Regional News

Please Note: Meeting information can be found on the Program of Events page.

Does Captain Wentworth Have a Castle?

Wentworth Castle, built in 1730 by Thomas Wentworth, came to the attention of region members at the 2009 AGM through breakout speaker Dr. Janine Barchas. If you are interested in attending the conference to be held there August 2010, please visit this site.

Region Member Danielle Bergmann Likes Jane Austen and Shakespeare

Read about Region Member Danielle Bergmann and her volunteer work that acquaints younger students with Shakespeare in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

They Should Not Have Burnt Her—But They Did

Jane Austen would have been pleased to learn that the statue of Joan of Arc has been restored and now shows to great advantage on Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The History of England was written when Jane Austen was only fifteen; in it she notes that Joan of Arc "made such a row among the English" and that "they should not have burnt her." Read about the statue's restoration in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

2010 JASNA Student Essay Contest Topic Announced

Each year JASNA sponsors an essay contest that relates to the theme of the AGM. Further information about the Essay Contest may be found at the JASNA website.

Learn about Philadelphia AGMs

JASNA’s Fifth and 31st AGMs were held in Philadelphia. Learn more about the first Philadelphia AGM and the most recent AGM hosted by the region.

Region Member Oakley Strasser Winner of JASNA Essay Contests

JASNA-Eastern Pennsylvania is proud of member Oakley Strasser whose essay, "'Real Evils': Mr. Woodhouse's Creation of a Damsel in Distress," placed first in the High School Division of the 2007 JASNA Essay Contest. Oakley's second-place essay from the 2006 Essay Contest was "Sisterly Affection, Sisterly Competition: Sibling Rivalry in Jane Austen's Novels."

Visit JASNA's "Austen on Film" section for movie information

JASNA has a comprehensive "Austen on Film" section on its Web site, with cast lists and other information for adaptations of Jane Austen's novels. There also is a list of documentaries and film homages to Jane Austen's work.

Visit JASNA's Special Events page to learn about additional meetings in our area

The Special Events page on the JASNA website lists regional events besides our four regular yearly meetings. Check the page regularly to be sure you don't miss anything!

Additions to Pennsylvania Jane Austen Letterboxing Series

Janeites who are "very good walkers" might want to search Letterboxing.org to find the Jane Austen series of letterboxing adventures in our region. Learn about letterboxing through the site and combine two favorite pastimes. Hint: Search for boxes in Pennsylvania placed by "Clueless."

Visit the JASNA web site for the latest news about JASNA and Jane Austen

jasna.org is an excellent resource for learning more about Jane Austen and her work, with a biographical page, information about upcoming Annual General Meetings, and Persuasions (including full text of many out-of-print issues) and Persuasions On-Line.