"She has many rare & charming qualities, but Sobriety is not one of them."—Jane Austen, Jack and Alice

Drunken brawls. Cannibalism. Heroines behaving very badly. Such mayhem may seem worlds apart from the sedate drawing rooms of Austen's novels, but it is par for the course in her teenage writings. In this episode, we welcome Lesley Peterson for an exploration of the whimsical world of Austen's juvenilia—the hilarious and often absurd stories she penned in her youth. Along the way, we’ll see how young Jane, growing up in a lively, intellectual household, was already testing boundaries and sharpening the wit that would one day captivate readers everywhere.

Lesley Peterson is the editor of the Journal of Juvenilia Studies and, before her retirement, was Professor of English at the University of North Alabama. She has published numerous articles in JASNA’s journals, Persuasions and Persuasions On-Line, and is a frequent presenter at JASNA's Annual General Meetings. In 2024, she served as a JASNA Traveling Lecturer and was awarded a fellowship through the JASNA International Visitor Program.

For a transcript and show notes, visit https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep27/.

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Think you know Jane Austen? In this episode, we explore the wild side of Austen’s writings, life, and legacy with noted scholar Devoney Looser, who makes the case for Austen as a far more daring and unconventional figure than her prim Victorian reputation suggests. Whether you're new to Austen or a longtime Janeite, this episode offers a lively take on the beloved author—and reminds us why we’re all a little wild for Austen.

Devoney Looser is Regents Professor of English at Arizona State University, a Guggenheim Fellow, an NEH Public Scholar, and a Rockefeller Bellagio Fellow. She is the author of Sister Novelists: The Trailblazing Porter Sisters, Who Paved the Way for Austen and the Brontës, The Making of Jane Austen, The Daily Jane Austen, and her latest, Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane, which will be released September 2, 2025. A life member of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) and frequent speaker at JASNA conferences, Looser has also skated in roller derby under the name Stone Cold Jane Austen.

For a transcript and show notes, visit https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep26/.

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Email: podcast@jasna.org

“There is one thing, Emma, which a man can always do, if he chooses, and that is his duty." —Mr. Knightley

We believe Jane Austen is for everyone, but it’s no secret that her modern fanbase is predominantly female. But why is that, and what might men be missing? Brett McKay joins us in this episode to share how he first discovered Austen’s work and why more men should read her books. Along the way, we touch on Austen's Aristotelian ideas of virtue, the qualities that make a good man, the importance of choosing the right spouse, and how reading her works can help everyone become the best version of themselves.

Brett McKay is the founder of The Art of Manliness, a website and podcast dedicated to helping men “grow up well, reach their potential, and become better friends, mentors, husbands, fathers, and citizens.” Since 2008 he has interviewed hundreds of authors and scholars on a wide range of subjects, from philosophy to weight-lifting, dinner-party planning to hostage negotiation. In 2023, he interviewed Austen scholar John Mullan in an episode entitled “Jane Austen for Dudes.”

For a transcript and show notes, visit https://jasna.org/austen/podcast/ep25/.

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Visit our website: www.jasna.org
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
Subscribe to the podcast on our YouTube channel
Email: podcast@jasna.org