Happy birthday, Jane Austen: 250 years of undermining the romantic novel
The works of the 18th century author are about so much more than love, exploring female friendship, power struggles and survival in a patriarchal society
Jane Austen
‘Badly done, Emma!’ Jane Austen needed only a picnic to torment her readers
As film and TV adaptations prove, there has never been a more excruciating group outing than the one in Emma
Would the fighting spirit that defeated the Nazis be possible now? You’d have to worry
This century the closest we’ve had to a wartime footing in Ireland has been the Covid pandemic - and while it did have a unifying effect for a time, it also seemed to unleash something
Materialists director Celine Song: ‘How are we supposed to find love when dating is reduced to a numbers game?’
Materialists, Celine Song’s new romcom, is inspired by the film-maker’s time working for an elite New York matchmaking agency
Attention, men: Books are sexy, but staring into a phone is not
Men are reading less these days, proving that what is rare is wonderful
This summer I’m taking a Maga approach to reading: self-serving and isolationist
The art of re-reading - or rewatching - old favourites is a romantic pursuit
Four new films to see this week: Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, How to Train Your Dragon, Tornado and Lollipop
A quartet of movies released in the week of June 13th, 2025
Jane Austen Wrecked My Life director Laura Piani: ‘I didn’t want to do a film about a woman who is saved by a man’
The French director’s Austen-influenced romcom with a clever spin was inspired by a stint working at Paris bookshop Shakespeare and Company
Jane Austen Wrecked My Life review: Sparky dialogue and hearty comedy carry this lovely, mischievous film
Laura Piani’s film rises above comparisons not just with Austen’s work and the trad romcom but also with attempts to weave those things together
Aunts fictional and real matter more to us than they may know
In praise of our aunts and women who don’t hold the title, but who have always been there for us
Author Caroline Madden: ‘My luck turned when I created a female protagonist seething with quiet resentment’
The author of The Marriage Vendetta talks about what it takes to get published, her Jane Austen-inspired world record, and a surprisingly funny book
Author Patricia Scanlan: ‘I’m working on an unanticipated project of healing from breast cancer’
The author on new novel City Girls Forever, a key difference between men and women and dealing with a cancer diagnosis
Following the footsteps of Jane Austen in Bath, hotbed of 1800s gossip and novel plots
With its Georgian architecture, Roman baths and Austen-tatious literary history, Bath never breaks character
Jane Austen’s Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney: Frances Burney and Maria Edgeworth are given their due
Romney vividly communicates her sometimes surprised enjoyment of the works that shaped Austen, finding them in some ways superior to Austen’s own
More sex, please: Bridget Jones, Colin Firth and the astonishing rebranding of Jane Austen
Thirty years ago, one event made Austen more popular than almost any other contemporary or close successor
TV guide: the best new shows to watch, starting tonight
February 2nd-7th: including Amandaland, Miss Austen, and Samantha Mumba’s crack at Eurovision
Novelist Emma Healey: ‘There’s an idea that painting all the roofs in the world white would reduce the global temperature’
The author of Sweat on her plan to save Earth, her least favourite quote, and Colm Tóibín’s shapely writing
Emma review: Agreeably quirky take on Austen shakes the story’s structure a little too vigorously
Theatre: Toni O’Rourke plays Emma with gusto, and Hannah Mamalis is hilarious as Harriet. Despite some narrative overreaching, you’ll probably leave happy
The Abbey has fun with Jane Austen’s Emma: ‘Our production is curious about her libido’
Kate Hamill’s adaptation, starring Toni O’Rourke, explores the psychology of what drives the much-loved protagonist, says director Claire O’Reilly
Katherine Zappone falls foul of FG leadership’s arrogance
Anne Harris: Fine Gael shows an irresponsibility that may end up costing us all
Love Island: Ah, happy memories of meeting my own wife while taking part in an erotic challenge
Patrick Freyne: Is the reality show giving young people unrealistic ideas? I wouldn’t say so
If the film's great, who cares if it's faithful to the book?
When confronted by the BBC’s noisy, modern version of The Pursuit of Love, harsh reality clashes with a long-held principle and this viewer finds himself fuming
Fintan O'Toole: For newspaper columnists, anonymity is a betrayal
Putting you name to your work is the most basic form of accountability
Aoife Kelleher: ‘At my 30th my friends had to rescue the party from my morose playlist’
Soundtrack of My Life: The director on her lockdown listening, Francophilia, and Peppa Pig
‘I knew that women were people. And I knew society would catch up’
Patricia Rozema’s film Mouthpiece shows the world still needs her daredevil vision
Love in lockdown: ‘It gave us a new appreciation for each other’
Divorce applications have risen, lawyers say, but many relationships have never been better
Unleash your creativity: Ways to get crafty at home
From jigsaws to art from your fridge, there are mental health benefits from make-and-do
White Ivy: Sharp exploration of privilege in modern America
Book review: Captivating debut novel about the dangers of pursuing the American dream
Matching Funds – Frank McNally on the ‘Charlton Charity’, a labour of love for loving labourers
An Irishman’s Diary
We pictured idyllic summers, colour schemes, playrooms for the kids. Then we saw the house
Move to the country: Leaving Dublin was the first big decision but as the search starts, other hard choices loom
Why saying no can make you indispensable at work
Knowing how to do it in a pandemic, when job insecurity is rife, is even more important
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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