Other editions of book The Complete Novels of Jane Austen

“…narrating the novels of Jane Austen reminded me that no matter how much the world changes, human nature never does.” (Alison Larkin) Ever since Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy emerged from the lake in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, the novels of Jane Austen have become more popular than ever, delighting millions of fans all over the world. Now, Alison Larkin's critically acclaimed narrations of Austen's six completed novels are brought together in this very special 200th anniversary audio edition. "Alison Larkin's narration will captivate listeners from the first sentence", raves AudioFile magazine about the Earphones Award-winning recording of Sense and Sensibility, which starts the collection. Hailed by The Times as "marvelously light footed...hugely entertaining," Alison Larkin is the perfect vessel to bring the deft, satirical novels of Jane Austen to sparkling new life. Alison Larkin is the best-selling author of The English American, a comedienne and the award-winning narrator of over 150 audiobooks. In addition to Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice with Songs from Regency England, Mansfield Park, Persuasion & Poems, Emma and Northanger Abbey and the History of England by Jane Austen, other classic narrations include Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass; Fairytales of the Fiercer Sex by the Brothers Grimm, et al; Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest (with James Warwick); Peter Pan & the Inconsiderate Waiter; and Agatha Christie's The Secret Adversary. Title and end music: "The Lonely Ash Grove", sung by Alison Larkin.

This wonderful collection includes:With the publications of Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1816), she achieved success as a published writer. She wrote two additional novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both published posthumously in 1818,Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage in the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security. Her works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism. Her use of biting irony, along with her realism, humour, and social commentary, have long earned her acclaim among critics, scholars, and popular audiences alike.

Jane Austens first published novel, Sense and Sensibility is the classic coming of age story of two sistersElinor and Marianne Dashwood, who have contrasting temperaments. On the surface Elinor, the older sister represents sense, while Marianne represents sensibility; however upon closer examination we find that they both exhibit varying aspects of each characteristic. Set in southwest England, in the towns of London and Kent, the novel follows the lives of the two sisters as they struggle to find love, romance, and ultimately deal with the heartbreaks along the way. The novel ponders the question of which is the best characteristicsense or sensibility. It is unclear ultimately what Austen intended as the answer to this question, whether or not she left the novel purposefully ambiguous or if her suggestion is that a proper temperament requires some measure of both qualities. Sense and Sensibility is a compelling study of character and one of the great achievements of the romantic genre. About the Author: Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics. Austen lived her entire life as part of a close-knit family located on the lower fringes of the English landed gentry. She was educated primarily by her father and older brothers as well as through her own reading. The steadfast support of her family was critical to her development as a professional writer. Her artistic apprenticeship lasted from her teenage years until she was about 35 years old. During this period, she experimented with various literary forms, including the epistolary novel which she tried then abandoned, and wrote and extensively revised three major novels and began a fourth. From 1811 until 1816, with the release of 'Sense and Sensibility' (1811), 'Pride and Prejudice' (1813), 'Mansfield Park' (1814) and 'Emma' (1815), she achieved success as a published writer. She wrote two additional novels, 'Northanger Abbey' and 'Persuasion', both published posthumously in 1818, and began a third, which was eventually titled 'Sanditon', but died before completing it. Austen's works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century realism. Her plots, though fundamentally comic, highlight the dependence of women on marriage to secure social standing and economic security. Her work brought her little personal fame and only a few positive reviews during her lifetime, but the publication in 1869 of her nephew's 'A Memoir of Jane Austen' introduced her to a wider public, and by the 1940s she had become widely accepted in academia as a great English writer. The second half of the 20th century saw a proliferation of Austen scholarship and the emergence of a Janeite fan culture.