JANE AUSTEN AT 250: Brit Lit tour of Vienna

To celebrate Jane Austen's 250th birthday today, we look at the enduring appeal of her work, and the influence of British literature here in central Europe. Regency is quite hyped just now, and the waves have reached us over here.

In partnership with the English-language Department of Vienna University, and the screenings of so many Austen adaptations at Gartenbaukino, we will make a more unusual, creative stroll through Vienna, and look at why these words still matter, how beautiful they are, why Austen still resonates, and some other books which riff on Vienna, or connect UK and Austria.

One of the obvious reasons for the popularity of English literature is the power of the language, through the dominance of American business and culture. But it is also about the appeal of a certain escapism, of good storytelling, playing with class stereotypes and humour, and alternative romance.

So what will we visit on this wordy walk? WH Auden, who wrote this passionate poem, died on Walfischgasse. And he gets a reference at the other end of that same street, in Before Sunrise. There is a bust of Shakespeare on the Burg, and Eugene feels that the dramas, manipulation, and even murders of Brexit would have appealed to him. We will discover why Schottenring is called that way, how the Freud family have contributed to British literary life, visit a pub of course, Pickwick Papers (named for Charles Dickens, that committed socialist campaigner and master storyteller), a Graham Greene scene from The Third Man, and speak of lesser-known figures Peter Morgan, Edmund de Waal and Ian Hamilton Finlay, who have all written here.

Since one of the guides for this walk, Eugene, is of Irish descent, we will also squeeze in some Irish literature, since Bloomsday reflects the global reach of James Joyce (who wrote Ulysses partly in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in Trieste, 1914-15). Even Robert Burns' events on St Andrew's Day in January are starting to catch on, with Whisky and fiery poetry.

The walk will also feature Emily Bronte and, hopefully, Virginia Wolf. But Rosamunde Pilcher, not so much. And definitely no JK Rowling.

The film Amadeus - which started as a theatre piece in London, was written by a man from Liverpool, Peter Schaffer, and we will quote from the screenplay.

This will be our first literary walk, though we reference books the whole time, on many other themed urban adventures. Please join us...