Jane Austen’s Birthplace at Steventon
Letter from the Editor
H umans love to obsess. When we find a
new singer we like, we must immediately
go on social media and figure out what she named her
pet cat. We want to know the stories behind the songs
we love. But sometimes, research just isn’t enough. We
have to be where Taylor Swift said goodbye to a lover.
Where the book was written. Where the movie was
filmed. Where the great impressionist painters lived and
worked and worshipped. Experiencing places firsthand
is richer than experiencing them on a computer screen
or between the pages of a novel.
In describing the heroine of Northanger Abbey,
Jane Austen writes that Catherine Morland “loved
nothing so well in the world as rolling down the green
slope at the back of the house.” This opening scene
immediately sets up the main character and provides
an iconic image. When I read Northanger Abbey for
the first time at fifteen years old. I could instantly
relate to Catherine’s desire for adventure outside
the pages of her books. The characters and places in
Northanger Abbey seemed so real to me.
When I was seventeen years old, I finally had the
opportunity to visit Jane Austen’s England for myself.
I stood inches from the desk where Jane wrote
some of my favorite books. But my favorite moment
occurred when I climbed up a hill on the side of the
road to look out at the site of Jane’s birthplace. And
Image by Karlie Kelsch
what did I see there? A green slope at the back of
the house; perfect for rolling down. I could almost
see an adolescent Jane rolling down the hill with her
brothers, getting mud all over her muslin dress—just
like Catherine Morland.
Visiting the places that inspired Jane inspired me
to learn more about her. It gave me insights into her
life and writing that I would never have made from
reading a nonfiction book or watching a documentary.
Historical figures, cultural icons, singers, artists, and
political movers and shakers all inspire us with their
works. But what places inspired them? What places
can inspire us?
In this edition of Stowaway, we will explore the
concept of discovering inspiration in our travels.
We will explore the locations that inspired Taylor
Swift’s song lyrics, the hometowns of European
painters, the sacred sites of Taiwan, and so much
more. We will also consider places that inspire other
cultures (like the various legends of Santa Claus) and
places that can inspire travelers (like Zambia). I hope
that with this issue of Stowaway, you will find similar
inspiration for yourself and your travels!
—Karlie Kelsch
Managing Editor
106