Jane Austen Popular Books

Jane Austen Biography & Facts

Jane Austen ( OST-in, AW-stin; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage for the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security. Her works are an implicit critique of the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism. Her deft use of social commentary, realism and biting irony have earned her acclaim among critics and scholars. The anonymously published Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816), were a modest success but brought her little fame in her lifetime. She wrote two other novels—Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both published posthumously in 1817—and began another, eventually titled Sanditon, but died before its completion. She also left behind three volumes of juvenile writings in manuscript, the short epistolary novel Lady Susan, and the unfinished novel The Watsons. Since her death Austen's novels have rarely been out of print. A significant transition in her reputation occurred in 1833, when they were republished in Richard Bentley's Standard Novels series (illustrated by Ferdinand Pickering and sold as a set). They gradually gained wide acclaim and popular readership. In 1869, fifty-two years after her death, her nephew's publication of A Memoir of Jane Austen introduced a compelling version of her writing career and supposedly uneventful life to an eager audience. Her work has inspired a large number of critical essays and has been included in many literary anthologies. Her novels have also inspired many films, including 1940's Pride and Prejudice, 1995's Sense and Sensibility and 2016's Love & Friendship. Biographical sources The scant biographical information about Austen comes from her few surviving letters and sketches her family members wrote about her. Only about 160 of the approximately 3,000 letters Austen wrote have survived and been published. Cassandra Austen destroyed the bulk of the letters she received from her sister, burning or otherwise destroying them. She wanted to ensure that the "younger nieces did not read any of Jane's sometimes acid or forthright comments on neighbours or family members". In the interest of protecting reputations from Jane's penchant for honesty and forthrightness, Cassandra omitted details of illnesses, unhappiness and anything she considered unsavoury. Important details about the Austen family were elided by intention, such as any mention of Austen's brother George, whose undiagnosed developmental challenges led the family to send him away from home; the two brothers sent away to the navy at an early age; or wealthy Aunt Leigh-Perrot, arrested and tried on charges of larceny.The first Austen biography was Henry Thomas Austen's 1818 "Biographical Notice". It appeared in a posthumous edition of Northanger Abbey and included extracts from two letters, against the judgement of other family members. Details of Austen's life continued to be omitted or embellished in her nephew's A Memoir of Jane Austen, published in 1869, and in William and Richard Arthur Austen-Leigh's biography Jane Austen: Her Life and Letters, published in 1913, all of which included additional letters. Austen's family and relatives built a legend of "good quiet Aunt Jane", portraying her as a woman in a happy domestic situation, whose family was the mainstay of her life. Modern biographers include details excised from the letters and family biographies, but the biographer Jan Fergus writes that the challenge is to keep the view balanced, not to present her languishing in periods of deep unhappiness as "an embittered, disappointed woman trapped in a thoroughly unpleasant family". Life Family Jane Austen was born in Steventon, Hampshire, on 16 December 1775 in a harsh winter. Her father wrote of her arrival in a letter that her mother "certainly expected to have been brought to bed a month ago". He added that the newborn infant was "a present plaything for Cassy and a future companion". The winter of 1776 was particularly harsh and it was not until 5 April that she was baptised at the local church with the single name Jane. George Austen (1731–1805), served as the rector of the Anglican parishes of Steventon and Deane. The Reverend Austen came from an old and wealthy family of wool merchants. As each generation of eldest sons received inheritances, George's branch of the family fell into poverty. He and his two sisters were orphaned as children, and had to be taken in by relatives. In 1745, at the age of fifteen, George Austen's sister Philadelphia was apprenticed to a milliner in Covent Garden. At the age of sixteen, George entered St John's College, Oxford, where he most likely met Cassandra Leigh (1739–1827). She came from the prominent Leigh family. Her father was rector at All Souls College, Oxford, where she grew up among the gentry. Her eldest brother James inherited a fortune and large estate from his great-aunt Perrot, with the only condition that he change his name to Leigh-Perrot.George Austen and Cassandra Leigh were engaged, probably around 1763, when they exchanged miniatures. He received the living of the Steventon parish from Thomas Knight, the wealthy husband of his second cousin. They married on 26 April 1764 at St Swithin's Church in Bath, by license, in a simple ceremony, two months after Cassandra's father died. Their income was modest, with George's small per annum living; Cassandra brought to the marriage the expectation of a small inheritance at the time of her mother's death.After the living at the nearby Deane rectory had been purchased for George by his wealthy uncle Francis Austen, the Austens took up temporary residence there, until Steventon rectory, a 16th-century house in disrepair, underwent necessary renovations. Cassandra gave birth to three children while living at Deane: James in 1765, George in 1766, and Edward in 1767. Her custom was to keep an infant at home for several months and then place it with Elizabeth Littlewood, a woman living nearby to nurse and raise for twelve to eighteen months. Steventon In 1768, the family finally took up residence in Steventon. Henry was the first child to be born there, in 1771. At about this time, Cassandra could no longer ignore the signs that little George was developmentally disabled. He was subject to seizures, may have been deaf and mute, and she chose to send him out to be fostered. In 1773, Cassandra was born, followed by Francis in 1774, and Jane in 1775.According to biographer Park Honan, the atmosphere of the Austen home was an "open, amused, easy intellectual" one, where the ideas of those with whom the Austens might disagree politically or socially were considered and discuss.... Discover the Jane Austen popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Jane Austen books.

