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Jane Austen's body of work delivers a nuanced understanding of life—especially as a woman, family dynamics, insights into the historical context of the period, and the social norms between men and women. For the last two decades, I have been fascinated by Austen’s diverse and massive fan following, scholars, and writers, and I love discovering why her words and characters still resonate with so many these two hundred years later. Once a month, since March 2024, I’ve featured one Austen fan to offer their insights. —Christina Boyd
by Maria Grazia
I fell in love with Jane Austen as a young teen. I was living in a small town in Italy, completely inexperienced, and when I opened Pride and Prejudice for the first time, it was like stepping into an entirely new world. That story of Lizzy Bennet coping with love, family pressures, and social norms was electrifying. At that age, I was so naive that I even liked Wickham as much as Elizabeth did—and disliked Darcy with the same passion she did! It was a rookie mistake, but I learned, and let’s just say I’ve never been caught in that trap again.
What’s interesting is that I didn’t explore Austen’s other works until much later, when I was at university and beyond. My rediscovery of Austen as an adult was sparked by watching the 2005 Pride and Prejudice adaptation at the cinema. I know, I know—it’s not the most faithful adaptation (purists, don’t come for me!), but it was my first exposure to Austen on the screen. It brought my Austen love back to life in a very visual way and thus began my period drama obsession.
Austen is more than just stories of love or the drama of society. Her novels are a mirror, reflecting truths about human nature that are still relevant today. Her characters are complex, flawed, witty, and, most importantly, real. I think that’s why we keep reading her. We see ourselves in her stories—in the quiet struggles, the moments of misunderstanding, and the eventual triumphs of character over circumstance. Even today, Austen's work helps us recognize our own world, our own emotions, and our own flaws.
That’s why writing about Jane Austen becomes more than just literary analysis—it’s personal. When I started my blog, I didn’t intend for it to become so Austen-centric, but there was something irresistible about discussing her works in detail with a like-minded community. Whether it’s organizing book clubs or dissecting adaptations, there’s always something new to uncover about her writing, and I love hearing how others relate to her as well.
For me, writing about Austen is an extension of reading her. When I write, I’m in conversation with her works—and with the millions of readers who have felt the same way I did. That’s why I started My Jane Austen Book Club. It was meant to be a friendly meeting place to discuss “everything Austen,” and it’s turned into much more. It’s brought people from all over the world into my life, and I’ve learned so much from our exchanges.
Writing about Austen also connects me to the world of period drama, a passion that started with Pride and Prejudice 2005 but has since grown into something much larger. Period dramas capture the timelessness of Austen’s themes, and the way her stories have been adapted for different generations speaks to how enduring her work truly is. Each adaptation, faithful or not, adds something to the conversation.
What’s truly incredible is how Austen remains fresh, no matter how many times I read her. Even though I teach her works to my high school students, it’s never boring. My goal is always to make her stories resonate with them, to help them find connections to their own lives. And this is where Austen’s brilliance shines—she's not just a writer of her time; she transcends time. My students, even those who struggle with the 19th-century language, can see themselves in Lizzy’s pride or Emma’s well-meaning meddling. They recognize those characters as real people.
Ultimately, why do we keep reading and writing about Jane Austen? Because her works are deeply human. They are about love, yes, but also about character, growth, and understanding ourselves. She gives us a way to laugh at society’s absurdities while also reflecting on our own flaws. Whether we’re escaping into her world or finding connections to our own, Austen has an uncanny ability to speak to us across centuries. And that, I think, is why she remains so important, not just to me but to readers everywhere.
Reading Austen for the first time might have felt like discovering a new world, but blogging and writing about her is like getting to live in that world every day.
ABOUT Maria Grazia
Maria Grazia lives and works as a high school English teacher in Subiaco, Italy, a small town not far from Rome. You can connect with Maria via My Jane Austen Book Club Blog, Facebook page, Instagram, X, and Tumblr.
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