Finding Jane Austen

You've heard of Jane Austen. She's in our movie theaters, our high school classrooms, even on the British pound, she's inspired more than 400 novel adaptations and probably more than a few of your favorite movies and series. You might even consider yourself a big fan of Jane Austen. But do you know who Jane Austen was? Like, really, who was she as a person? In this podcast, we're finding Jane Austen. We're solving the mystery of one of the most important writers in the English language through the clues she left behind.

Along the way, we'll speak to some of the top Austen scholars in the world. Together with documentary, literary, and archeological evidence, we'll get to the bottom of some of the greatest debates about her life. Whether you love Jane Austen or if you haven't read her since high school, we invite you to join us in finding Jane Austen.

Finding Jane Austen releases early 2025 but you can subscribe now on your favorite podcast app, including Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. Finding Jane Austen is researched and written by me, Dr. Anne Fertig, and is a production of R2 Studios, part of the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History New Media at George Mason University. Go to r2studios.org to learn more.

Episode Transcript

Anne Fertig (00:02):
You've heard of Jane Austen. She's in our movie
theaters, our high schoolclassrooms, even on the British
pound, she's inspired more than400 novel adaptations and
probably more than a few of yourfavorite movies and series. You
might even consider yourself abig fan of Jane Austen. But do
you know who Jane Austen was?Like, really, who was she as a

(00:26):
person? The thing is, Austen iseverywhere, but we know very
little about her. She diedbefore her books became famous,
and only a fraction of herletters survive. So in this
podcast, we're finding JaneAusten. We're solving the
mystery of one of the mostimportant writers in the English
language through the clues sheleft behind. Along the way,

(00:50):
we'll speak to some of the topAusten scholars in the world.

Lizzie Dunford (00:53):
So it meant marriage for Austen, who does
seem quite independent, but itmeant a lot of sacrifices, and
it's really interesting thatwhen she did have the choice,
she then changed her mind. Soshe had the choice, and she had
the chance to be the lady of themanor, and she chose not to.

Misty Krueger (01:09):
Austen was obsessed with criminals as a
teenager. For people who haven'tread Austin's teenage writings,
I will tell you that she's gotmurders.

Janine Barchas (01:19):
Well, she might have been a polite young lady,
and I'm sure she was very wellbehaved at parties, but she was
no Victorian prig.

Anne Fertig (01:25):
Through documentary, literary, and
archeological evidence, we'llget to the bottom of some of the
greatest debates about her life.Did Austen first publish under
the name Sophia Sentiment? Whydid she never marry despite
being proposed to three timesand why did her family allegedly
destroy almost all of herletters? Whether you love Jane

(01:46):
Austen or if you haven't readher since high school, we invite
you to join us in finding JaneAusten. Finding Jane Austen
releases early 2025 but you cansubscribe now on your favorite
podcast app, including Spotify,Apple, and YouTube. Finding Jane
Austen is researched and writtenby me, Dr. Anne Fertig, and is a
production of R2 Studios, partof the Roy Rosenzweig Center for

(02:09):
History New Media at GeorgeMason University. Go to
r2studios.org to learn more