Jane Austen & Her Wild Side: A Visit with Devoney Looser

Think you know Jane Austen? In this episode, we explore the wild side of Austen’s writings, life, and legacy with noted scholar Devoney Looser, who makes the case for Austen as a far more daring and unconventional figure than her prim Victorian reputation suggests. Whether you're new to Austen or a longtime Janeite, this episode offers a lively take on the beloved author—and reminds us why we’re all a little wild for Austen.

Devoney Looser is Regents Professor of English at Arizona State University, a Guggenheim Fellow, an NEH Public Scholar, and a Rockefeller Bellagio Fellow. She is the author of Sister Novelists: The Trailblazing Porter Sisters, Who Paved the Way for Austen and the Brontës, The Making of Jane Austen, The Daily Jane Austen, and her latest, Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane, which will be released September 2, 2025. Her writing has also appeared in The Atlantic, New York Times, Salon, Slate, and The Washington Post. A life member of the Jane Austen Society of North America and frequent speaker at JASNA conferences, Looser has also skated in roller derby under the name Stone Cold Jane Austen.

Many thanks to Devoney for joining us on Austen Chat!

Listen to Episode 26

You can stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and on our YouTube Channel. Or listen to the interview and read the transcript and show notes on the Episode 26 webpage.