Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novelsтАФSense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and PersuasionтАФwhich observe and critique the British gentry of the late eighteenth century. Her mastery of wit, irony, and social commentary made her a beloved and acclaimed author in her lifetime, a distinction she still enjoys today around the world.