Many readers and critics regard Jane Austen (1775–1817) as the greatest of all female novelists, so much so that to make such a statement seems trite. Some even contend that she stands next to Shakespeare in popularity.
Denied fame in her lifetime—Austen published anonymously, in part, to protect the reputation of her father, a clergyman—today, her novels resonate with fans around the world. Young people, especially females, read and reread her works, enraptured by her prose and the Regency era in which she lived.