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  • Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Jane Austen

    Jane Austen

    This book contains the complete novels of Jane Austen. Lady Susan Sense and Sensibility Pride and Prejudice Mansfield Park Emma Persuasion Northanger Abbey Love And Friendship And ...

  • The Jane Austen Marriage Manual synopsis, comments

    The Jane Austen Marriage Manual

    Kim Izzo

    Katherine ShawKate is happy with her life. She has supportive friends, a glamorous magazine career, and a love of all things Jane Austen. But when she loses her job, her beloved gr...

  • The Jane Austen Book Club synopsis, comments

    The Jane Austen Book Club

    Karen Joy Fowler

    THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA book club discuss the works of Jane Austen and experience their own affairs of the heart in this charming “tribute to Austen that manages to capture ...

  • Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen

    Sally Smith O'Rourke

    Was Mr. Darcy real? Is time travel really possible? For pragmatic Manhattan artist Eliza Knight the answer to both questions is absolutely, Yes! And Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley ...

  • Ten Things I Love About You synopsis, comments

    Ten Things I Love About You

    Julia Quinn

    “Delightful.”Nora RobertsA perennial New York Times bestselling author, whose books have reached as high as #1, Julia Quinn returns with Ten Things I Love About You, another clever...

  • The Complete Works of Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    The Complete Works of Jane Austen

    Jane Austen

    All of the published novels of Jane Austen (and the unfinished novel, "Lady Susan") are collected in this giant  book. Includes easy to use chapter navigation.Included works:E...

  • The Real Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    The Real Jane Austen

    Paula Byrne

    “A vivacious portrait. . . . Byrne’s Austen emerges as a worldly woman, profoundly enmeshed in a wider world than she’s often acknowledged to occupy. This is an Austen with a sense...

  • A Jane Austen Education synopsis, comments

    A Jane Austen Education

    William Deresiewicz

    An eloquent memoir of a young man's life transformed by literature. In A Jane Austen Education, Austen scholar William Deresiewicz turns to the author's novels to reveal the rema...

  • How to Marry a Marquis synopsis, comments

    How to Marry a Marquis

    Julia Quinn

    When James Sidwell, Marquis of Riverdale, offered to help Elizabeth Hotchkiss find herself a husband, he never dreamed that the only candidate he could propose would be himself..

  • The Jane Austen Project synopsis, comments

    The Jane Austen Project

    Kathleen A. Flynn

    “The most brilliant Austenadjacent book on the market. . . . Flynn’s style makes this a quick, fun read, and since the story is Janerelated there’s even a romantic subplot.”  ...

  • Longbourn synopsis, comments

    Longbourn

    Jo Baker

    A NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR “Fans of Austen...will take particular pleasure” (People) in this irresistibly imagined belowstairs answer to Pride and Prejudice. While Eli...

  • Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Jane Austen

    Jane Austen

    Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, h...

  • Death Comes to Pemberley synopsis, comments

    Death Comes to Pemberley

    P. D. James

    A rare meeting of literary genius: P. D. James, long among the most admired mystery writers of our time, draws the characters of Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice int...

  • The Jane Austen Society synopsis, comments

    The Jane Austen Society

    Natalie Jenner

    INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER "This novel delivers sweet, smart escapism." People"Fans of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will adore Th...

  • The Duke Is Mine synopsis, comments

    The Duke Is Mine

    Eloisa James

    “Eloisa James is extraordinary.” Lisa KleypasIn the capable hands of USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James, the fairy tales we loved as children take on...

