How popular was Jane Austen?

Schedule

Thu Dec 11 2025 at 05:30 pm to 06:30 pm

UTC+00:00

Location

National Library of Scotland | Edinburgh, SC

Advertisement
In this talk, Professor Katie Halsey will reflect on the relative popularity of Jane Austen and her female contemporaries in their own time.
About this Event

In this talk, Professor Katie Halsey will reflect on the relative popularity of Jane Austen and her female contemporaries.

In 2025, the 250th year since her birth, Jane Austen is possibly the best-known female writer of all time. But in her own time, she was relatively unknown, and sales of her books were dwarfed by those of her more famous contemporaries, such as Maria Edgeworth, Frances Burney and Ann Radcliffe.

In this talk, Austen expert Professor Katie Halsey will explore the popularity of women writers of Austen's time. Using evidence of book circulation from Scottish libraries, drawn from the 'Books and Borrowing 1750-1830' research project, Halsey will show which women writers were most popular with ordinary readers in their own time. She will also present new research about the extraordinary lives of some of Austen's earliest readers who were Napoleonic Prisoners of War paroled in the Borders town of Selkirk from 1811 to 1814.



About the Speaker

Katie Halsey is Professor of Eighteenth-Century Literature at the University of Stirling, and author of 'Jane Austen and her Readers, 1786-1945'. She recently led the research project 'Books and Borrowing, 1750-1830', which aimed to establish which books were really popular in Scotland in this period.




When you book an event, your personal information will be held and used by the National Library of Scotland and our third-party suppliers for the purposes of allowing you to attend the event and for audience research. For more information, visit the National Library of Scotland privacy pages, in particular the events notice and feedback and complaints notice. We expect attendees to behave respectfully towards presenters, guests and other audience members.
Advertisement

Where is it happening?

National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

GBP 0.00

National Library of Scotland

Host or Publisher National Library of Scotland

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Connections Christmas Networking Drinks 2025
Thu, 11 Dec at 05:00 pm Edinburgh Connections Christmas Networking Drinks 2025

Gusto Italian

HOLIDAY
Carved in Stone: Bringing the Picts to Life
Thu, 11 Dec at 06:00 pm Carved in Stone: Bringing the Picts to Life

Augustine United Church

ART BUSINESS
Syrian Supper Club (December 2025)
Thu, 11 Dec at 07:00 pm Syrian Supper Club (December 2025)

Coffee Saints

FOOD-DRINKS
TBC Improv UK's Monthly Open Improv Jam
Thu, 11 Dec at 07:00 pm TBC Improv UK's Monthly Open Improv Jam

Summerhall

WORKSHOPS
Paint and Sip - Bob Ross Snowy Mountains | The Three Sisters
Thu, 11 Dec at 07:00 pm Paint and Sip - Bob Ross Snowy Mountains | The Three Sisters

The Three Sisters

ART FINE-ARTS
Gnarly Buttons
Thu, 11 Dec at 07:30 pm Gnarly Buttons

The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
National Galleries Writing Group
Thu, 21 May at 02:30 pm National Galleries Writing Group

National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait

ART EXHIBITIONS
Cocktail Masterclass at Harvey Nichols, Edinburgh
Thu, 14 Apr at 07:00 pm Cocktail Masterclass at Harvey Nichols, Edinburgh

Harvey Nichols Forth Floor Brasserie and Bar

WORKSHOPS
Queer Yoga Edinburgh @ Salisbury Centre
Fri, 10 Feb at 10:00 am Queer Yoga Edinburgh @ Salisbury Centre

Salisbury Centre

WORKSHOPS HEALTH-WELLNESS
Black History Walking Tour of Edinburgh
Sat, 29 Jul at 09:00 am Black History Walking Tour of Edinburgh

Melville Monument

BLACK-HISTORY-MONTH MEETUPS
Drawing in the Autumn - drawing workshops with autumnal themes
Wed, 04 Sep at 06:00 pm Drawing in the Autumn - drawing workshops with autumnal themes

The Out of the Blue Drill Hall

WORKSHOPS ART
Women Healing Art Circle
Thu, 19 Sep at 08:00 pm Women Healing Art Circle

The Salisbury Centre

ART NONPROFIT
Poetry Group at the ELC
Tue, 26 Nov at 03:00 pm Poetry Group at the ELC

The Eric Liddell Community

ART LITERARY-ART
An Action-Packed Scavenger Hunt! - Edinburgh\u2018s Enthralling Expedition
Fri, 13 Dec at 08:00 am An Action-Packed Scavenger Hunt! - Edinburgh‘s Enthralling Expedition

1 Drummond St

TRIPS-ADVENTURES HEALTH-WELLNESS
Blood and Guts: The Twists and Turns of Edinburgh's Medical History
Sat, 25 Jan at 02:00 pm Blood and Guts: The Twists and Turns of Edinburgh's Medical History

Surgeons' Hall Museum

DOG WORKSHOPS
The Georgian House: (ticket valid 10:00am-4:00pm)
Fri, 28 Feb at 10:00 am The Georgian House: (ticket valid 10:00am-4:00pm)

The Georgian House

ENTERTAINMENT ART
Introduction to Transmission Meditation - Edinburgh workshops 2025
Sun, 02 Mar at 07:00 pm Introduction to Transmission Meditation - Edinburgh workshops 2025

The Salisbury Centre

HEALTH-WELLNESS MEDITATION
Cosmic Path Yoga Flow -Weekly  Community Class
Wed, 26 Mar at 06:00 pm Cosmic Path Yoga Flow -Weekly Community Class

Art and Spirituality :Yoga, Healing, Meditation, Massage, Hire, Classes, Workshops

HEALTH-WELLNESS WORKSHOPS
Boozy Brushes, Drag Sip and Paint, Edinburgh
Sat, 05 Apr at 12:00 pm Boozy Brushes, Drag Sip and Paint, Edinburgh

LE MONDE

SIP-AND-PAINT

What's Happening Next in Edinburgh?

Discover Edinburgh Events