Jane Austen was born in 1775 in rural Hampshire, the daughter of an affluent village rector who encouraged her in her artistic pursuits. In novels such as Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma she developed her subtle analysis of contemporary life through depictions of the middle classes in small towns. Her sharp wit and incisive portraits of ordinary people have given her novels enduring popularity. She died in 1817.
An unputdownable read that challenges perceptions, and subtly marks a line in feminist history and thought -- Victoria Lambert * The Telegraph * Jane Austen’s self-enclosed world enveloped me, soothing in its contours and assumptions . . . irresistible -- Susan Chira * The New York Times *