Austen's aspirations

An extremely canny writer, the most talented member of a surprisingly literary family, Austen read her contemporaries and predecessors rigorously, thinking deeply about her own style, about her aspirations for her writing. Amazingly, Austen came up with technical breakthroughs that would take the novel well into the modern era.

Pride and Popularity, by Sophie Gee, The New York Times, review of 'Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World', by Claire Harman