2023
Feb 20: Jane Austen Game in the Garden @ Oaks Brasserie
Mar 20: Pride and prejudice Vol. 1
April 15: Pride and prejudice Vol. 2
May 20: Pride and prejudice Vol. 3
Jun 17: Travel, what sort and how Austen uses it (Members to choose one novel to discuss at the meeting)
Jul 15: Which of Austen’s characters, do we see as the closest to ourselves? (Always, now, or at a particular time in our lives.)
Aug 19: Cancelled due to Canberra Writers Festival weekend
*Sep 23 (CHANGED DATE): Let’s talk about Darcy
Oct 21: Punctuation and Jane Austen (drawing from two articles shared to members)
Nov 19: The Up and Comers, or, looking at the changing social order in Jane Austen’s times
Dec 16: Christmas and Jane b’day @ Bookplate
2022
Feb 19: Jane Austen Game in the Garden @ Oaks Brasserie
Mar 19: Women of a certain age in Jane Austen’s novels
Apr 16: CANCELLED due to EASTER
May 21: Sense and sensibility Vol. 1
Jun 18: Sense and sensibility Vol. 2
Jul 16: Sense and sensibility Vol. 3
Aug 20: GUEST SPEAKER: Judy Stove-Wilson on ‘Rachel Henning’s Austenian Letters.’ (venue TBA via email)
Sep 17: Exploring some myths in Jane Austen’s life and novels (Pt. 1)
Oct 15: Exploring some myths in Jane Austen’s life and novels (Pt. 2)
Nov 20: JA’s use of language and tone, in dialogue, to delineate character
Dec 17: Christmas and Jane b’day @ Walter
2021
Feb 20: Card game: Marrying Mr Darcy @ Oaks Brasserie (under the trees)
Mar 20: Juvenilia, Volume 2
Apr 17: Jane Austen and Holidays
May 15: Juvenilia, Volume 3
June 19: Children in Jane Austen’s novels
July 17: Come into the shrubbery with Jane
Aug 21: CANCELLED due to COVID-19 lockdown
Sept 18: CANCELLED due to COVID-19 lockdown
Oct 16: CANCELLED due to COVID-19 lockdown
Nov 20: CANCELLED
Dec 12: End-of-year lunch @ Ostani Bar
2020
Feb 15: Movie Emma at Palace, and post-movie discussion
Mar 21: CANCELLED/POSTPONED due to COVID-19 (was to be: Judy Stove, guest speaker on her biography Jane Austen’s inspiration: Beloved friend Anne Lefroy)
Apr 18: CANCELLED/POSTPONED due to COVID-19
May 30: The absent hero: Social distancing Austen-style, or, does absence make the heart grow fonder (Discussion by email)
Jun 20: CANCELLED/POSTPONED due to COVID-19
Jul 18: Explore the behaviours, motivations and impact of characters whose health drives their actions (at a member’s home) (Originally June’s topic)
Aug 15: CANCELLED (venue remains closed due to COVID-19.)
Sep 19: CANCELLED (venue remains closed due to COVID-19.)
Oct 17: Husbands in Austen: the good, the bad and the ugly! (at a member’s home)
Nov 21: Juvenilia, Volume 1 (at a member’s home)
Dec 5: Xmas and Jane’s birthday lunch @ Pollen, ANBG
2019
Feb 16: Read a book by Maria Edgeworth
Mar 16: Jane in the trenches or, why was Jane Austen so loved by soldiers in WW1?
Apr 20: Not held due to EASTER
May 18: William Cowper, George Crabbe and Jane Austen
Jun 15: Cancelled due to multiple absences
Jul 20: Jane Austen and the visual arts
Aug 17: Read a book by Sir Walter Scott
Sep 21: Jane’s friends and acquaintances
Oct 19: Let’s talk about Cassandra
Nov 16: View first ep. or two of Sanditon (at a member’s home)
Dec 15: Xmas lunch and Jane Austen birthday celebration @ Pollen, ANBG
2018
Feb 17: Discuss The Watsons
Mar 17: Discuss critics, et al, on The Watsons
Apr 21: Discuss Sanditon
May 19: Discuss critics, et al, on Sanditon
Jun 16: Medical matters and the erotic in Austen (with reference to John Wiltshire)
Jul 21: No meeting, due to JASA conference
Aug 18: Jane Austen and Ireland (including literary tour report from member Sally)
Sep 15: Discuss the role of sisters (and siblings) in Jane Austen, preparing for November’s meeting
Oct 20: Subscription libraries, particularly in Regency/Georgian England
Nov 17: Guest: Carrie Kablean, to discuss her book “What Kitty did next”
Dec 15: Xmas lunch and Jane Austen birthday celebration @ Rodney’s Nursery Cafe
2017
Feb 18: Discuss Northanger Abbey up to Ch. 19
Mar 18: Discuss Northanger Abbey from Ch. 20 to the end
Apr 22: Discuss secondary sources on Northanger Abbey
May 20: Who advises Jane Austen’s heroines?
Jun 17: Discuss Jane Austen biographies
Jul 15: Wake for 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death (@ Bookplate, NLA)
Aug 19: Discuss Persuasion, Vol 1 (Ch. 1-12)
Sep 16: Discuss Persuasion, Vol 2 (Ch. 13-24)
Oct 21: Discuss secondary sources on Persuasion
Nov 18: Discuss Helena Kelly’s Jane Austen: The secret radical
Dec 16: Xmas lunch and Jane Austen birthday celebration @ Muse, Kingston
2016
Feb 20: Discuss Austen’s History of England
Mar 19: Discuss Austen’s Bad Girls
Apr 16: Not held in lieu of attendance at JAFA
May 21: View and discuss The scandalous Lady W @ Anna’s
Jun 18: Moral absolutes in Austen’s novels: What are they?
