British literature

Forty years ago, Northern English poet Harrison published a powerful work inspired by vandalised gravestones in his hometown Leeds.

In 1986, the author talked to the BBC about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the epic series of comic novels loved by tech executives.

Austen is one of the greatest writers in the English language – but relatively little is known about her. And that's in part because of an act that infuriates many to this day.

As travellers flock to the English countryside to celebrate the renowned novelist, we asked experts to weigh in on the best Austen-themed festivals, reenactments and balls of the year.

Beginning with his acclaimed 2018 debut novel The Loney, Andrew Michael Hurley has spooked readers with his tales of strange rural communities – and now they're moving to film and TV.

The news that Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are starring in Emerald Fennell's take on Emily Brontë's romance has caused a storm – no surprise in an age of increased casting scrutiny.

Don’t dismiss Austen’s novels as satires of another era. From how her characters ‘game’ the system to their desire to marry for love, her plots, and advice, remain highly useful today.

Even Jane Austen devotees often haven’t read her final – and unfinished – novel. But ever since Austen’s death 200 years ago, many writers have taken it upon themselves to complete.