how Austen’s faith and the Church of England are reflected in Austen’s novels, including some hidden “faith words” used with religious meanings, women church leaders of Austen’s time, and the differences between rectors, vicars, and curates.
Episode 3, Jane Austen & Her Wardrobe: A Visit with Hilary Davidson, is a fun discussion of the clothes Jane Austen is known to have worn. I learned that Austen kept up with the latest fashions. Davidson tells us that in general it was easy to find relevant pictures of the types of clothing Austen mentioned in her letters, since they were what was popularly worn in those years.
Episode 4, Jane Austen & Her Endings: A Visit with Inger Brodey, gives some surprising insights into the endings of Austen’s books. She talks about whether the novels end happily or not, the different kinds of happiness, and how Austen’s endings were unusual for her time.
Episode 5, Jane Austen & Divorce: A Visit with James Nagle, tells us some suprising facts about ways people got divorced or separated in Austen’s time, including the practice of selling wives, which he says was often to the wife’s lover.
Episode 6, Jane Austen & Mr. Wickham, A Visit with Adrian Lukis, explores Lukis’s experiences in portraying Wickham in the 1995 Pride and Prejudice movie, then what led him to write his current hit, Being Mr. Wickham, and his thoughts on Lydia and Wickham’s later lives.
Episode 7, Jane Austen & Dido Belle, A Visit with Renata Dennis, gives us some insights from the head of JASNA’s Diversity Committee about mixed-race Dido Belle, her life, family, and connections with Jane Austen and Sanditon.
Episode 8, Jane Austen & Food: A Visit with Julienne Gehrer, discusses Martha Lloyd, the friend who lived with Jane, Cassandra, and Mrs. Austen, and her Commonplace Book and recipes.
Episode 9, Jane Austen & Her Genius: A Visit with Juliet McMaster, explores some facets of Austen’s brilliance in each of the novels and the Juvenilia. For example, McMaster compares Henry Tilney to Henry Higgins; both taught the heroine a new “language.” And she considers which heroes learned from the heroines, as well as which heroine learned from the hero. Juliet McMaster, a founding member of JASNA and “grande dame of Austen scholarship,” also talks about the early days of JASNA.
This is a great array of topics, all of which I enjoyed. I don’t know what’s coming next, but I’m sure it will be fun!
Episodes begin with a “desert island” question for the interviewee. Either:
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one Austen book, which one would it be? Or,
If you were stranded on a desert island and could have one penpal from among Austen’s characters, who would it be?
Gentle reader, what is your answer? And if you want to add your favorite Austen quote, please do!
Brenda S. Cox is the author of Fashionable Goodness: Christianity in Jane Austen’s England. She also blogs at Faith, Science, Joy, and Jane Austen.
Jane Austen's World 