Friday 14th November 2025
Venue: Online
7pm GMT
Visit our digital living room for the third event for our Jane Austen Book Club.
The Novel Life of Jane Austen: A Graphic Biography
Janine Barchas & Isabel Greenberg
Step into the world of Jane Austen with this captivating graphic novel that brings to life the beloved author’s own story. Through delightful illustrations and engaging storytelling, you will journey from Austen’s early years as a budding novelist, full of writerly ambition, to her posthumous fame as one of the most celebrated writers in literary history.
Packed with biographical facts, The Novel Life of Jane Austen offers a unique perspective on Jane’s view of the world around her – revealing her sharp wit, her keen observations on society and the struggles she faced in a male-dominated world where she lacked the leverage of rank or fortune. This graphic novel explores her family dynamics, the influences of her friendships and the moments that inspired her novels.
A sparkling collaboration between renowned Austen expert Janine Barchas and New York Times bestselling graphic novelist Isabel Greenberg, this is not just a must-read for Janeites but for anyone curious about one of literature’s most enduring figures.
About the Authors
Janine Barchas, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized Jane Austen scholar. She holds the Chancellor’s Council Centennial Chair in the Book Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the author of Matters of Fact in Jane Austen: History, Location, and Celebrity and The Lost Books of Jane Austen. She is also the creator behind the digital project What Jane Saw (www.whatjanesaw.org). She lives in Austin, Texas.
Isabel Greenberg is a writer and illustrator who lives and works in North London. She studied illustration at the University of Brighton in 2010, and has worked for NoBrow Press, Seven Stories Press, and Solipsistic Pop. She is the winner of the 2011 Observer/Cape Graphic Short Story Prize.
Tickets: £6 | £50 season ticket to all JABC events onsite and online. For the full list, click here.
This is an online event. It takes place 7-8pm GMT. The cut off to purchase tickets is midnight on the day before the event. The Zoom link should be visible on your ticket, but ticket holders will be also emailed the Zoom link on the day of the event. If you do not receive joining details by midday (UK time) on the day of the event, please email info@chawtonhouse.org with your order number. The talks will be recorded and emailed out to those who cannot join synchronously within 7 days. Access to working internet is required. Please note this event will take place live.
What is the Jane Austen Book Club?
Jane Austen’s anniversary year has seen multiple books about her life and work published. Over the Autumn and Winter of 2025, we speak to some of the authors working on Austen—novelists, biographers, and graphic artists—about their love of Austen, the inspiration behind their work, and the fresh perspectives they bring to her world. Each session offers the chance to hear lively conversation, ask questions, and explore how Austen continues to spark joy and creativity today.