  • The Curiosity Keeper synopsis, comments

    The Curiosity Keeper

    Sarah E. Ladd

    Set in the same time period and location as Bridgerton and Poldark, this Regency romance brings together a wealthy heir and a mysterious young woman as they search for secrets behi...

  • Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Jane Austen

    Helen Lefroy

    Jane Austen's reputation rests on the six novels she wrote in her short life enduringly popular novels which have become part of the fabric of English life, and which have reached...

  • The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen

    Syrie James

    The minute I saw the letter, I knew it was hers. There was no mistaking it: the salutation, the tiny, precise handwriting, the date, the content itself, all confirmed its ancient s...

  • Letters of Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Letters of Jane Austen

    Jane Austen

    The letters are mostly addressed to Austen's sister Cassandra, with whom she was very close. There are also some letters written to two of her nieces, Anna Austen Lefroy and Fanny ...

  • Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Jane Austen

    Carol Shields

    With the same sensitivity and artfulness that are the trademarks of her awardwinning novels, Carol Shields explores the life of a writer whose own novels have engaged and delighted...

  • Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Jane Austen

    Claire Tomalin

    At her death in 1817, Jane Austen left the world six of the most beloved novels written in Englishbut her shortsighted family destroyed the bulk of her letters; and if she kept any...

  • Eligible synopsis, comments

    Eligible

    Curtis Sittenfeld

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  Wonderfully tender and hilariously funny, Eligible tackles gender, class, courtship, and family as Curtis Sittenfeld reaffirms herself as one of the...

  • Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Jane Austen

    Jane Austen

    This book contains the complete novels of Jane Austen.  Book 1. Persuasion Book 2. Northanger Abbey Book 3. Mansfield Park Book 4. Emma Book 5. Lady Susan Book 6. Love and Fre...

  • The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen

    Syrie James

    Many rumors abound about a mysterious gentleman said to be the love of Jane's lifefinally, the truth may have been found. . . .What if, hidden in an old attic chest, Jane Austen's ...

  • Epic Fail synopsis, comments

    Epic Fail

    Claire LaZebnik

    Pride and Prejudice goes Hollywood in this winning romantic comedy inspired by Jane Austen’s classic. In her teen fiction debut, the author of Knitting Under the Influence goes bac...

  • Works of Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Works of Jane Austen

    Jane Austen

    This collection was designed for optimal navigation on iPad and other electronic devices. It is indexed alphabetically, chronologically and by category, making it easier to access...

  • Memoir of Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Memoir of Jane Austen

    J. E. Austen-Leigh

    This 1879 edition of James AustenLeigh’s biography of his aunt, Jane Austen, also includes fragments of unfinished works by the famous novelist.

  • Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Jane Austen

    Robert P. Irvine

    Jane Austen is one of England's most enduringly popular authors, renowned for her subtle observations of the provincial middle classes of late eighteenth and early nineteenthcentur...

  • Bringing Down the Duke synopsis, comments

    Bringing Down the Duke

    Evie Dunmore

    “Dunmore is my new find in historical romance. Her A League of Extraordinary Women series is extraordinary.”Julia Quinn, #1 New York Times bestselling author“This series balances f...

  • Jane Austen, Her Life and Letters synopsis, comments

    Jane Austen, Her Life and Letters

    Richard Arthur Austen-Leigh

    The most extensive biography, bibliography, and family history of Jane Austen in one volume, with the Austen family trees nicely charted. this book reveals the real Jane Austen few...

  • Jane Austen synopsis, comments

    Jane Austen

    Constance Hill

    This 1902 volume offers an illustrated tour of the places Austen called home, with glimpses of her personal life.

  • Complete Works of Jane Austen. ILLUSTRATED. synopsis, comments

    Complete Works of Jane Austen. ILLUSTRATED.

    Jane Austen

    Table of Contents Emma (Illustrations by Hugh Thomson and by Charles E. Brock) Lady Susan Love and Freindship Mansfield Park (Illustrations by Charles E. Brock)  Northanger Ab...

  • Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict synopsis, comments

    Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

    Laurie Viera Rigler

    NATIONAL BESTSELLERAfter nursing a broken engagement with Jane Austen novels and Absolut, Courtney Stone wakes up and finds herself not in her Los Angeles bedroom or even in her ow...

  • The Complete Project Gutenberg Works of Jane Austen synopsis, comments
  • Jane Austen at Home synopsis, comments

    Jane Austen at Home

    Lucy Worsley

    "Jane Austen at Home offers a fascinating look at Jane Austen's world through the lens of the homes in which she lived and worked throughout her life. The result is a refreshingly ...