HumanitiesBooks

Jane Austen as an abolitionist? Margie Burns unpacks the loaded history of the phrase “pride and prejudice”

Aug 7, 2025 • By Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque

With Hollywood movies and New York Times bestselling spinoffs of Austen's novels, it might seem that everything there is to say about the prolific author has already been said. Margie Burns begs to differ as she ushers in a year of Austen celebrations worldwide with her latest contribution to the Austen canon with Jane Austen, Abolitionist: The Loaded History of the Phrase “Pride and Prejudice" (McFarland, 2024). This new insight into Austen’s life allows Burns to open up a fresh discussion for Austen enthusiasts and to attract new readers interested in female authors who challenge societal norms by writing leading female characters with bold opinions.