First Impressions: Why All The Austen Haters Are Wrong

Gentle listeners, after having been schooled at this year's JASNA conference, we're re-reading Austen's fantastic first novel with new appreciation for its extreme genius. Join us as we revisit everything Northanger has to offer, from its always-hilarious narrative voice, to its lovable and intuitive heroine, to its unique and inimitable way of elevating gothic storylines so that they become "real." Austen's genius shines through every aspect of this sublime work of comedy, and we hope you enjoy our enthusiastic discussion of it.

If you hadn't heard, Maggie and Kristin recently attended the Jane Austen Society of North America's Annual Meeting! Are you ready to hear about all the fun we had at JASNA 2019 in Williamsburg? Wondering what new insights we have into the conference's theme, Northanger Abbey? Or just wondering if Kristin and Maggie managed not to embarrass themselves? Check out this JASNA recap episode where we share funny stories, fascinating details, and all our favorite moments from the conference.

Hello dear First Impressions fans! We're back with the second part of our discussion of Among the Janeites by Deborah Yaffe. This time, our discussion focuses on the founders of JASNA and the fascinating history of the organization. After wrapping up our remarks on the book, Maggie and Kristin share their views and expectations about their upcoming trip to Williamsburg - because if adventures will not befall these 30-something women in their own villages, they must seek them abroad!

Join us, listeners, for part one of our discussion of Among the Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandom, authored by journalist Deborah Yaffe. As a "a warm and witty look at the passionate, thriving world of Austen fandom," this book satisfied our curiosity about famous Janeites, centered our understanding of our fabulous fandom, and gave us plenty of context for our own Austen-love. The book contains stories from fans whose lives were touched and irreparably changed by their relationship with Austen, and your First Impressions podcasters can certainly relate. [Content warning: Mental illness] Options for purchasing the book can be found on the author's website: http://www.deborahyaffe.com/buy-share-the-book/4572595698

Gentle listeners, we present the third and final installment of our Regency Daze roleplay game! Join us as Kristin, Maggie, and Priya bring our characters' stories to an end with the help of game-master Selvi. As always, intrigue, romance and silliness abound.

Gentle listeners, we bring you yet another review of an Emma movie adaptation! This one was released in 1996, and stars Kate Beckinsale and Mark Strong, with a screenplay by the ever-productive Andrew Davies, right off his 1995 success with Pride and Prejudice. From surprising plot omissions to unusual acting choices, this socially-conscious adaptation provides a lot to ponder, especially with regards to the Frank Churchill/Jane Fairfax pairing. Check out our thoughts, and we hope you will not find this podcast... BADLY DONE.

Gentle listeners, we're back! Kristin and Maggie welcome guests Priya and Selvi for the second installment of our Regency Daze game. In this ongoing series, our game master Selvi has crafted a Regency-themed role-playing game (RPG) where our three heroines must plan a neighborhood ball, all while preserving their families' good names, learning the truth of one young lady's parentage, and perhaps, finding love. Join us for more intrigue, flirting, love triangles, party-planning disasters and other historically inaccurate fun!   An RPG is a game in which players take on the roles of imaginary characters who engage in adventures, typically in an environment with a particular theme. Using the RPG system, "School Daze" as a model, game master Selvi created a huge Regency-style playground for Maggie, Kristin, and Priya. All four ladies work together to tell a story for you, our gentle listeners. Enjoy!

Gentle listeners, at long last we bring you a review of the 2009 adaptation of the novel Emma, starring Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller! In this episode, Maggie and Kristin talk about how they developed a new appreciation for this excellent adaptation, as the characters are given an emotional depth that some other adaptations lack. The girls also analyze how this version falls short of the mark, especially with regard to under-using some of the more comedic characters in the book. Overall, the girls deem this one totally worthy of a re-watch! For details on the movie, see the IMDB page: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1366312/

Gentle listeners, we are thrilled to bring you a very special podcast event! In this episode, your faithful First Impressions podcasters, joined by some good friends, are players in a Regency Era tabletop Role-Playing Game (RPG). Join Maggie, Kristin, and their friends Selvi and Priya, as together they uncover a world of secrets, love, and party planning in "Regency Daze." Game Master Selvi has crafted a Regency-themed RPG where our three heroines must plan a neighborhood ball, all while preserving their families' good names, learning the truth of one young lady's parentage, and perhaps, finding love.    An RPG is a game in which players take on the roles of imaginary characters who engage in adventures, typically in an environment with a particular theme. Using the RPG system, "School Daze" as a model, Game Master Selvi created a huge Regency-style playground for Maggie, Kristin, and Priya. All four ladies work together to tell a story for you, our gentle listeners. Enjoy!

Dear First Impressioners, have you ever been curious about the wide world of Jane Austen Fan Fiction (JAFF), and the writers that publish it? In this special episode, our friend Lona Manning joins us to discuss her experience writing and publishing her JAFF novels and stories! Be ready for some intriguing insights, from how historical fiction authors research details about Regency life, to tips for mastering Austenesque language and grammar. Kristin and Lona also discuss what to expect from the writing life, and why everyone should give writing fiction a try! See Lona's tips for researching and Austen's language in this Google Doc!

Hello First Impressions fans! We're excited to present our book review of The Making of Jane Austen by Devoney Looser! In her highly entertaining, amazingly informative and exhaustively researched work, Dr. Looser discusses how our view of Austen has evolved over two centuries, from kindly "Aunt Jane," to conservative darling, to feisty suffragette. Told through cultural artifacts such as books, plays, movies, banners, letters, and even the odd séance or two, Looser's work is an entertaining dive into the rich world of Austen reception studies. You'll be amazed at how many afterlives our beloved Jane has lived.

Hello gentle listeners! We're excited to welcome our second FI fan and Clueless aficianado, Ellie, onto the podcast! Join us for a freewheeling discussion about Clueless and its impact on pop culture and subsequent Austen adaptations. We touch on lots of fun details about the movie, including a discussion of the book As If: The Oral History of Clueless by Jen Cheney. There is also quite a long tangent about Persuasion, for which Kristin takes full responsibility!

First Impressions fans! We're SO EXCITED to release our discussion of the brilliant book, What Matters in Jane Austen? Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved by John Mullan. This book is full of surprising connections, fascinating analysis, and deep insight into Austen's life and works. In this episode we dig into two specific chapters of the book, focusing in on the topics of "sex" and "death" in Austen's work to produce our most metal podcast ever! (And you'll have to forgive the several wedding-related digressions.)