“It will be the first Jane Austen novel published with an introduction from a family member, since Henry Austen in 1833”
In our last issue of 2024, our Founder & Chair, Caroline Jane Knight, wishes you happy holidays and announces the Foundation’s celebrations to mark Jane Austen’s 250th birthday in 2025.
2025 is a historic milestone, a quarter of a millennium since Jane Austen was born. Jane’s legacy is unrivalled; no other author has endured for so long, is more celebrated today, and touches popular culture all over the world. Her impact on humanity is immeasurable and shows no sign of slowing. I couldn’t be prouder or more excited for the ‘Jane 250’ commemorations across the globe.
In honour of Jane on her 250th birthday, and in conjunction with Jane Austen’s family, the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation is celebrating Jane's reach and influence today. I am delighted to reveal the logo for our celebrations:
The work of the Foundation, including supporting literacy in India, Ghana, Lebanon, Timor, remote Indigenous Australians and Ukrainian refugees, wouldn’t be possible without the reach and influence of Jane Austen.
We have come together, in her name, with our global network of volunteers, donors, supporters, event guests, bookplate purchasers, and ambassadors across the world! You are all a part of the testament to Jane Austen's enduring influence.
Foundation ambassadors, volunteers and supporters at Jane Austen Regency Week
We have a special year ahead, celebrating Jane’s most popular novel, Pride & Prejudice:
Commemorative edition of Pride & Prejudice:
In the early part of the year, we will be publishing a very special and historic edition of Pride & Prejudice.
It will be the first Jane Austen novel published since Henry Austen's posthumous edition of Persuasion and Northanger Abbey in 1817 (which he altered for the 1833 Bentley editions, for the beginning of the Sense & Sensibility volume), with an introduction by a family member.
With a beautiful cover depicting Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet at Pemberley, and personal insights from Jane Austen’s family and Jane Austen Literacy Foundation ambassadors, this will be a ‘must-have’ edition of Pride & Prejudice.
Pride & Prejudice Collection
Our commemorative edition of Pride & Prejudice will also be a gateway to our Jane 250 website, featuring a digital gallery of 250 copies of Pride & Prejudice printed across the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. The enormous variety of covers and styles is a wonderful visual demonstration of the broad appeal of Jane Austen’s most popular novel—a feast for the eyes.
Some of the 19th century antique copies of Pride & Prejudice in our collection
Exclusive Content
Our Jane 250 website will also include exclusive articles and performances demonstrating Jane’s reach and influence around the world, including this tribute to his favourite character, Mr Collins, from Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Ambassador Dr. Daniel Widdowson, in Australia:
The Pemberley Circle
In April, we will be relaunching the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Community as The Pemberley Circle, an online virtual Pemberley where you can enjoy Jane Austen and the Classics like never before, with me, my family, and the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Ambassadors.
You’ll find Darcy’s Classics Club, Lizzie’s Book Club, quizzes, Regency crafts and games, events, special guests, community chat, private concerts, and everything else you would expect to find in the comfort of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth’s Drawing Room.
Pride & Prejudice Read-along with Jane Austen’s family
Later in the year, The Pemberley Circle will host a Pride & Prejudice read-along with Jane Austen’s family and the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Ambassadors.
For the first time, you will be able to discuss Jane’s most popular novel in detail, with Jane’s family live in our chat group. We will read and discuss a chapter a week, finishing in early December, shortly before Jane’s 250th birthday on the 16th, with a Zoom party for everyone who has participated in the read-along.
There will be many other events and initiatives throughout the year, including a Pride & Prejudice-themed event at Jane Austen Regency Week in the UK in June. I hope you will join us in celebrating Jane Austen, who has given us all so much pleasure, comfort, inspiration, and community—and without whom, the Foundation would not exist. Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this page for details of our celebrations throughout the year.
The holidays are just around the corner, and I would sincerely like to thank everyone who has supported the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation in 2024. We have continued to deliver our program of online literacy activities, fund more literacy projects in developing communities, and support literacy in schools. We have launched the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Community, celebrated 10 years of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, and worked on our Jane 250 initiatives.
To thank you all for your support, I would like to invite you to the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Holiday Concert on our YouTube channel on Saturday, 14th December at 5pm EST / Sunday, 15th December at 9am Melbourne time. The concert will be performed by Laura Elizabeth Klein, creator of The Jane Austen Playlist.
It’s free to attend—simply click on the link below (subscribe to our YouTube channel now for a notification when the concert starts). I look forward to watching this special event with you and will be live in the chat.
Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season,
Caroline
© Caroline Jane Knight 2024, Jane Austen’s fifth great niece and the last of Jane’s nieces to grow up at Chawton House on the family’s ancestral estate where Jane herself lived and wrote. Founder & chair of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, CEO of The Austen Pathway, Patron of Jane Austen Regency Week, author of Jane & Me: My Austen Heritage.
Happy holidays from the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Community!
In 2024, our first year, we’ve had author chats, movie watch parties, book club meetings, community get-togethers and so much more. It’s been such a delight to get to know you all better and we can’t wait to see so many more of you join us in 2025!
Hearing one of Jane’s letters come to life each month has been a particular favourite, thanks to an amazing group of award-winning narrators, who volunteered their time and talents exclusively for our community.
Knowing that we are connecting with other Jane Austen fans and readers, all while helping the foundation raise more funds for literacy projects, is what makes our community so very special.
If you haven’t joined us yet, now is your chance! Just click here to join. Use code EFAD2 to join our Friends of the Foundation tier for 20% off now through December 31st.
Friends of the Foundation will be the first to know about The Pemberley Circle and receive a special bonus offer when we launch.
Perfect gifts for the holidays
Give the book lover in your life a gift they will love and will help support literacy projects in developing communities:
Want to give the gift that keeps on giving? Why not support the foundation AND gift someone you love a Subscription to our Community! Click here to check out our gifted membership options.
You can also check out Bookmarks and Bookplates created exclusively for the foundation in our community shop. From now until the end of December, you can take 10% off any of our bookmark/bookplate items in the shop using code D6655 when you check out.
You can choose from our Personalised Bookplate Collection, designed exclusively for the Foundation by artists. Nominate the name you would like on the bookplate, in Jane Austen’s handwriting, and you will receive the bookplate straight to your inbox within 72 hours.
