The popular view is that public events are largely absent in Jane Austen’s novels, even though Austen (1775-1817) and Napoleon (1769-1821) were near contemporaries.

Many of her communications were from far-flung theatres of war, but Austen is truly a novelist of the home front. Why don’t we notice the war in her novels?

Kathryn Sutherland, Author & Professor of English and Senior Research Fellow at St Anne’s College, Oxford

The World of Jane Austen series – celebrating 250 years of the great novelist with six evening talks, a whole-day symposium and a walking tour 

You can buy a discounted series pass for all six evening talks (6 talks for the price of 5) – Visit BRISLI for more options.