This volume explores the multiple connections between the two most canonical authors in English, Jane Austen and William Shakespeare. The collection reflects on the historical, literary, critical and filmic links between the authors and their fates. Considering the implications of the popular cult of Austen and Shakespeare, the essays are interdisciplinary and comparative: ranging from Austen’s and Shakespeare’s biographies to their presence in the modern vampire saga Twilight, passing by Shakespearean echoes in Austen’s novels and the authors’ afterlives on the improv stage, in wartime cinema, modern biopics and crime fiction. The volume concludes with an account of the Exhibition “Will & Jane” at the Folger Shakespeare Library, which literally brought the two authors together in the autumn of 2016. Collectively, the essays mark and celebrate what we have called the long-standing “love affair” between William Shakespeare and Jane Austen—over 200 years and counting.

Book 1: Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of “Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.” Follow the spirited Elizabeth Bennet as she navigates love, societal expectations, and the enduring charm of Mr. Darcy in this timeless tale of wit, romance, and social commentary. Book 2: Discover the unparalleled genius of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare.” Traverse the vast literary landscape crafted by the Bard himself, encompassing tragedy, comedy, and sonnets that continue to captivate readers with their timeless themes and profound insights into the human experience. Book 3: Plunge into the depths of human struggle and resilience with “Long Day's Journey Into Night by Eugene O'Neill.” O'Neill's poignant play, set against the backdrop of familial conflict, delves into the complexities of addiction, regret, and the elusive pursuit of happiness, leaving a lasting impact on the theatrical landscape.

Thoroughly innovative and occasionally irreverent, this book will appeal in equal measure to book historians, Austen fans, and scholars of literary celebrity.

THE PERFECT VISIT: A NOVEL The Perfect Visit tells the story of two bibliophiles who go back in time to rescue lost books and manuscripts. Vanessa Horwood decides on Regency England; Ned Marston goes to Shakespeare's. But Vanessa wants to rewrite history. And Ned wants to meet the Bard himself. The novel takes its title from Jane Austen's Emma: "it was a delightful visit - perfect, in being much too short." Vanessa and Ned both plan such perfect visits. And both reach their destinations. Then things go wrong and their sojourns become longer and more dangerous than either had ever imagined. Vanessa falls foul of the law, transported from Jane Austen's genteel world to the dark underbelly of a Regency prison. 1607 London shows an equally black side to Ned when he antagonises one of Shakespeare's rivals, escaping with his life only to find that an accident of time takes him only halfway home. Advance praise for The Perfect Visit: "Stuart Bennett's remarkable visit to Regency England is compulsive reading, a treasure house of observation, perceptiveness and detail. Admirers of Jane Austen's novels will feel that they have truly come home." - Stephen Orgel, General Editor, The Pelican Shakespeare.

The text of Jane Austen's classic tale is accompanied by an introduction to the author's life and work and explanatory notes discussing the novel's historical context, language, characters, and themes.

This collection of essays explores the literary and cinematic implications of translating Austen's prose into film. Contributors raise questions of how prose fiction and cinema differ, of how mass commercial audiences require changes to script and character, and of how continually remade films evoke memories of earlier productions. The essays represent widely divergent perspectives, from literary 'purists' suspicious of filmic renderings of Austen to film-makers who see the text as a stimulus for producing exceptional cinema. This comprehensive study will be of interest to students and teachers alike.