Jane Austen
Jane Austen was born in Steventon, Hampshire, England. She was the seventh child of eight. Her constant companion throughout her life was her sister, Cassandra. She never married. Jane has almost no formal education.By the time she was 23 years old, Austen had written three novels, Elinor and Marianne, First Impressions, and Susan. In 1801, her family moved to Bath. When her father died 4 years later, Jane, Cassandra, and their mother moved several times, settling in Chawton. There is where she wrote most of her work. All of Austen’s novels were originally published anonymously. Pride and Prejudice was an instant success as was Emma.
Two common themes in Austen’s books are the loss of illusions, usually leading characters to a more mature outlook, and the class between traditional moral ideals and the everyday demands of life. She is regarded as one of the greatest novelists of the 19th and 20th centuries.