"Miss Austen understood the smallness of life to perfection. She was a great artist, equal in her small sphere to Shakespeare" - Alfred Tennyson
 
Now celebrated worldwide as one of the most beloved writers in English literature, Jane Austen was born in 1775. Best known for her novels, such as Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park, which offered a biting and witty social commentary on the world of the late 18th century landed gentry. She died young in 1817 leaving several unfinished works.
 
The best-selling of our Pocket Books, this is a History of England from the reign of Henry 4th to the death of Charles 1st written when Austen was just 15 years old. It served as an inspiration to JL Carr in collating his own dictionaries in the Pocket Book series.