Jane Austen was born in 1775 and died in 1817. She was the daughter of a country rector. She never lived in a big city, always a small village. She was born seventh in a family of eight children.
Jane was a keen observer of human behavior. She lived quietly, but read all she could and pondered what she did read.
In a time when marriage for a woman was essential, and having a large family almost mandatory, Jane chose not to marry. It is claimed that she turned down several suiters for her hand.
She became a novelist at a time when it was unusual for a woman to be able to compose anything beyond a frivolous letter to a friend, and she was a success at it. Her first novels were published anonymously.
Jane's novels are a comment on her times. For the most part they are a satire on the way of life she saw around her. The characters are larger than life and their foibles are out of proportion, but they are fun and entertaining, and point to the flaws in us all.
Emma (my all time favorite)
