The great Jane Austen debate continues at Molesey Library this April

Elizabeth Proudman

The next Author Event at Molesey Library – on Tuesday April 28th at 7.30 pm – will see a welcome return visit from Elizabeth Proudman, formerly Chairman and currently Vice-Chairman of the Jane Austen Society.

Elizabeth came to the Library a year ago when Molesey author Nicholas Ennos gave a talk putting forward his controversial view that Jane Austen’s novels were written not by Jane herself but by her cousin and later sister-in-law, Eliza de Feuillide. Nicholas’s talk provoked a very lively debate in which Elizabeth mounted a staunch defence of Jane’s authorship.

We are very pleased that Elizabeth has now agreed to return to give us further insight into Jane Austen. Her talk, entitled ‘Who was Jane Austen?” will tell us about Jane and her Hampshire family. Elizabeth will also include more about Eliza de Feuillide, her relationship with the Austen family, and the reasons why she is completely convinced that Jane wrote her books and that Eliza did not!

Nicholas Ennos doubts Jane Austen is the true author

Elizabeth is a lifelong lover of Jane Austen’s books and for much of her working life was a Blue Badge tourist guide. For over 10 years she led an annual 10- day tour of the Austen sites in England for JASNA (Jane Austen Society of North America). She believes that it is fair to say she has been everywhere Jane knew or wrote about!

This should be a fascinating evening. Tickets for the event are £5 – which includes a glass of wine or soft drink – and they can be purchased at Molesey Library.

Alternatively, you can send a cheque (made payable to Friends of Molesey Library) with a stamped addressed envelope, to Author Event, Molesey Library, Walton Rd, West Molesey KT8 2HZ.