Jane Austen was not only a writer of great books; she also was an owner of great books. Only twenty books known to have been owned by Austen and bearing her signature or annotations survive. This program will explore one of these extraordinarily rare books; Austen’s first-edition copy of the remarkable Curiosities of Literature, a compilation of short and often witty essays and observations on all things literary written by Isaac D’Israeli and first published in 1791. Perhaps it is no wonder Austen acquired a copy of the book: Curiosities was a publishing sensation, selling out fourteen editions and receiving nearly universal acclaim. We will discuss the history and enduring influence of Curiosities of Literature and its extraordinary author, reveal what we know of Austen’s ownership of the book and how it was preserved to the present day, and identify where we might see traces of D’Israeli’s reflections in Austen’s writings. Austen’s own copy includes not only her signature, but her own pencil markings as well. Austen’s copy of the book will be displayed at the session for inspection.

Paul Savidge is a life member of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA), a member of the JASNA Board of Directors, and a former Regional Coordinator for the Society’s Eastern Pennsylvania Region. Paul has strong interest in antiquarian books and collects and preserves rare books related to Jane Austen and her times. He has presented on a number of Austen topics locally and at the national JASNA conference. When not thinking about Jane Austen, he is a practicing attorney.