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The Thing About Austen

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Ep67: The Thing About Darcy's First Proposal with Meredith Ammons

5/16/2023

 
This episode we're joined by Meredith Ammons to break down the first proposal of one Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. We also get into the letter that follows and discuss the ways that this critical interaction between Darcy and Elizabeth sets up the second half of Pride and Prejudice. If you have ever wished for a do-over, this episode is for you.
Thank you so much to Meredith for joining us for this episode! You can learn more about Meredith and her work at www.meredithammons.com. You can learn more about the Jane Austen Summer Program at www.janeaustensummer.org.

Ep65: The Thing About Mrs. Allen's Muslin with guest Dr. Hilary Davidson

4/12/2023

 
Henry Tilney is discussing muslin with Mrs. Allen and Catherine Morland, and the ladies are impressed. This episode we're joined by fashion historian Dr. Hilary Davidson for an examination of muslin as both a textile and a fashion statement in Austen's time. There's also some busting of popular Regency fashion myths. If you have ever lost sleep worrying over your sartorial choices, this episode is for you.

Thank you so much to Hilary for joining us for this episode! You can learn more about Hilary and her work at http://www.hilarydavidson.net and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @FourRedShoes.

Ep61: The Thing About Speculation with guest Dr. Regulus Allen

2/19/2023

 
​This week we're dealing out an episode on the game of Speculation with our guest Dr. Regulus Allen. We discuss the rules of play and the ways in which the game serves the narrative in Mansfield Park. Dr. Allen also provides us with some fun speculation (see what we did there?) as to what Jane Austen's own favorite card game might have been.

​Thank you so much to Regulus for joining us for this episode! You can learn more about her and her work at https://english.calpoly.edu/faculty/allen. 

For an explanation of the rule for Speculation, see "How to Win at Speculation" from JaneAusten.co.uk 

Ep53: The Thing About Colonel Brandon and the East India Company with guest Sharmini Kumar

10/24/2022

 
This week we are joined by our first returning guest, writer and director Sharmini Kumar. We discuss the global megacorporation that was the East India Company, and the likely role that Colonel Brandon would have played in supporting the EIC during his time in India.

Thank you so much to Sharmini for joining us for this episode! You can learn more about her and her work at 24carrotproductions.com, where you can also purchase tickets for this year's upcoming Austen Con.

Ep49: The Thing About the Bath Paper with guest Barbara Heller

9/24/2022

 
We are joined this week by guest Barbara Heller to discuss the Bath paper aka the Bath Chronicle. We cover Sir Walter's favorite “Arrived Here” column, as well as diving into other details of the paper of choice for Regency Bath society.

Barbara also chats with us about her new edition of Persuasion and her process for curating the various letters and ephemera included with the novel. Thank you so much to Barbara for joining us for this episode! You can find her website at www.barbaraheller.org and follow her on Instagram @barbarahellerletters.

Episode content warning: Brief passages from the Bath Chronicle are read where accidental death is mentioned, including that of a child (starting around minute 5:45).

Ep47: The Thing About Depictions of Roma in Emma with guest Amanda-Rae Prescott

8/18/2022

 
Writer and period drama expert Amanda-Rae Prescott joins us for this episode to discuss depictions of Roma in Emma, starting with the novel and then moving on to the various adaptations. In addition to Emma, Amanda-Rae also talks about the representation of Roma in some other recent period dramas.

Thank you so much to Amanda-Rae for joining us for this episode! You can find her website at www.amandaraeprescott.com and follow her on Twitter @amandarprescott.

Ep44: The Thing About Gowland with guest Dr. June Oh

7/28/2022

 
Sir Walter is offering free beauty consultations, but we have some serious questions about this Gowland product that he won't stop recommending. Thankfully, guest Dr. June Oh is here to help us sort substance from scam. If you have ever regretted a cosmetic purchase, this episode is for you.

Thank you so much to June for joining us for this episode! You can find her on Twitter @JuneOh_.

​Note: While Sir Walter refers to the product in question as Gowland, it was frequently marketed and advertised as Gowland's or Gowland's Lotion. We have stuck with Austen's spelling for our title but use the names interchangeably in the episode.

Ep41: The Thing About Harriet's Treasure Box with guest Damianne Scott

6/13/2022

 
Nothing says "I'm over you" like a ceremonial burning with your bestie. Guest Damianne Scott joins us to break down the scene where Harriet finally moves on from Mr. Elton. If you have always known that Robert Martin was the real prize, this episode is for you. Thank you so much to Dami for joining us for this episode! You can find her on Twitter @BlackGirlLoves3 and on the Black Girl Loves Jane Facebook page.

Ep40: The Thing About Lady Bertram's Pug with guest Dr. Stephanie Howard-Smith

6/2/2022

 
Every dog has its day! Dr. Stephanie Howard-Smith is here to answer all of our many questions about Lady Bertram's pug in Mansfield Park, covering everything from Pug's name, why Austen might have chosen a pug for Lady Bertram, and the gendered aspects of 18th-century dog ownership.

Thank you so much to Stephanie for joining us for this episode! You can find her on Twitter @SAHowardSmith.

For more work about Pug and lapdogs from Stephanie:
  • ​Howard-Smith, Stephanie. “Bridgerton’s Beloved Corgi Is a Total Fraud.” Slate, March 31, 2022. https://slate.com/culture/2022/03/bridgerton-season-2-kate-sharma-dog-corgi-historical-accuracy.html.
  • ———. “China-Pugs: The Global Circulation of Chinoiseries, Porcelain, and Lap-Dogs, 1660-1800.” In Oriental Networks: Culture, Commerce, and Communication in the Long Eighteenth Century, edited by Bärbel Czennia and Greg Clingham, 63–91. Aperçus: Histories Texts Cultures. Lewisberg, Pennsylvania: Bucknell University Press, 2021.
  • ———. “‘Hearty Fow Children’: The Penrhyns, Pugs, and Mansfield Park.” Persuasions 35 (2013): 191–99.
  • ———. “Little Puggies: Consuming Cuteness and Deforming Motherhood in Susan Ferrier’s Marriage.” Eighteenth-Century Fiction 34, no. 3 (March 1, 2022): 307–32. https://doi.org/10.3138/ecf.34.3.307.

Ep38: The Thing About Louisa's Fall with guest Dr. Matthew Reznicek

5/12/2022

 
This week we're joined by guest Dr. Matthew Reznicek as we discuss one of the most pivotal scenes in Persuasion. In addition to Louisa's injury and the treatment she receives, we also examine the role of Anne as caregiver and the various ways that health and illness come up in the novel.

Episode content warning: Discussion of traumatic brain injury and depression.

Thank you so much to Matthew for joining us for this episode! You can find him on Twitter @drreznicek.

Selected Sources
  • Klass, Perri. “‘A Sick Child Is Always the Mother’s Property’: The Jane Austen Pediatric Trauma Management Protocol.” The Journal of Medical Humanities 42, no. 1 (March 2021): 121–29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10912-020-09664-0.
  • Richardson, Alan. “Of Heartache and Head Injury: Reading Minds in Persuasion.” Poetics Today 23, no. 1 (2002): 141–60.
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