In her recent explorations in England, co-RC Sara happened across a treasure trove of secret diaries, written by no other than some of Austen’s characters! On July 24, JASNA-NC took a break from the heat to try to solve the mystery of some of the diary entries. Can you guess who wrote “I was happy to be able to turn…
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Austen Adventures: In the Land of Jane Austen
By Sara Tavela This May, I had the great joy of returning to England for a long-postponed trip, eager to explore new parts of the UK and to revisit some favorite places too. While there, I truly felt the presence of JASNA-NC with me, as I travelled amongst places and spaces Jane Austen lived and wrote about. Here, I’m sharing…
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Tea and Miscellany
Our JASNA chapter met for a delightful tea party on June 26th, to hear all about the recent Jane Austen Summer Program and to talk about all things Jane Austen among the best company: JASNA-NC. From delicate fine china with beguiling patterns to quotable Austen mugs, members brought their favorite beverages and settled in for a lovely time of chatting…
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A Lively Discussion of Robert Morrison’s The Regency Years
JASNA-NC met for its May Virtual Book Club; this month’s nonfiction selection was Robert Morrison’s The Regency Years, with the discussion facilitated by Sara Tavela. The group had a rousing discussion ranging from our impressions of the book (its style, pacing, and topics of interest), to Austen highlights, and then to a lengthy discussion of the period’s namesake: the Regent,…
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Britain’s Black Past with Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina
Our April 24th meeting featured acclaimed author Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina, professor at Vassar, Barnard College of Columbia University, Dartmouth, and, currently, UMass at Amherst. Her BBC radio series, Britain’s Black Past, highlights the lives of black people who settled in Britain in the 1700s and early 1800s, expanded into a book she edited. “I’m really interested in these forgotten lives,”…
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