Happy 250th birthday to Jane Austen!

Today is the 250th anniversary of beloved author Jane Austen's birth, and the literary publications have plenty of coverage to commemorate this event.

• Members of the Jane Austen Society of North America explain why Austen's work still appeals so strongly to modern readers (NPR). 

• Society members also share which of her characters are their favorites (NPR).

• One character in particular has bewitched many a reader — and that, of course, is Mr. Darcy; three writers tackle the question of which actor has delivered the ultimate on-screen Darcy performance (The New York Times).

• Here's how some Austen fans planned to celebrate her 250th birthday (The New York Times).

• Writers Elizabeth Kaye Cook and Melanie Jennings recount their literary pilgrimage to several Austen sites and how it replenished them (Literary Hub).

• Test your knowledge of Austen's life and work with this quiz (The New York Times).

• These items — from antique originals to mass-produced modern creations — represent the mark Austen has left on Western culture (The New York Times).

And in case you missed it earlier, here are more pieces on the leadup to Austen's 250th birthday.