Jane Austen is one of the world’s best loved authors. Her novels, despite being written 200 years ago, continue to capture readers’ imaginations and delight audiences. It was Jane’s own upbringing as the daughter of a clergyman that provided her with the inspiration to write these works of social commentary on the activities and pre-occupations of upper- and middle-class England.

Interestingly, although Austen enjoyed moderate success through her writing during her lifetime, it was actually after her death in 1817 that her novels began to generate greater interest; and two of her novels, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, were published posthumously.

Perhaps Austen’s novels have been so enduring because of their irresistible wit and acute social observations. Nineteenth-century pre-occupations with inheritance, courtship, morals and marriage are discussed with delicious irony, and the conventional role of the nineteenth-century woman is challenged and satirised. Austen was herself an unconventional woman, choosing to remain unmarried and scandalously pursuing her love of writing in favour of more ‘feminine’ activities such as embroidering and bearing children.

Austen’s most famous unconventional woman is probably Elizabeth Bennett (Pride and Prejudice) who wishes to marry only for love, much to the horror and outrage of her mother. Austen’s characters are particularly realistic and endearing, another contributing factor to her literary success. Who could forget the excitable Mrs Bennett and her smelling salts (Pride and Prejudice), or the feisty and passionate Marianne Dashwood (Sense and Sensibility)?

Such has been the enthusiasm over the years for Austen’s novels that her works have provided the inspiration for numerous stage, television and film productions. Perhaps the most well-known is the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, featuring Colin Firth in his infamous see-through white shirt!

March 2007 sees the continuation of Austen fever, with a new film about her life, Becoming Jane, released on the 9 March; and ITV’s Jane Austen season beginning with a new production of Persuasion. The television channel will also show adaptations of Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey.

Naxos AudioBooks has a great tradition of Jane Austen recordings, with more than a dozen titles currently in the collection. The majority of these titles have been recorded by the exceptionally talented Juliet Stevenson, who never fails to impress with her particular understanding for the world and language of Jane Austen’s novels – you can hear her thoughts on recording the novels of Jane Austen for Naxos AudioBooks in her podacst (MP3, 3.82 MB).

If you would like to learn more about the fascinating life of Jane Austen, you may be interested to know that we are currently giving away Elizabeth Jenkins’ Austen biography as a free download with every Austen download purchased.

Why not explore the Naxos AudioBooks Jane Austen collection – click on a cover below for more information, audio samples, to buy online, or download: