Paula Byrne (author of Mad World: Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Brideshead)

For those who were at the Evelyn Waugh conference in August 2011 and who enjoyed Paula Byrne’s talk on the coach en route to Combe Florey, this might be of interest… In her talk, after enlightening us about her risqué Madresfield/Brideshead scoop, she referred to the scoop she had for her new book about Jane Austen. Paula was on British TV over Christmas, a programme that was about the sketch of Jane Austen she’d discovered. Actually, her husband, knowing she was researching Austen, had bought it for her at Sotheby’s. But obviously Paula had gone into overdrive about it and had turned up much fascinating evidence (via fashion, geography, history) to suggest that the portrait was real and very different to the only other authenticated sketch – a pretty picture sketched by Austen’s sister. The new book that Paula has written was not mentioned but I’m sure it will be in the pipeline, especially with such great publicity potential as this behind it.