Jane Austen's novels have risen in popularity in recent decades, becoming the subject of intense scholarly study and the centre of a diverse fan culture. Austen, the author of Pride and Prejudice (1813) and Emma (1815), is one of the most widely read novelists in the English language. During her lifetime, her novels brought her little personal fame; like many women writers, she published anonymously. When they were published, her works received few positive reviews. By the mid-19th century, her novels were admired by members of the literary elite, but it was not until the 1940s that Austen was widely accepted in academia as a "great English novelist". The second half of the 20th century saw a proliferation of scholarship exploring artistic, ideological and historical aspects of her works. The 1940 film Pride and Prejudice was the first of many television and film adaptations. In the 21st century, Austen fandom supports an industry of printed sequels and prequels.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reception_history_of_Jane_Austen

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1789:

The Power of Sympathy by William Hill Brown, widely considered to be the first American novel, was published. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Sympathy

1919:

The First Dáil Éireann (members pictured) first convened at the Mansion House in Dublin, adopting a Declaration of Independence calling for a new sovereign state: the Irish Republic. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_D%C3%A1il

1972:

Tripura, part of the former independent Twipra Kingdom, became a full-fledged state in India. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripura

2017:

An estimated five million people worldwide participated in demonstrations to advocate legislation and policies regarding human rights and other issues. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Women%27s_March

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

pomander: 1. (countable, uncountable, historical) A mixture of aromatic substances, made into a ball and carried by a person to impart a sweet smell or as a protection against infection. 2. (countable, historical) A small case in which an aromatic ball was carried. 3. (countable) A perforated container filled with pot-pourri for placing in a drawer, wardrobe, room, etc., to provide a sweet smell. 4. (countable) An apple or orange studded with cloves used for the same purpose. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pomander

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Undoubtedly it is our duty, and for our best good, that we occupy and improve the faculties, with which our creator has endowed us, but so far as prejudice, or prepossession of opinion prevails over our minds, in the same proportion, reason is excluded from our theory or practice. Therefore if we would acquire useful knowledge, we must first divest ourselves of those impediments and sincerely endeavor to search out the truth: and draw our conclusions from reason and just argument, which will never conform to our inclination, interest or fancy but we must conform to that if we would judge rightly.   --Ethan Allen https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ethan_Allen