
Welcome, Janeites, to the What the Austen? podcast! I’m your host, Izzy Meakin, a lifelong Janeite with a deep love for Austen. Each month, I team up with fellow enthusiasts to explore the wit, charm, and quirks of Jane’s novels. This podcast is for those who enjoy thought-provoking discussions and a good laugh, covering everything from romantic moments to quirky aspects and unpopular opinions. We... more
| Publishes | Monthly | Episodes | 90 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | ArtsBooks | |||

*Warning: some spoilers in this ep*
In this episode, I’m joined by screenwriter Sarah Quintrell to dive into the world of Mary Bennet and the brilliance of The Other Bennet Sister 💛
We talk about why Mary’s story feels so important, from comparis... more
In this episode, we’re joined by pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason to explore Jane Austen’s creativity beyond the written word and through music. We talk about Jeneba’s recent project Jane Austen’s Piano EP (Available on Spotify and Apple Music now) and he... more
250th Birthday Edition: What Matters in Jane Austen? by John Mullan: https://amzn.to/4sA9fbG
In this episode, I’m joined by John Mullan to explore the remarkable range of Jane Austen’s novels and the beauty of her unique literary style. We talk a... more
I thought a fun Christmas episode would be to discuss Regency Christmas traditions. From mistletoe to ghost stories, we get into the festive Regency spirit on the podcast.
Author Jessica Bull is joining me to share her insights and to talk about he... more
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Izzy is so fun and her personality makes the show light hearted and easy to listen to. Her insights are thoughtful and interesting. I love listening to her character studies!
Dear Izzy,
Words cannot descrbe how your podcast hast enriched my life. Your guests and you Teach me so much about Jane Austen I hope you will continue with this podcast. But no matter what you will always have this tight-knit Jane Austen community.
There are so many episodes of this podcast that I love and I’m so grateful for the discussion and character analysis in previous episodes. It has all been so interesting and insightful. Lately, however, I have felt like the tone of the podcast has changed—there is more criticism for the characters and often times they have very little positive to say about them. A more modern lens has been brought in to look at the characters and I think that does Jane Austen a disservice. I think some emotions ... more
Izzy’s podcast is full of educational deep dives and close readings, as well as fun and creative modern connections. It has made me look at Austen’s work in new ways and appreciate how universal and timeless her characters and themes are. A must listen for long-time Austen fans, as well as people just discovering her work. There is something for everyone.
I have been listening to What the Austen for the past year and I’m excited for each new episode every time they drop. Such insightful thoughts. I love listening as I work on my lesson planning. Very inspiring! Love feeling like I’m apart of the community.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
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Apple Podcasts | #185 | |
Apple Podcasts | #200 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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The show dives into Jane Austen's world with lively, thoughtful conversations that blend close readings, historical context, and modern connections. Across episodes, topics span Austen's novels, Regency society, adaptations, fashion, music, and festive traditions, often featuring guests from academia, publishing, fashion history, and the arts. Listeners can expect a warm, community-driven atmosphere, deep literary analysis, and accessible takes on complex themes, with a notable emphasis on character study, narrative structure, and the social mores of Regency England.
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These podcasts share a similar audience with What the Austen? Podcast:
1. The Thing About Austen
2. Austen Chat
3. Pod and Prejudice
4. Reclaiming Jane
5. Not Just the Tudors
What the Austen? Podcast launched 5 years ago and published 90 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on What the Austen? Podcast include:
1. Sarah Quintrell
2. Jeneba Kanneh-Mason
3. John Mullan
4. Helena Kelly
5. Susannah Harker
6. Hilary Davidson
7. Jill Hornby
8. Jessica Bull
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