Jane Austen’s beloved novel Emma turns 200 in 2016!  To celebrate, the Goucher College Library is spotlighting one of the treasures of our world-class Jane Austen Collection:  the very rare first American edition of Emma, published in Philadelphia in 1816 by Matthew Carey.  Our exhibit tells the fascinating story of how and why this novel came to be printed in America, without Austen’s knowledge, only months after the first English edition was released.  We trace the eventful history of our particular copy—one of only six copies now known to exist—and introduce viewers to its distinguished owners who include the Countess of Dalhousie and the English poet Siegfried Sassoon, as well as, Goucher alumna and collector Alberta H. Burke.  A gallery of delightful illustrations and cover art from editions of Emma over the years and around the world concludes the exhibit. 

The exhibit is part of the Goucher College Library’s EMMA IN AMERICA CAMPAIGN which features events, lectures, and an interactive website to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s novel Emma.  
 

See more at EmmaInAmerica.org.