2017 marks the 200th anniversary of the death of beloved British author Jane Austen and for bookworm fans worldwide, why not mark the occasion by planning an exciting getaway to visit some of the U.K.'s finest stately homes with a direct connection to the great author's works? Whether you're a literary buff or just love the splendour, we have delved into our more than one million properties to select fantastic accommodations near to these grand, historical residences. Step back in time and take a leaf out of Jane Austen's book.

After spending most of my adult life faking the joy, I finally understood the appeal of the chalet. The reasons were manifold I think. But while my newfound enthusiasm is as genuine as any Canadian's, there are still a few things that give me away as an amateur.

The obvious question one may consider is why would someone do this? Is it an attempt to seem well-travelled? Sophisticated? Cultured? If so it could well be in vain as I can tell you that there are many people with English accents who are not well-travelled, sophisticated or cultured

Canada does not appear to possess a definitive or authoritative narrative that properly connects when and by whom the country was founded. While surveys reveal that most Canadians believe that 1867 is the founding date of Canada many of those same people think the First Nations are amongst the founding peoples.