Best of Jane Austen [Paperback]

Jane Austen (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Bantam Classic & Loveswept (Mm); Boxed edition (October 1996)
• ISBN-10: 0553940864
• ISBN-13: 978-0553940862
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.5 x 2.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,549,902 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Though the domain of Jane Austen's novels was as circumscribed as her life, her caustic wit and keen observation made her the equal of the greatest novelists in any language. Born the seventh child of the rector of Steventon, Hampshire, on December 16, 1775, she was educated mainly at home. At an early age she began writing sketches and satires of popular novels for her family's entertainment. As a clergyman's daughter from a well-connected family, she had an ample opportunity to study the habits of the middle class, the gentry, and the aristocracy. At twenty-one, she began a novel called "The First Impressions" an early version of Pride and Prejudice. In 1801, on her father's retirement, the family moved to the fashionable resort of Bath. Two years later she sold the first version of Northanger Abby to a London publisher, but the first of her novels to appear was Sense and Sensibility, published at her own expense in 1811. It was followed by Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1815). After her father died in 1805, the family first moved to Southampton then to Chawton Cottage in Hampshire. Despite this relative retirement, Jane Austen was still in touch with a wider world, mainly through her brothers; one had become a very rich country gentleman, another a London banker, and two were naval officers. Though her many novels were published anonymously, she had many early and devoted readers, among them the Prince Regent and Sir Walter Scott. In 1816, in declining health, Austen wrote Persuasion and revised Northanger Abby, Her last work, Sandition, was left unfinished at her death on July 18, 1817. She was buried in Winchester Cathedral. Austen's identity as an author was announced to the world posthumously by her brother Henry, who supervised the publication of Northanger Abby and Persuasion in 1818.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SUPER - 5 ST@RS-, October 1, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Best of Jane Austen (Paperback)

I JUST LOVE THIS BOOK :-) well, what else can I say?...

And I spend " the whole book absolutely fixated on the critical question: will Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy hook up". Happy end or not , read it and find out.....

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars poetic, February 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Best of Jane Austen (Paperback)

This book is so magnificent. I have never known an author to wind so many diverse characters in one family. Austen makes you sympathize with the constraints of society and identify with Eliza. I've read most of her other books, but this is my favorite. Mr. Darcy is the man you love to hate; then you have to love him because he changes for Elizabeth. I'd reccomend this book to anyone interested in dialogue and dry, subtle humor.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, February 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Best of Jane Austen (Paperback)

Jane Austen is my favorite author, and having all of my faovrite works together is great!

Leah