Jul 16: Brothers in Jane Austen’s novels
Aug 20: Weather (and the pathetic fallacy) in Austen’s novels
Sep TBA: Visit to Tulip Top Farm (with a discussion of gardens in Austen) POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER
Oct 15: Money in Jane Austen: How much money is enough?
Nov 19: The Great Houses in Jane Austen’s novels
Dec 10: Jane Austen birthday-Christmas lunch @ Garden Pavilions, Pialligo Estate
2015
Jan 17: Discuss the role of food in Austen’s novels
Feb 21: Slow read of Emma Vol. 1 (Chs 1-18)
Mar 21: Slow read of Emma Vol. 2 (Chs 19-36)
Apr 18: Not held in lieu of attendance at Jane Austen Festival of Australia (JAFA)
May 16: Slow read of Emma, Vol. 3 (Chs 37-55)
Jun 20: Discuss secondary source/s on Emma
Jul 18: Not held in lieu of attendance at JASA Weekend Conference in Canberra
Aug 15: Discuss The Austen Project (theaustenproject.com)
Sep 19: Discuss Jane Austen’s use of letters in her novels
Oct 17: Discuss the role of gossip and rumour in Emma
Nov 21: What was Jane Austen really like?
Dec 12: Jane Austen birthday-Christmas lunch @ Bookplate (NLA)
2014
Jan 18: Aylwen Gardiner-Garden on the Jane Austen Festival of Australia
Feb 15: Catharine, or the Bower
Mar 15: Servants in Jane Austen’s novels
Apr: Not held in lieu of Jane Austen Festival of Australia (JAFA), April 17-20.
May 17: Discuss JAFA experiences
Jun 21: Clergy in Jane Austen’s novels
Jul 19: Guest speaker: Ros Russell about her novel Maria returns: Barbados to Mansfield Park
Aug 16: Jane Austen’s Letters, 1815-1817
Sep 20: Military in Jane Austen’s novels
Oct 18: Lady Susan
Nov 15: Discuss the “vulgarians” (Brian Southam) in Austen’s novels
Dec 13: Christmas-Jane Austen Birthday lunch @ The Green Herring
2013
Jan 19: Anger in Jane Austen’s novels
Feb 16: Despair in Jane Austen’s novels
Mar 16: Cancelled
Apr 20: Lust/Desire in Jane Austen’s novels
May 18: Jane Austen’s letters, Nos. 1-28
Jun 15: Postponed
Jul 20: Pre-JASA conference discussion
Aug 16 (Note: Friday at 10am at the National Gallery): Self-led Group Tour of the Turner Exhibition
Sep 21: Envy/Jealousy in Jane Austen’s novels
Oct 19: Planning meeting
Nov 16 (Note: At Anna’s place): DVD viewing and discussion: Pride and Prejudice: Having a Ball
Dec 14 at 1pm: Poachers Pantry
2012
Jan 21: Discuss Vol. 1, Pride and prejudice
Feb 18: Discuss Vol. 2, Pride and prejudice
Mar 17: Discuss Vol. 3, Pride and prejudice
Apr 21: Discuss PD James’ Death comes to Pemberley
May 19: Discuss Jane Austen’s letters written 1801-1806
Jun 16: Discuss a secondary source on Pride and prejudice
Jul 21: Discuss Love and freindship
Aug 18: Discussion of older women in Pride and prejudice, with Dr Kate Mitchell (ANU) as guest attendee
Sep 15: Margaret Frey on the Literary Highlights of Southern England tour (led by Susannah Fullerton)
Oct 20: William Gilpin and the Picturesque, with particular reference to Pride and prejudice
Nov 17: Masculinity in Pride and prejudice, using Sarah’s PhD
Dec 15: Jane’s birthday and JASACT Xmas lunch: a Progressive Potluck in Hawker
2011
Jan 15: Discuss Vol. 1, Sense and sensibility
Feb 19: Discuss Vol. 2, Sense and sensibility
Mar 19: Discuss Vol. 3, Sense and sensibility
Apr 16: Discuss Jane Austen’s letters, 1807 to 1809
May 21: Travels with Austen: Members share Austen-related travel experiences
Jun 18: Discuss a secondary source on Sense and sensibility
Jul 16: Discuss The Watsons, plus plan for the rest of 2011
Aug 20: Movie outing to see Jane Eyre
Sep 17: Discuss a Gothic novel, own choice
Oct 15: Discuss Northanger Abbey
Nov 19: Member Margaret’s report on the 2011 Country Weekend: Jane Austen and Architecture
Dec 17: Jane’s birthday lunch and 10th anniversary celebration @ progressively at two private homes
2010
Jan 30: Discuss Vol. 1, Mansfield Park
Feb 20: Discuss Vol. 2, Mansfield Park
Mar 20: Discuss Vol. 3, Mansfield Park
Apr 17: Discuss Jane Austen’s letters, 1811-1814
May 15: Brainstorm our JASA Conference Presentation
Jun 19: Discuss a secondary source on Mansfield Park
Jul 17: Brainstorm Regency quiz
Aug 21: Rehearse JASA Conference Presentation
Sep 18: MEETING CANCELLED due to September JASA Conference
Oct 16: Georgette Heyer revisited
Nov 20: Lovers’ vows viewing at Mary’s, and Chawton et al report from Anna
Dec 18: Jane’s birthday/Xmas lunch @ Podfood
JASACT 