Tributes and celebrations for Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary

This year marks 250 years since the birth of Jane Austen (16 December 1775) – arguably one of the greatest novelists that ever lived. In her homeland of Hampshire, England, residents are expecting a tourist boom, with many festivals, balls, conventions, lectures, workshops, performances and themed tours in the offing. Though Austen only ever produced six (completed) novels, gently lampooning and exploring late 18th century social life, the wit, sense and sensibilities of her works have left a lasting impression on both literature and popular culture. There have been countless iterations of her fiction across stage, film and books in all manner of sequels, prequels and adaptations, from soft porn, to crime, to fantasy.