Fans of author Jane Austen have celebrations planned in England and North American in 2017, the 200th anniversary of her death. The Bank of England is even printing a 20 pound note with her picture on it.

In the last century, many other authors have been inspired by her characters and her themes.

Some biographies about Jane Austen and books that have been inspired by her work are:

Jane Austen at Home: A biography, by Lucy Worsley. This biography focuses on the homes that Jane Austen lived, studied, worked and visited in during her short life from 1775-1817. Her writings and her possessions are tied to these locations.

The Jane Austen Project, by Kathleen Flynn. In this novel, two researchers from the future are sent back in time to London, 1815, in order to retrieve an unpublished Jane Austen manuscript and determine the illness that killed Jane Austen two years later. While doing this, they must not change the past.

Emma: A modern retelling, by Alexander McCall Smith. In this retelling, heroine Emma Woodhouse is a recent university graduate who has come home to Hartfield as an interior designer. She finds her father obsessed with germs, and her governess spending her time online. Hartfield needs her help.

First Impressions: A novel of old books, unexpected love, and Jane Austen, by Charlie Lovett. In this novel, a recent graduate of Oxford, Sophie Collingwood, is working in an antique bookstore. A customers request for a rare book leads Sopphie into a deeper mystery of whether Jane Austen plagiarized Pride and Prejudice. Alternating chapters follow the young Jane Austen as she writes her first novel with the supportive friendship of the older clergyman Richard Mansfield.

Jane and the Waterloo Map: Being a Jane Austen mystery, by Stephanie Barron. In this 13th mystery in the Jane Austen mystery series, Jane is in London in 1815 nursing her ill brother Henry. In a rare opportunity to visit the prince regents library, Jane stumbles across a dying war veteran who mentions the words Waterloo Map to her. With the help of a spy, she solves the mystery of the killer and the importance of the map.

Learn to Play Bridge: 6:30-7:45 p.m., Thursdays, Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28. Registration required. The classes provide basic instruction in the card game bridge. Sponsored by the Friends of the Chaska Library.

Tails for Reading: 10:30-noon Saturday, Sept. 9. Preschool and school-age children are welcome to read books out loud to therapy dogs to encourage confidence in reading. Presented by North Star Therapy Animals. Children read for a 15-minute session on a first come, first served basis.

Mail Fraud, Postal Scams, and Identity Theft: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 7. Learn how to prevent becoming a victim of mail fraud and identity theft. U.S. Postal Inspector Jeff Long will discuss mail and types of e-mail that should cause you concern. Registration required.

Teen Advisory Board: 6:30-7:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 11. Ages 13-18. Join other teens to help plan programs, activities, and volunteer as Teen Advisors. Discuss new books and have some snacks. Bring a friend if you wish.

Club Book author talk by P.J. Tracy is 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 14. P.J. Tracy is the pseudonym for Traci Lambrecht. She co-wrote with her mother the internationally bestselling Monkeewrench mystery novels. The most recent book in the series is Nothing Stays Buried.

Writers Group: 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Sept. 16. Join other aspiring writers for support and advice.

Free Online Classroom: 6-8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 14. Register. This workshop will provide participants with an overview of popular free online learning platforms. Come explore the endless opportunities for online learning.

Storytimes at Carver County Libraries resume the week of Sept. 11.

Kathy Bognanni is the branch manager of the Chanhassen Library and the Victoria Library, Carver County Library. She can be reached at kbognanni@co.carver.mn.us

See the article here:
Library: Celebrating Jane Austen - SW News Media