Jane Austen is widely regarded as the writer whose works defined “novels of manners” due to her treatment of ordinary people in their day-to-day lives. This year marks the 250th anniversary of her birth, on December 16, 1775. She lived just forty-one years and wrote a total of six novels, but the legacy of these important books, especially “Pride and Prejudice”, carries on. There are many Austen scholars, and a Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA). Devotees are known as Janeites.
In honor of Jane’s birthday, and the lasting importance of her writing, I would like to share with you titles related to three of Jane Austen’s books: “Pride and Prejudice”, “Sense and Sensibility”, and “Emma”.
- “Death Comes to Pemberley” by P. D. James (2011) - a murder mystery that takes place six years after P&P
- “Bridget Jones’s Diary: A Novel” by Helen Fielding (1996) - a modern P&P retelling
- “Introducing Mrs. Collins” by Rachel Parris (2025) - written as a sequel to P&P, this novel features Charlotte, Elizabeth’s best friend, and her marriage
- “Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors” by Sonali Dev (2019) - a P&P retelling, featuring an Indian-American family in modern San Francisco
- “Jane of Austin” by Hillary Manton Lodge (2017) - a contemporary twist on Sense & Sensibility, set in Austin, TX
- “Sex, Lies and Sensibility” by Nikki Payne (2024) - inspired by S&S, but far steamier than a Regency romance
- “Emma: A Modern Retelling” by Alexander McCall Smith (2016) - McCall Smith, esteemed author of numerous series, brings Emma current with his witty interpretation
- “Love, Decoded” by Jennifer Yen (2022) - modeled on Emma, this is a fast-paced rom-com about a Chinese-American high school matchmaker
- “Polite Society” by Mahesh Rao (2019) - “Emma” meets “Crazy Rich Asians” in Delhi, for the 21st century
Here are a few other Austen-related titles that you might want to investigate:
- “Jane Austen Made Me Do It” by Laurel Ann Nattress, ed. (2011) - a collection of short stories tied to the influence of Jane Austen or her works
- “A Jane Austen Education” by William Deresiewicz (2012) - An Austen scholar details the life lessons contained within Austen’s six novels as applied to himself
- “Jane Austen in 41 Objects” by Kathryn Sutherland (2025) - beautifully illustrated, this biography in objects invites the reader to intersect with Jane Austen at various points in her short life
- “Jane Austen Trivia: 400 Questions & Answers for Every Austenite” (2024) - test your knowledge of Austen and her novels with this trivia card game
You can find all of these Austen-related materials - and more - at the library. There are also many movies based on Austen’s books available on DVD. Don’t miss “Bride & Prejudice” (2005)!
Beth Wood is a senior collection development librarian for Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries. Her column, Check It Out, is published weekly in The Columbian.
New at the Library
This is just a small sampling of the many new titles added each week to the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District collection. Visit the district’s 15 locations, our website at www.fvrl.org, or call (360) 906-5000 to reserve titles or find additional listings.
FICTION
“Hearts in Circulation” by Sarah Monzon
“Silent Horizons” by Chad Robichaux
“Her Last Breath” by Lana M. Fox
NONFICTION
“100 Best Books for Work and Life” by Todd Sattersten
“Breaking the Rules: A Fresh Take on Italian Classics” by Joe Sasto
“Legendary Ballparks” by Eric Enders
CHILDREN
“A Knot is Not a Tangle” by Daniel Nayeri
“Dirt!: Wild Life Under the Soil’s Surface” by Lindsey Leigh
“Robot Island” by Cary Fagan
The distinguished author of Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and three other novels was born on December 16, 1775 in England. She was only forty-one when she died. Below is a list of titles that are extensions of, or based on, her novels.
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