Presented here are three of the six novels written by the legendary British author Jane Austen, each a beloved and cherished masterpiece of Regency-era literature.
In Volume I, we present Austen’s timeless classics ‘Pride and Prejudice, ‘ ‘Mansfield Park’ and ‘Persuasion.’ Though the books only received modest attention and few reviews at the time of their first release (‘Persuasion’ was, in fact, published posthumously), all of these books have gone on to become best-sellers are now considered to be among the finest examples of 19th century literature. Austen’s appeal has only grown over the centuries and these stories have been adapted into countless stage, screen and television productions, as well as prequels, sequels and highly fantastical fan fiction.
All of the books in The Jane Austen Reader collection are presented in their original and unabridged format.
About the author
Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English novelist known best for her six major novels: Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Persuasion, Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park. Jane was one of eight children born to the Rev. George Austen and Cassandra Leigh Austen. The family struggled financially for much of Jane’s life but she received a varied – if brief – education both privately and at a small boarding school before the financial strain of her education precluded her continued attendance. Once she returned from school, Jane rarely left her family home. From an early age, Jane wrote poetry and short fiction. She eventually expanded her writing into full-length novels and published four of them during her lifetime, all of them anonymously (as was the fashion for female writers at the time). These were: Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1815). They generated a small amount of interest and a smattering of positive reviews, but Austen was not recognized as the celebrated and groundbreaking author she is considered today while she was alive. Jane became ill in 1816 but apparently ignored the warning signs of whatever disease had gripped her. Some speculate she had lymphoma, others believe it was Addison’s disease. Whatever the cause, Jane’s health deteriorated and she died on July 18, 1817 at the age of 41. Following her death, her final two novels -Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published (both in 1818), but it was not until the mid-1800’s that her work began to gain in popularity. Jane Austen is now considered one of the world’s most beloved writers and her face has appeared on everything from postage stamps to British currency. In July, 2017, a statue of Jane was erected in Basingstoke, Hampshire on the 200th anniversary of her death.
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