Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen was born in Hampshire, England in 1775. She was the seventh child of George and Cassandra Austen. Her parents were well-respected community members. Jane's father was an Oxford-educated rector for a nearby Anglican parish. The Austen family was very close and the children grew up in an environment that stressed creative thinking and education. When Jane was young, she and her siblings were encouraged to read from their father's extensive library. As children they also authored and put on plays. Ironically Austen's novels were not widely known in her own time. They gained popularity after 1869, and her reputation skyrocketed in the 20th century. Today some bookstores have entire sections devoted to Jane Austen books.