Jane Austen Week at Topping & Company Booksellers

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Topping and Co. is thrilled to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth with a week of captivating literary events dedicated to the iconic author and her enduring legacy. Here’s a glimpse of the lineup:

Jane Austen’s 250th: Gill Hornby for The Elopement
Monday, 23rd June 2025
The festivities begin with Gill Hornby, acclaimed author of The Hive and All Together Now, as well as The Story of Jane Austen, a biography for younger readers. Gill will present The Elopement, the much-anticipated sequel to her previous novels Miss Austen and Godmersham Park.

Jane Austen’s 250th: Jane Austen’s Wardrobe with Hilary Davidson
Tuesday, 24th June 2025
Hilary Davidson, associate professor and chair of MA Fashion and Textile Studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, will share her expertise on Regency fashion. As the author of Dress in the Age of Jane Austen and Jane Austen’s Wardrobe, she offers a fascinating exploration of the clothing and material culture that shaped Austen’s daily life.

Jane Austen’s 250th: John Mullan Asks What Matters in Jane Austen?
Wednesday, 25th June 2025
John Mullan, a renowned professor and former columnist for the Guardian Book Club, brings his deep insights to the discussion of Austen’s works. Known for his frequent contributions to the BBC’s Review Show and his role as a Booker Prize judge, Mullan will delve into the themes and nuances that make Austen’s novels timeless.

Jane Austen’s 250th: Kathryn Sutherland on Austen in 41 Objects
Thursday, 26th June 2025
Kathryn Sutherland, Senior Research Fellow at St Anne’s College, Oxford, presents her innovative biography, Jane Austen in 41 Objects. This work examines the material world Austen inhabited, weaving together the objects she used in her lifetime with contemporary memorabilia inspired by her legacy.

Jane Austen's 250th: Caroline Sanderson for Jane Austen ~ The Life of a Literary Titan
Friday, 27th June 
Caroline Sanderson began her career as a bookseller, and later worked in publishing publicity before becoming an author and journalist. Since 2000 she has compiled the monthly non-fiction previews for The Bookseller magazine, where she is Associate Editor. Caroline is also a Royal Literary Fund Writing For Life Fellow, supporting writing skills within the NHS. In 2024 she was appointed Honorary President of the Society of Indexers.

She joins Toppings for her biography of Jane Austen, a concise and fascinating look at one of the world's undisputed literary titans.

Jane Austen’s 250th: An Austen Walk with Akeman Press
Sunday, 29th June 2025
The celebration concludes with a guided walk through the streets of Bath, led by Kirsten Elliott and Andrew Swift of Akeman Press. This immersive experience reveals what life in Bath was like during Austen’s time, retracing her steps and exploring the city as she would have known it.

Jane Austen's 250th: Janet Todd for Living with Jane Austen
Friday, 4th July 
Part personal memoir, part expert interaction with all the letters, manuscripts and published novels, Janet's new book reveals what living with Jane Austen has meant to her and what it might also mean to others. Todd celebrates the undimmable power of Austen's work to help us understand our own bodies and our environment, and teach us about patience, humour, beauty and the meaning of home.