The first book the 620 Book Club read was Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, so who better to write our first author spot
light about than Jane Austen?
Jane Austen was an English novelist born Dec. 16, 1775. Her writing began around 1787 with poems, short stories and plays written for her own enjoyment as well as her family’s. Austen’s works focus on moral issues of the day that still resonate today. During her lifetime Austen published 4 novels: Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1815). She also completed two other novels which were published posthumously by her family: Northanger Abbey and Persuasion (published together in 1817). The original drafts for many of these novels were written in the mid-1790’s 
corresponding to Austen’s early 20’s.
At the time of her death in July 1817, Austen was in the midst of writing a new novel entitled Sandition. Austen completed 12 chapters of the novel before she had to stop working due to illness in March 1817. It is unknown what illness took the life of Austen at the young age of 41, but it has been suggested that she died from Addison’s disease or possibly Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
While Austen’s life and writing were cut short by her untimely death, her works are still influential today; from the many people who love reading her novels to the many Hollywood movies based on her work. There have also been sequels, prequels and adaptations written for almost all of her works. Movies and miniseries based on Austen’s work include multiple versions of Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma. The 1995 movie Clueless is an updated version of Austen’s Emma. More recent movies influenced by Austen and her novels include 2007’s Becoming Jane starring Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen and 2007’s The Jane Austen Book Club.
If you’ve never read any of Austen’s works, I encourage you to do so. She is one of my personal favorite authors. Her novels always put a smile on my face. If you’d like to read more about Austen, check out her Wikipedia page. This page is full of good information plus some references that might make good reading as well.
Happy reading everyone!
