The 2018 Annual General Meeting of the Jane Austen Society of North America in Kansas City garnered record-breaking attendance, with more than 900 participants! The theme was Persuasion, 200 Years of Constancy and Hope. Highlights included the enlightening and engaging opening plenary by John Mullan (author of What Matters in Jane Austen? Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved), whose talk focused on self-delusion in Persuasion; another illuminating presentation by Sheryl Craig on the novel’s economic background; Sheila Hwang’s discussion of watering places such as Bath and Lyme Regis; and Gordon Laco, historic consultant for the feature film Master and Commander, who shared many insights into the Royal Navy. A special treat was hearing Amanda Root read from both the novel and the journal she wrote from Anne Elliot’s perspective as she was preparing for the role in the acclaimed 1995 feature film.
