The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) began in 1979 in New York City and one of its co-founders, the late Joan Austen-Leigh ~ a direct descendent of Jane Austen ~ had a Canadian connection, as she had resided in British Columbia.
This non-profit society is “dedicated to the enjoyment and appreciation of Jane Austen and her works”, and has grown to have over 5,000 members and 79 regional groups throughout Canada and the United States. It is run by volunteers, and membership is open to anyone who has an interest in Jane Austen. A link to their web-site is: http://www.jasna.org
Please take a visit to their extremely interesting and informative site. It contains a wealth of information in many areas, including: a brief biography of Jane Austen; publications, such as the Society’s newsletter JASNA News, the journals Persuasions and Persuasions On-line, which
is published each year on December 16, commemorating Jane Austen’s birthday and features in-depth papers on all things Austen; updates from the Society’s Annual General Meeting, which is held in a different North American city each year; events the different regions are hosting; and Jane Austen merchandise.
May you find something there which will intrigue, pique curiosity and provide enjoyment. To borrow a line from Jane Austen’s novel, Emma: “It is such happiness when good people get together ~ and they always do”.
Jane Austen in Nova Scotia 