June 12, 2017
Jane Austen died on July 18, 1817, at the age of 41. We invite you to post a tribute in the Memorial Book in celebration of her life and work and in commemoration of the bicentenary of her death.
This virtual Memorial Book is moderated to prevent spamming and off-topic posts. Comments will not appear immediately.
The Jane Austen Society of North America is dedicated to the enjoyment and appreciation of Jane Austen and her writing. JASNA is a nonprofit organization, staffed by volunteers, whose mission is to foster among the widest number of readers the study, appreciation, and understanding of Jane Austen’s works, her life, and her genius. We have over 5,000 members of all ages and from diverse walks of life. Although most live in the United States or Canada, we also have members in more than a dozen other countries.
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Comments
Linda Dennery Jun 26, 2017, 1:42 PM (8 years ago)
Ah, the inimitable Jane ... the consumate artist! And conjurer!
Her novels are like chameleons: they seemingly adapt to each reader's needs and experiences, and then effortlessly re-adapt as her devotees grow and change. Like the four and twenty families of Meryton, there is always "something new to be found in them." Thank you, Miss Austen, for two centuries of discovery without end.
Elizabeth Steele Jun 26, 2017, 7:56 AM (8 years ago)
"She is perfect in literature as Mozart is in music, and she gives me the same sort of feeling. But apart from that, she is the first of the great novelists." Frank O’Connor
Marybeth Ihle Jun 18, 2017, 1:58 PM (8 years ago)
Jane Austen changed my life. I honestly don't know who I would be today if I hadn't been introduced to Austen more than 20 years ago. Without Austen, I may never have traveled to Great Britain in college. I may never have been introduced to great literature and films that have shaped my life, and without Austen, I most certainly would never have met so many wonderful people whom I now consider cherished friends.
So I'd like to say thank you, Jane Austen. Thank you for the parsonage at Woodston and Uppercross Cottage and Longbourn. Thank you for assembly balls and turns about the room and walking three miles through the countryside until one’s petticoats are six inches deep in mud. Thank you for strawberry picking and excursions to Box Hill and declarations out of doors. Thank you for the pleasant refreshment of sitting in the shade and looking upon verdure, for locked gates, and for fires in the east room. Thank you for dead leaves and overfriendly neighbors and the strength of second attachments. Thank you for discussions of horrid novels and locked cabinets and a man who knows his muslin. Thank you for long walks to Winthrop and umbrellas and the most romantic letter ever written. Thank you for Miss Bates and Mrs Jennings and Fanny Price. Thank you for everything.
Claire Bellanti Jun 16, 2017, 2:23 PM (8 years ago)
Jane Austen's genius, wit and psychological insight created characters we recognize in the people around us. We can laugh at them and empathize with them as they are very real. I am grateful we have Austen's writings to enjoy today.
Liz Philosophos Cooper May 22, 2017, 12:49 PM (8 years ago)
"Jane Austen was neither romanticist or realist, she was just 'novelist' as the North Star is the North Star." -- Ford Madox Ford
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