One of the reasons Jane Austen's novels continue to resonate with readers around the world is that they remind us how often first impressions can be misleading. We think we understand a person, only to discover there is far more beneath the surface than we first imagined.
Today, I am delighted to welcome author Mirta Ines Trupp to My Jane Austen Book Club to discuss Kindle the Light of Liberty, a fascinating historical novel set in Revolutionary Philadelphia. While not a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, the novel draws inspiration from Austen's timeless themes of misunderstanding, growth, family, and the challenge of judging character accurately.
At the heart of the story are Rose Wachsman and Nathan Hirsch, members of Philadelphia's Jewish community during the American Revolution. Through their journey, Mirta explores questions of identity, belonging, loyalty and love against the backdrop of a nation struggling to define itself.
In our conversation below, she shares how Jane Austen influenced her writing, why she chose this little-known corner of American history, and what readers might discover when they look beyond first impressions—both in fiction and in history.
