From the small town of Chawton, Hampshire, one of the world's most important authors was born...

Jane Austen holds a firm place in the English literary cannon, and is adored world-wide for her wit, social observation and insight into the lives of women. But behind the books is a life largely unknown, with an idyllic childhood, a busy social life and an affectionate family circle.

Elizabeth Jenkin's account of Austen's story illustrates not only the character and opinions of an unusually perceptive and gifted woman, but also the world of the county gentry of Georgian England.

Richly drawn and in picturesque detail, Jenkins pulls together fact and fiction to show how Jane Austen's life, lived with quiet passion, inspired some of the most beloved novels to date.