Daughters of Jane Book Club

From Clueless to Bridgerton, there is no denying Jane Austen’s impact on pop culture. Although the last of her novels were published in 1818, the renowned English author has inspired a seemingly never-ending list of classic and contemporary works that continue to this day. In recognition of Austen’s ongoing legacy, the DC Public Library launched Daughters of Jane in March 2021. Every month, attendees get together to discuss works by Austen and the women who followed in her footsteps. The club kicked off with Pride and Prejudice, and have since discussed An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole and Julia Quinn’s First Comes Scandal. On Aug. 17, the group will dive into Faro’s Daughter by Georgette Heyer. Set in the English Regency period, Faro’s Daughter touches on issues of class, family loyalty, and the notion of women’s “respectability”—themes that are closely intertwined with the lives of literary heroines from Austen and her contemporaries and, therefore, common themes in Daughters of Jane discussions. While the group is a dream come true for fans of Austen, anyone is welcome to attend. In fact, as Peter Costolanski and Joanna De Arman from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library put it, all you need is a sense of imagination and a willingness to discuss the novels “ad nauseam.” The virtual discussion begins at 6 p.m. on Aug. 17. dclibrary.org. Free.