No English author except Shakespeare has had a bigger impact on British letters than Jane Austen. She completed only six novels (with two published posthumously), and earned under 700 pounds (about $67,456 today) from works published during her lifetime. “Pride and Prejudice” alone has sold over 20 million copies since its release.
Her writing was admired while she lived. The Prince Regent was a fan. Since then, admirers have included Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill, Toni Morrison, and B.B. King.
