Jane Austen

Jane Austen was a British novelist best known for her biting social commentary and masterful character development. Her works include Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey and Lady Susan.

Austen was born in 1775 in Hampshire, England and died in 1817. Her father was a clergyman and she grew up with five brothers and sisters on his small estate at Steventon. She began writing poems as a young girl but did not publish her first novel until 1811 when she was 36 years old. She became famous for her novels after this first book was published titled Sense & Sensibility followed by Pride & Prejudice two years later which went on to be one of the most popular books ever written by any author during this time period until today with many movie adaptations.