What the Austen? Podcast

250th Birthday Edition: What Matters in Jane Austen? by John Mullan: ⁠https://amzn.to/4sA9fbG⁠ 
In this episode, I’m joined by John Mullan to explore the remarkable range of Jane Austen’s novels and the beauty of her unique literary style. We talk about how free indirect speech shapes our intimacy with characters like Emma Woodhouse, drawing us into her mind while quietly revealing her blind spots. We also explore why Mansfield Park feels so different from Austen’s other novels and yet has a lot of depth to unpack. 
Along the way, we reflect on the enduring magic of Pride and Prejudice: why it feels so alive and so perfectly balanced. From irony and voice to structure and silence, this conversation celebrates the many ways Austen writes. 
Whether you’re a lifelong Austen reader or returning to her novels with fresh eyes, this episode is an invitation to notice, to linger, and to fall in love with her work all over again 📖🤍

Ways to support the podcast, and you through things I use and love: 

What Matters in Jane Austen? by John Mullan on audible: https://amzn.to/4qkDe60

Like so many of you, I love listening to Jane Austen’s novels as audiobooks, so I wanted to share a few of my favourites that are currently available on Audible. It honestly helps me get through so many more books, and it’s especially brilliant when I’m rereading Austen yet again for the podcast. I’ve used Audible for many years now, and if you’d like to join, you can use my affiliate link below. You’ll get access to all these Jane Austen listens, and it helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you, which I’m always so grateful for.

PurePet Food (Hoggle’s recommendation) 

Get 75% off your first box! If you use Hoggle’s code: ISABELLE79097

Hoggle really struggled with his digestion when he was a puppy, and I tried him on lots of different options, from raw food to fresh food. Neither of them suited us or our lifestyle, and the storage alone was a nightmare.
He’s been on PurePet for two years now and absolutely loves it. I even took it with us when we walked the West Highland Way.

It’s full of nutrients for your dog, incredibly easy to store, and so simple to use. You just add water to rehydrate it, and you’re good to go. A natural, healthy dog food designed to take the stress out of mealtimes. Simply add water and stir to quickly rehydrate the food, creating a nutritious meal your pup will love.

I thought a fun Christmas episode would be to discuss Regency Christmas traditions. From mistletoe to ghost stories, we get into the festive Regency spirit on the podcast. 

Author Jessica Bull is joining me to share her insights and to talk about her new Christmas novella, which falls into her Jane Austen Investigates series, The Austen Christmas Murders.

I hope you enjoy this episode, and as Jane Austen herself wrote, “Merry Christmas, but no compliments of the season.”

Wishing you a wonderful festive period full of love and light!

Jessica Bull:
@jessicabullnovelist
https://jessicabullauthor.com/

In this year’s showdown, we’re pitting two of Austen’s most calculating women against each other Elizabeth Elliot from Persuasion and Fanny Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility. Both are masters of manipulation and self-interest, but in very different ways.
Elizabeth Elliot, ever-conscious of appearances, rules her social circle with icy elegance, dismissing anyone she deems beneath her while clinging to the illusion of superiority. Fanny Dashwood, meanwhile, is ruthless in her pursuit of wealth and comfort, quickly convincing her husband to cheat his half-sisters out of their inheritance and doing so with a smile.
As we dig into their stories, we’ll explore what drives these women: is it greed, pride, or pure vanity? And when it comes to cruelty cloaked in civility, who truly reigns supreme?
Join us as we compare their motives, methods, and misdeeds and help decide who will claim this year’s crown as the Ultimate Jane Austen Villain.
Where can you find Ellis?
Instagram: @historian_ellis
Where can you find Caily?
Instagram: @half_agony_half_hope
Where can you find your host, Izzy?
🌐 Website: www.whattheausten.com
🎧 Podcast Instagram: @whattheausten
📸 Personal Instagram: @izzy_meakin
📺 YouTube: What the Austen? Podcast

It’s that time of year again, spooky season! 🎃 Join Martha and me as we dive into our fourth Horrid Novel, Regina Maria Roche’s Clermont. In this episode, we unravel the twists and turns of this wonderfully Gothic tale, from mysterious family secrets to dramatic reunions. We chat about the novel’s influence on Jane Austen, share plenty of laughs, and get lost in all the gloriously over-the-top moments that make these stories so much fun to revisit. Perfect for fellow Gothic literature lovers and Austen fans alike! I always love doing these Eps! Me and Martha have also read, and have episodes for: The Castle of Wolfenbach by Eliza ParsonsThe Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann RadcliffeThe Monk by Matthew Lewis#GothicNovels #JaneAusten #Clermont

What was Jane Austen’s world really like? 🤔 Far from the serene ballrooms and genteel romances we often imagine, Austen lived through decades of chaos, revolution, war, and empire. In this episode of What the Austen? I’m joined by historian and author Helena Kelly to uncover how these turbulent times shaped Austen’s life, her family, and her novels 📖We explore how Britain was at war for most of Austen’s adult life, and how the ever-present shadow of revolution, empire, and fear of invasion formed the backdrop to her writing. Helena explains how Austen’s own family connections tied her directly to politics and the military, and how her fiction reflects and sometimes conceals the radical realities of her era. Together, we also look at Austen’s sharp psychological insight into her characters, which makes her novels so enduringly relevant 👒The Worlds of Jane Austen Helena's new book which peels back the layers of myth to reveal the real Regency world behind the novels is OUT NOW! What surprised you most about the real world of Jane Austen? Share your thoughts in the comments! 🤍