Jane Austen Society of North America, Southwest Region
Welcome
Whether you have just discovered Jane Austen or are a lifelong aficionado, you are welcome at the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) and our local region of the society, JASNA Southwest.
Our region is the largest and one of the oldest in the national society. We host four regional meetings annually that feature a wide range of speakers and presentations, offer numerous local reading and game groups, sponsor a Young Filmmakers Contest and maintain a comprehensive guide to Austen Adaptations.
Learn more about the benefits of joining JASNA and JASNA Southwest on our membership page.
We hope you enjoy exploring our site and we hope to see you soon!
Left: Lyme Park stood in for Pemberley in the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries.
Upcoming Virtual Meetings
Until it’s safe to meet again in person, we are holding virtual meetings with speakers on a wide range of topics. We’ll be posting information on the next set of virtual events soon. Sign up for our mailing list for more information.
Save the date for our next free virtual meeting, Saturday, January 16, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Pacific time. Registration information will be posted in December.
Professor Jason Solinger will share an extended version of his breakout talk “Anti-Historical Austen: From ‘The History of England’ to Northanger Abbey” from the 2020 JASNA Virtual Annual General Meeting, followed by a live Q&A session.
His humorous and enlightening lecture slideshow should put to rest the notion that the text was a mere youthful lark. On the contrary, he will explain how The History of England articulates questions that shaped the adjacent disciplines of literature and history. His talk will address such questions as:
- How much poetic license are we willing to grant the historian?
- On what basis did Austen’s predecessors call their own novels “histories”?
- Who is better at explaining the motivations that drive people, the historian or the novelist?
- Which discourse—fiction or history—better prepares readers for being in the world?
Solinger is an associate professor of English at the University of Mississippi, where he teaches classes in 18th and 19th century literature. He is the author of Becoming the Gentleman: British Literature and the Invention of Modern Masculinity, 1660-1815, which explains 18th century Britons’ obsession with the figure of the gentleman. He is currently working on a book exploring the ways that Austen’s readers have shaped our ideas about literature.
Upcoming In-Person Events
We are pausing our in-person events until it is safe for large groups to meet again in person. Stay tuned for announcements on upcoming virtual presentations and meetings. Sign up for our mailing list for more information.
POSTPONED: Stay tuned for new date and information
Austen Family Theatricals
A staged reading will follow the presentation.
Featured speaker:
Melinda Finberg, a dramaturg and theatre history scholar at the USC School of Dramatic Arts
June 19, 2021
NEW DATE
The Grand, Long Beach
Fashion Afoot: Costumes, Shoes and Dancing in the Regency Era
Following the presentations and lunch, we’ll engage in a dance lesson.
Featured speakers:
Deborah Nadoolman Landis, renowned film costumer and director of the Copley Center for Costume Design at UCLA
Kimberley Alexander, author of Treasures Afoot: Shoe Stories from the Georgian Era
Annie Laskey, English Country Dance expert
Saturday, November 13, 2021
NEW DATE
Mission Inn, Riverside
Miss Austen Goes to Washington
Our event will explore Regency-era politics as well as Austen’s influence today.
Featured speakers:
Congressman Mark Takano (D-Riverside), former English teacher who launched a Jane Austen reading group on Capitol Hill
Austen scholar Sheryl Craig, author of Jane Austen and the State of the Nation
Follow Us
Reading, Film and Game Groups
For the upcoming schedule for each of our reading, film and game groups, visit the groups page.
Jane Boltz Regency Fashion Talk Now Online
JASNA Southwest board member Jane Boltz' presentation "Exploring Regency-Era Fashions for Women and Men by a Prejudiced and Amateur Seamstress" is now live on our YouTube channel, where you also catch up on past virtual events. In the illustrated talk, she models many...
Prof. Jason Solinger Presentation Set for Jan. 16
On Saturday, January 16, from 11-12:30 p.m. Pacific time, join us for a virtual talk by Jason Solinger on "Anti-Historical Austen: From 'The History of England' to Northanger Abbey." Solinger is an associate professor of English at the University of Mississippi, where...
Register Now for All-California Zoom Event on Dec. 12
Our December event will be held in collaboration with the other JASNA regions in California and is free and open to anyone interested in Jane Austen. "A Toast to Jane Austen" will be held via Zoom on Saturday, December 12 from 2-4 p.m. Pacific time. From the Page to...
Young Filmmakers Contest Trailer
It's not too late to submit a short film (five minutes or less) to our 2020 Young Filmmakers Contest. Watch the trailer for the competition now! Entries due by Nov. 30. All amateur filmmakers under the age of 30 are eligible. Cash prizes will be awarded! Learn more.
Karen Joy Fowler Video Live
The video from the September 26 JASNA Southwest meeting featuring author Karen Joy Fowler (The Jane Austen Book Club and numerous other titles) is now live on the JASNA SW YouTube page. Her enlightening talk covered Emma and Austen's Hidden Gothics—the untold, highly...
Remastered Pride and Prejudice Streaming on BritBox
In honor of the 25th anniversary of BBC’s Pride and Prejudice starring Academy Award winner Colin Firth, enjoy the newly remastered edition exclusively on BritBox premiering on September 25. BritBox is a streaming service from BBC Studios & ITV offering the...
Young Filmmakers Judges Announced
We are thrilled to announce the judges for our third annual Young Filmmakers Contest: Ashley Clements, star of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and a writer/producer, including an upcoming modern adaptation of Macbeth Laurie Viera Rigler, author of Confessions of a Jane...
Take Our Event Survey!
During these unprecedented times, we are working hard to remain connected while staying physically distanced. We would love to hear your perspective on what would make you feel comfortable to return to in-person gatherings like our regional meetings after health...
Vote for Your Favorite Austen Film Portrayals!
Last month, you told us your favorite Austen novel, heroine, hero and more. This month, in recognition of the landmark anniversary years for so many versions of Pride and Prejudice (1940, 1980, 1995 and 2005), we thought it would be fun to learn who plays your...
Immerse yourself in an Austen novel, participate in a reading or game group or catch up on the latest JASNA Southwest news.
Explore the benefits of becoming a JASNA and JASNA Southwest member, or join or renew your membership now!
Join other Jane Austen fans from around Southern California by attending one of our regional meetings.
Greet visitors at our Festival of Books booth, organize a new reading group or assist with events and more as a valued volunteer.
Support JASNA’s Southwest region with a tax-deductible donation in any amount. Your gift truly makes a meaningful difference in all we do!
Discover a treasure trove of resources, including our comprehensive guide to film adaptations as well as books Austen herself admired.
Email jasnasw or visit our contact page to direct your query on a specific topic or to a board member. We look forward to hearing from you.
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