Alert Janeite Laurel Ann gave us a laugh this morning with an article in NewsBiscuit: Jane Austen Now Britain’s Largest Industry.

Books, films and TV shows related to the writing of Jane Austen have now surpassed manufacturing, shipping and computers as the largest single earner for Britain’s struggling economy.

In the week that ITV launched ‘Lost in Austen’ and another American travel writer published ‘In Austen’s Footsteps’, a government trade and industry spokesman confirmed that Britain’s GDP is now more dependent than ever on stories about modern single women who feel a real affinity with Elizabeth Bennett or Elinor Dashwood. ‘Although to be honest, it’s usually just Elizabeth Bennett, because most of them only read a bit of Pride and Prejudice, then watch the TV adaptation and then go on and on about really loving Austen.’

They say that like it’s a bad thing!