From the Publisher: The funny and heartwarming story of a young lady whose zeal, snobbishness and self-satisfaction lead to several errors in judgment. Emma takes Harriet Smith, a parlor boarder and unknown, under her wing and schemes for advancement through a good marriage. The attempts at finding Harriet a suitor occupy all of Emma's time. However, in the midst of the search she settles on a most unlikely union with her own constant critic: Mr....

Jane Austen is the author of such classics as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. Step back in time and enter the elegant period of history known as the Regency and find the 'Lady' who breathed life into such sparkling characters as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, who have in turn gone on to inspire more recent romantic novelists to follow.

"May 1816: Jane Austen is feeling unwell, with an uneasy stomach, constant fatigue, rashes, fevers and aches. She attributes her poor condition to the stress of family burdens, which even the drafting of her latest manuscript-about a baronet's daughter nursing a broken heart for a daring naval captain-cannot alleviate. Her apothecary recommends a trial of the curative waters at Cheltenham Spa, in Gloucestershire. Jane decides to use some of the profits...

"Twenty-one-year-old Emma Woodhouse loves playing matchmaker. When pretty and socially inferior Harriet arrives, Emma decides to indulge her passion. Against the advice of family friend and surrogate older brother Mr. Knightly, Emma persuades Harriet to reject a marriage proposal from a local farmer in order to hold out for an offer from the dashing Mr. Elton. But Emma soon discovers Mr. Elton's true motives and her advice to Harriet goes terribly...

"When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited, while he struggles to remain indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever"--Book cover p. [4].

The year is 1795 and the feisty 20-year-old Jane Austen is an emerging writer who already sees a world beyond class and commerce, beyond pride and prejudice, and dreams of doing what was nearly unthinkable - marrying for love. Naturally, her parents are searching for a wealthy, well-appointed husband to assure their daughter's future social standing. As a prospective match for Jane, her parents are eyeing Mr. Wisley. He is the nephew to the very formidable,...